India’s Biodiversity Breakthrough: 683 New Fauna Species and 433 Flora Taxa Discovered in 2024.

India’s commitment to biodiversity documentation reached a remarkable milestone in 2024, with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI) collectively recording 683 new species additions to the country’s fauna and 433 taxa to its flora. This achievement underscores India’s position as one of the world’s 17 mega-biodiverse countries and demonstrates the ongoing richness of the nation’s unexplored biological heritage.

Regional distribution of India’s fauna discoveries in 2024, with Kerala leading at 101 discoveries followed by Karnataka (82) and Arunachal Pradesh (72)

Southern India Dominates Biodiversity Discoveries

Kerala emerged as the undisputed leader in both faunal and floral discoveries during 2024. The state recorded 101 new faunal discoveries (80 new species and 21 new records), followed by Karnataka with 82 discoveries (68 new species and 14 new records). In flora, Kerala again topped the list with 58 species discoveries, followed by Maharashtra (45) and Uttarakhand (40).

The dominance of southern states reflects the Western Ghats’ status as one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is recognized for its exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism, with at least 325 globally threatened species.

Northeast India: The Biodiversity Powerhouse

The northeastern states contributed significantly to India’s biodiversity discoveries, with Arunachal Pradesh recording 72 animal discoveries (42 new species and 30 new records), Meghalaya contributing 42 new discoveries (25 new species and 17 new records), and West Bengal adding 56 new discoveries (25 new species and 31 new records).

The Western Ghats and North-Eastern regions collectively contributed 35% of total discoveries, highlighting their continued importance as biodiversity hotspots. The Northeast region, which is nestled in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, nurtures 8,000 flowering plants, 137 species of reptiles, and 160 species of mammals.

Remarkable Faunal Discoveries

New Genus and Species Highlights

The 2024 faunal discoveries include two new genera and 37 species of reptiles, along with five new species of amphibians. Among the most significant discoveries:

• Dravidoseps gouensis: A new genus of skink (lizard) from the Western Ghats
• Anguiculus dicaprioi: A member of the Colubridae family, named after Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio

Taxonomic Breakdown

Insects dominated the new faunal discoveries, particularly beetles, moths, flies, and bees. The comprehensive breakdown shows:

• 459 completely new species and 224 species newly recorded in India
• Invertebrates accounted for the majority of discoveries, with insects comprising the largest group
• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, another biological hotspot, recorded 43 new discoveries of fauna (14 new species and 29 new records)

Diverse Flora Discoveries

Plant Type Distribution

The 433 new flora taxa included 410 species and 23 infra-specific taxa. The discoveries encompassed a remarkable diversity of plant types:

• 154 angiosperms (flowering plants)
• 156 fungi (the highest single category)
• 63 lichens
• 32 algae
• 15 bryophytes (mosses and liverworts)
• 9 microbes
• 4 pteridophytes (ferns and fern allies)

Economically Important Discoveries

The plant discoveries for 2024 include wild relatives of many potential horticultural, agricultural, medicinal, and ornamental plants such as begonia, impatiens (balsams), legumes, zingibers, and orchids. Significant discoveries include important orchid species such as Bulbophyllum gopalianum, Coelogyne tripurensis, Gastrodia indica, and Gastrodia sikkimensis.

ZSI’s Historic Achievements

Version 2.0 Fauna Checklist

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav unveiled ZSI’s Version 2.0 of the Checklist of Fauna of India, documenting 105,244 species and subspecies. This comprehensive inventory, compiled by over 185 experts and spanning 121 taxonomic groups from protists to mammals, makes India the first country in the world to prepare a complete checklist of its entire fauna.

110th Foundation Day Celebrations

ZSI celebrated its 110th Foundation Day with the release of “Animal Discoveries-2024,” marking another milestone in India’s biodiversity documentation efforts. The organization, established in 1916, has been instrumental in inventorying India’s faunal resources from Protozoa to Mammalia.

India’s Biodiversity Conservation Leadership

Global Recognition

India hosts approximately 7-8% of the world’s documented species and contains 4 of the 34 globally recognized biodiversity hotspots. The country’s diverse ecological zones include the Himalayas, Indo-Gangetic plains, Western Ghats, North-Eastern hills, and island ecosystems like the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Conservation Challenges and Opportunities

Among Indian fauna, 5,632 species have been included in various categories of the IUCN Red List, requiring significant attention for conservation. The discoveries highlight both the richness of India’s unexplored biodiversity and the urgent need for conservation efforts as habitats face increasing pressure from development and climate change.

Scientific Significance and Future Implications

Taxonomic Excellence

ZSI conducts 100-120 surveys annually across different ecosystems including mountain, grassland, marine, estuarine, freshwater, mangrove, agro-ecosystem, wetland, and riverine environments. During 2021-22 alone, 107 long-term surveys were conducted alongside several local surveys covering almost all states and ecosystems.

Research and Documentation

The discoveries are crucial for understanding biodiversity, supporting conservation efforts, recognizing ecological imbalances, and documenting climate change impacts. BSI has recorded and documented 56,177 species of plants—including angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, and algae.

Looking Forward

Every new discovery takes us a step closer to understanding biodiversity and its conservation and management. The 2024 discoveries reflect ongoing intensive study of India’s rich biodiversity, particularly in the Western Ghats and Northeast India, which continue to shine as biodiversity hotspots.

The consistent annual additions to India’s biodiversity database—from 641 species in 2023 to 683 in 2024—demonstrate the country’s sustained commitment to scientific exploration and conservation. As India continues its journey toward Viksit Bharat by 2047, these biodiversity discoveries serve as a foundation for sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

The remarkable achievements of 2024 underscore India’s position as a global leader in biodiversity research and conservation, with ZSI and BSI continuing their vital mission of exploring, documenting, and protecting the nation’s extraordinary biological heritage.