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Environmental Day Bouquet: 539 species discovered in India in 2017
News:
- According to publications from the zoological survey of India (ZSI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI), in 2017, 539 species have been discovered in India.
Important Facts:
- Publications:
- Zoological Survey of India: Animal Discoveries, 2017
- Botanical Survey of India: Plant discoveries, 2017
- Fauna Discoveries:
- Total: 300 species
- 241 vertebrates, includes 27 species of fish, 18 of amphibians and 12 of reptiles
- Important discoveries: Fossil reptilian species- Shringasaurus indicus; frog species and snake species
- India accounts for 6.45% of total world faunal species
- Flora discoveries:
- Total 239 species includes 148 flowering plants, 108 macro and microfungi, 4 pteridophytes, 6 bryophytes, 17 lichens, 39 algae, 30 microbes
- 20 species of balsams, 3 species of each wild Musa (banana) and jamun also discovered
- India accounts for 11.4% of the world fauna
- Discoveries across regions
- Highest discoveries made in Western Ghats and Himalayas
- Western Ghats: 19% of plant species and 37% of animal species
- Himalayas: 35% of plant species and 18% of animal species
- Among states, Kerala recorded the highest number of discoveries, followed by Tamil Nadu , West Bengal recorded 27 plant species discoveries and 45 animal species discoveries
