India added 557 new species to faunal wealth in 2020: ZSI

News: Recently the Zoological Survey Of India (ZSI) in its document Animal Discoveries 2020 published 557 new faunal species found across the country. With this the number of faunal species in India has climbed to 1,02,718 species. Read The News Here.

Important Species Discovered:

1. Trimeresurus salazar –  new species of green pit viper – Arunachal Pradesh

2. Lycodon deccanensis – the Deccan wolf snake – Karnataka

3. Sphaerotheca Bengaluru – new species of burrowing frog – Bengaluru

4. Xyrias anjaalai – eep water species of snake eel – Kerala

5. Glyptothorax giudikyensis – new species of catfish – Manipur

6. Clyster galateansis – new species of scarab beetles – Great Nicobar Biosphere.

7. Myotis cf. frater –  bat species – reported for the first time from Uttarakhand

8. Zoothera citrina gibsonhilli – orange-headed thrush – Narcondam island in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

About Zoological Survey Of India:

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), was founded on 1 July 1916 by Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. It was founded for the zoological research and studies to promote survey, exploration and research of the fauna in the country.

1. It originated as a Zoological Section of the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
2. Initially, the ZSI had eight regional centers across India. Currently, there are 16 regional centers spread across the country.
3. The headquarters is in Kolkata.
4. It has been declared as a designated repository for the National Zoological Collection as per Section 39 of the National Biodiversity Act, 2002.

 The history of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) begins from the days of the Asiatic Society of Bengal founded by Sir William Jones. The Asiatic Society of Bengal was the parent institution not only to the Indian Museum (1875) but also to the institutions like the Zoological Survey of India and the Geological Survey of India.

Objectives of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI):

1. To promote the survey, exploration, research, and documentation on various aspects of animal taxonomy in the Indian subcontinent. It also seeks the advancement of knowledge on animal taxonomy.
2. Make a status survey of the threatened and endemic species.
3. Preparation of Red Data Book, Fauna of India, and Fauna of States.
4. Bio-ecological studies on important communities/species.
5. Preparation of database for the recorded species of the country.
6. Maintenance and Development of National Zoological Collections.

Questions related to the Topic:

Where is the ZSI headquartered?

Answer: ZSI has its headquarters in Kolkata.

 Consider the following statements about Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) :

1. Exploration, Survey, Inventorying and Monitoring of flora and fauna diversity across India is the main objective of ZSI.
2. It is under the control of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change.

Which of the above is /are correct?
(a) 1 only

b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 and 2

Ans: b

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