New coral species discovered from Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India

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Ctenactis triangularis from Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Image Credit: C Raghunathan

Shedding light to the rich but unexplored marine biodiversity of India, Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India described a new species of coral reef, Ctenactis triangularis from Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. The new species which belongs to the family of mushroom corals, adds a fourth member to the Ctenactis genus of corals.

“The first specimen of the species was collected from Rutland Island from South Andaman by snorkeling and skin-diving", said the scientists. Later another specimen of the same coral was observed at the North Bay in South Andaman in December 2008. Researchers were able to spot the same species again after two years, in 2010, off the coast of Elephant Beach in Havelock Island.

Tamal Mondal and C. Raghunathan , scientists at the Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India situated at Port Blair have reported and described the identity of the new species.

Distinguishing features of Ctenactis triangularis

According to the ZSI scientists, the newly described species has characteristics which make it different from all the three members of the genus previously reported by other studies.

Ctenactis triangularis
Image Courtesy: JOTT

The discovery which is published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa reveals that three characteristics make the new species different from its closest relatives.

The major feature is the triangular, flat shaped skeleton or corallum which makes it different. According t the study, ‘divisible mouth fossa, spinulose costal spines and cylindrical septal teeth’ also make it distinguished from other members of its genus.

To underscore one of its most visible distinguishing features – its flat triangular skeleton, the scientists have named it as triangularis. “The species has been named after the triangle-shaped arm like coralla, which gives a unique morphological character to distinguish it from other related species”, says the study.

Conservation Status of Ctenactis triangularis

Despite the new discovery, the future of the coral reefs off the coast of Andaman and Nicobar are likely bleaker, points out the study. “Threats, which can be categorized as natural and anthropogenic, to the reef biodiversity, have been encountered for a long time.”, it says.

According to the researchers, the new species belong to Scleractinian corals which are protected under CITES Appendix II which curbs the transnational smuggling of these corals. Moreover, they are also included in the Schedule I of protected organisms of Indian Wildlife Act, 1972. 

Fauna of Ecosystems of India - Western Ghats: Book Review

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Fauna of Ecosystems of India - Western Ghats

Authors: C. Radhakrishnan and K. Rajmohana

Fauna of Protected Areas of Western Ghats

                Authors: K G Emiliyamma and Muhamed Jafer Palot

Publisher: Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata

Western Ghats has been a buzz word in the popular press recently, unfortunately, for wrong reasons. Ironically, majority of the states which enjoys the benefits of the ecological services rendered by the age old mountain range were very critical about a crucial report to protect it in sustainable ways. It is where these humble books published by Zoological Survey of India on Fauna of Western Ghats stands relevant.

Fauna of Ecosystems of India Western ghats
Front cover

Fauna of protected areas of Western ghats
Front Cover

As politicians, mining lobbies and other parties of vested interests are raking up a malicious campaign full of misguiding arguments against the conservation efforts; the book - Fauna of Ecosystems of India - Western Ghats - clearly upholds the conservation significance of the mountain range by depicting its rich fauna in just 14 pages.

Western Ghats and its conservation significance is a very tough and complex subject, just like the mountain ranges. However, the book delineates it in a very simple manner, first by going through the international recognition it has got for its rich biodiversity, then by depicting its rich fauna in terms of numbers. In the end, to subliminally point out the grim picture of its present conservation status, the book also reveals that only 10 percent of the total area of Western Ghats comes under protected category. 

The other book - Fauna of Protected Areas of Western Ghats- on the other hand, gives readers a quick glance through the different protected areas in Western Ghats with the number of protected areas, their area and the established year.

The books are very much matter of fact to the core. No jugglery with tougher scientific terms which always go over the head of the common man who wants to understand about the need to conserve the mountain range. Though the books do not delineate the ecosystem services rendered by the fauna of Western Ghats, they give a very detailed and updated picture regarding the rich biodiversity of the region.

Published during the CoP XI event in Hyderabad to elaborate the rich biodiversity of the country, these books are parts of a series of books published by Zoological Survey of India.

These books and their content is a ready reckoner, not only for a green activist who works for Western Ghats conservation, but for all people who directly or indirectly enjoys the resources of the mountain range.

Download Free Ebook - Fauna of Ecosystems of India - WesternGhats

Download Free Ebook – Fauna of Protected Areas of WesternGhats

National and State Animals of India: A book review

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National and State Animals of India:  Front cover

Short URL for the story: http://goo.gl/AttC5

The book, on the very first sight, took me back to the Lower Primary School days when I tried hard to memorize that Tiger is the national animal of India. Then, the thought hit me with a jolt that I don’t know anything beyond that. Frankly, I have lost touch with it since then. That is where I found the book very helpful and informative.

The book was published by Zoological Survey of India with the support of National Biodiversity Authority at the instances of India hosting the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad during 2012.

Apart from the detailed description on the common name, scientific name and regional names of the animals and birds for each state, it gives detailed description about their physical features, natural history, the present conservation status and distribution of the organisms. Moreover, the pictures published along with gives the reader a good chance to identify and familiarize with the animals and birds.

Blue bull/ Neelgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus): 
State Animal of National Capital Territory of Delhi

It was very informative to include in the introduction about the root thoughts of biodiversity conservation in India culture with suitable quotes from ancient Indian texts. Then, it is not just a compilation of facts available in Wikipedia.  You can have a look at the original notifications which have declared respective animals and birds in the appendix of the book.

As ZSI Director K Venkataraman points out in the preface of the book, “honoring and symbolizing different animals at the national and at the state level generates consciousness of the people….. and they become aware of their whereabouts and their responsibilities towards the wellbeing of such animals.” The book serves the purpose of generating such consciousness among the people, not only about the biodiversity icons in their own states, but also about other states.

Publisher: Zoological Survey of India

Price: Free

The book is available for free download.

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Now answer a quiz on state and national animals of India

Great Nicobar Crake, a new bird discovered from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

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Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new bird species from the Andaman and Nicobar islands of India. The bird which is now named as Great Nicobar Crake is an unreported member of the Rallina species of birds which are usually called Water Rails or Crakes.

Photos of Great Nicobar Crake published by the journal

The discovery is published in the latest edition of the journal Birding Asia, according to which, the bird was seen at Govind Nagar tsunami shelter on the east coast of Great Nicobar, 6 km from Campbell Bay during November last year. 

According to scientists, the Water Crakes or the Rallina species of birds are very rare and only 8 species are known so far. IUCN considers these birds as data deficient since their rarity makes it difficult to compile data on these birds. 

Birds of Rallina species are found in Australia and Asia and 3 are seen in India. Among the three, Andaman Crake (Rallina canningi) which is found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are endemic and is included under the Near Threatened category. As the report of the new bird is now limited only to Andaman and Nicobar islands, it is highly likely that Great Nicobar Crake is also endemic to the islands.

According to the paper titled "An apparently new species of Rallina crake from Great Nicobar Island, India" published by   S. Rajesh Kumar, C. Raghunathan and P.C. Rasmusssen of ZSI, Great Nicobar Crake cannot fly but can run fast. Usually found near water bodies, Great Nicobar Crake is a thick and short bird, with heavy legs and moderately longer toes and short claws. It has moderately long neck and a short tail. 

The presence of pale green bill, heavy orange-red legs and black banded under parts together makes it different from other known members of Water Crakes.

The discovery was made as part of an ongoing ZSI attempt to map the fauna communities of Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (GNBR). The project is being carried out under the man and biosphere programme of UNESCO with the sponsorship of Ministry of Environment and Forests.