Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of shrew-Crocidura narcondamica-from the Narcondam volcanic island in the Andaman and Nicobar conglomerate nestled in the Bay of Bengal, according to an article published on May 3, 2021 in the journal Nature. A media report in August 2021 said that India added 557 new species to its fauna, which included 407 new species and 150 new records, as revealed by Animal Discoveries 2020, a document published by the 251. The number of faunal species in India climbed to 1,02,718 with the discovery of the new species.
The new species is of medium size (head and body lengths) and has a distinct external morphology with darker grey dense fur with a thick, darker tail compared to other species of the genus, Dr. Sivaperuman added. He also said craniodental characters of the species such as braincase was rounded and elevated with weak lambdoidal ridges makes the species distinct in comparison to other close congeners.
The discovery of a new insectivorous mammal comes after 43 years. Prior to this, scientists from the ZSI had discovered Crocidura jenkinsi on the South Andaman Island in 1978.
The discovery comes from one of most remote and uninhabited islands, Narcondam island, of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. Narcondam Island is located about 130 km east of North Andaman, and about 446 km of the west coast of Myanmar. The isolated island covers an area of 6.8 km2 and the highest peak (volcanic cone) is 710 m above sea level; however, the base lies approximately 1,500 m beneath the sea. This thickly vegetated island is bordered by cliffs on the southern side and crested by three peaks is part of a volcanic arc that continues northward from Sumatra to Myanmar.
Credit : The Hindu
Picture Credit : Google
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