Sanchita Chatterjee, BS News Agency/PIB, Kolkata: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of Diplura, a historic breakthrough in Indian entomology. The wingless, ground-dwelling, tiny arthropod species, known as Lepidocampa sikkimensis, belongs to an ancient hexapod group, the first species of which has been discovered by an Indian research team.
A major breakthrough in Indian taxonomy
The study, published in the internationally renowned taxonomic journal Zootaxa on January 7 this year, has brought an end to the nearly five-decade-long stagnation in research on Indian Diplura. Earlier, a total of 17 species were recorded in India, all of which were discovered by foreign researchers.
ZSI Director Dr. Dhriti Banerjee highlighted the importance of this discovery and said—
“The discovery of Lepidocampa sikkimensis is very important in documenting the biodiversity of soil in India. Research on important but lesser known groups like Diplura is essential for understanding the functioning of ecosystems. This success highlights the need for continuous taxonomic research in a biodiversity-rich region like the Himalayas.”
Species discovered: Lepidocampa sikkimensis
The research team led by Dr. Surjit Kar, which included Souvik Majumdar, Pritha Mandal, Gurupad Mandal and Kusumendra Kumar Suman, identified this species from specimens collected near Ravangla in Sikkim. Later, its presence was also observed in the Kurseong area of West Bengal, indicating that the species is widespread across the Eastern Himalayas.
Morphological characteristics:
This species is characterized by its unique arrangement of body scales, specific chitotaxy (hair arrangement) and specialized limb structures.
Ecological Role:
Diplura, also known as “two-branched bristletails”, are primitive, sightless hexapods. They play an important role in maintaining soil nutrient cycling and maintaining soil structure.
International Advances in Microbial Identification
Apart from the new species description, the study has added important information to the record of Indian soil-dwelling fauna.
Rediscovery:
The team rediscovered a rare subspecies, Lepidocampa juradii bengalensis, which had not been recorded for nearly 50 years.
Microbiological Breakthrough:
The study provides DNA barcode information for the first time for an Indian Lepidocampa species, creating an important bridge between traditional morphological taxonomy and modern microbial evolutionary research.