Context

In 2024, India recorded a record high of 683 new faunal discoveries, surpassing previous years—a milestone highlighted in the Animal Discoveries 2024 report by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) .

 Key Findings

Faunal Discoveries (2024)

• Total additions: 683 species and subspecies
  • 459 are completely new to science
  • 224 are recorded in India for the first time
• Kerala led the country with 101 discoveries:
  • 80 new species
  • 21 new records
• Other top-performing states:
  • Karnataka (82), Arunachal Pradesh (72), Tamil Nadu (63), West Bengal (56), Meghalaya (42), Andaman & Nicobar Islands (43) ?? Floral Discoveries (2024)

• Total plant taxa documented: 433
  • Including 410 new species and 23 infra-specific taxa
• Kerala again topped the list with 58 plant taxa, followed by Maharashtra (45) and Uttarakhand (40).

What Makes Kerala a Discovery Leader?

• Diverse ecosystems: Home to rich habitats—from the Western Ghats to coastal wetlands and tropical rainforests.
• Systematic fieldwork: Over 156 intensive field surveys across challenging terrains, covering more than 31,000?km².
• Advanced taxonomy tools: Use of DNA barcoding, molecular research, and modern techniques to identify cryptic species and revise taxonomy.

Noteworthy Discoveries

• A new snake species, Anguiculus dicaprioi, named in honour of Leonardo DiCaprio
• Two new reptile genera, 37 new reptile species, and five amphibians reported nationwide.
• Dragonfly species Lyriothemis abrahami discovered in Kerala, increasing the state's odonate count to 191 species; underscores the critical value of microhabitats like tree-hole pools.
• Two deep-sea fish species, Coloconger scholesi and Ophichthus erabo, identified off the coast of Kollam, reflecting Kerala’s rich marine biodiversity .
• Taxonomic revision of the common jumping spider Evarcha flavocincta clarifying historic misidentification and enhancing our understanding of arachnid biodiversity in Kerala.
• Recent discovery of two new millipede species in the Western Ghats, including Kerala, adding to arthropod diversity.

Biodiversity Landscape in India

• Western Ghats and North-East India contributed to ~35% of all discoveries in 2024.
• India's total documented fauna now stands at approximately 105,244 species and subspecies; floral diversity totals around 56,177 taxa.
• India, one of the 17 megadiverse countries, supports roughly 8% of global biodiversity on just 2.4% of Earth’s landmass.

Conservation Imperatives

• The spike in discoveries highlights both ecological richness and vulnerability—due to habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and infrastructure development.
• The Animal Taxonomy Summit 2025 recommended:
  • Conducting vulnerability assessments in Himalayan and northeastern hotspots
  • Developing integrated biodiversity surveillance systems combining genetics, taxonomy, and community data
  • Designing wildlife-friendly infrastructure (e.g. arboreal bridges, underpasses)
  • Establishing marine-specific taxonomic centers, including a potential ZSI regional hub in Lakshadweep 2.

Snapshot

Conclusion:

Kerala’s stellar performance underscores the critical role of targeted research, modern taxonomy, and robust field surveys in unveiling India’s biodiversity. These findings strengthen conservation policy, inform scientific priorities, and emphasize the urgent need to protect and monitor these unique ecosystems.