scholarly journals REDESCRIPTION OF Lycodon travancoricus (BEDDOME, 1870) (REPTILIA : COLUBRIDAE), AN INDIAN ENDEMIC SNAKE, WITH A REVIEW OF ITS GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-58
Author(s):  
S.R. Ganesh ◽  
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe ◽  
Gernot Vogel ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Species Complex ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The Western Ghats

We redescribe the poorly-known peninsular India endemic colubrid snake Lycodon travancoricus based on its traceable syntype. We elaborate on the geographic range of the species and reveal its distribution in several disjunct hill ranges scattered across its range – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats and the Central Indian Highlands. Discussions about a suggested relegation of its status as a subspecies of the widespread L. aulicus are revisited, in light of new knowledge on the species complex to which it belongs. Our perusal of extralimital records allocated to this species reveals frequent incorrect identification and provenance of specimens. Our results bolster the view that the existing diagnosis is sufficient to distinguish this species from regional congeners supporting its continued recognition as a valid species restricted to peninsular India.

A deeply divergent lineage of Walkerana (Anura: Ranixalidae) from the Western Ghats of Peninsular India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4729 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.P. DINESH ◽  
S.P. VIJAYAKUMAR ◽  
VIJAY RAMESH ◽  
ADITI JAYARAJAN ◽  
S.R. CHANDRAMOULI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Divergent Lineage ◽  
The North ◽  
Palghat Gap ◽  
High Elevations ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
Hill Range

The frog family Ranixalidae is endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India and contains two genera, Indirana and Walkerana. The three known species of Walkerana are restricted to different hill ranges south of the Palghat Gap, an ancient valley in the Western Ghats. In this study, we report the discovery of a deeply divergent lineage of Walkerana from the high elevations of the Elivalmalai hill range. This finding extends the geographic range of the Walkerana clade to the north of the Palghat Gap. The new species Walkerana muduga sp. nov. is genetically and morphologically divergent, and geographically isolated from its sister lineages. We also recovered a potential new lineage in the adjoining hill ranges suggesting the presence of additional new species in this genus north of the Palghat Gap.  

scholarly journals Catalogue of herpetological specimens from peninsular India at the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), India

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 16123-16135 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.R. Ganesh ◽  
Bhupathy S. ◽  
P. Karthik ◽  
Babu Rao ◽  
S. Babu
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Voucher Specimens ◽  
Deccan Plateau ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
Reptilian Species ◽  
Coromandel Coast

We list the herpetological voucher specimens in the holdings of the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History (SACON), a wildlife research institute in India.  Most of the collections are the fruition of fieldwork by SACON’s herpetologist and a coauthor of this work—late Dr. Subramanian Bhupathy (1963–2014).  Taxonomically, the collection represents 125 species, comprising 29 amphibian species belonging to eight families and 96 reptilian species belonging to 17 families.  Geographically, the material in this collection originates from the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats, the Deccan Plateau, and the Coromandel Coast, comprehensively covering all ecoregions of peninsular India.  A total of 15 taxa (three amphibians, 12 reptiles) remain to be fully identified and are provisionally referred to most-resembling taxa, with cf. prefix.  All the specimens in this collection are non-types as on date.              

scholarly journals Pterobryopsis kegeliana (Müll. Hal.) M. Fleisch. and P. scabriuscula (Mitt.) M. Fleisch. - new to the moss flora of the Eastern Ghats

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 201-205
Author(s):  
A E Dulip Daniels ◽  
P M Biju ◽  
V Asha
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Western Ghats

Pterobryopsis kegeliana (Müll. Hal.) M. Fleisch., so far known from Pachmarhi and the Western Ghats in India, and P. scabriuscula (Mitt.) M. Fleisch., known from the Western Ghats, Sri Lanka and Thailand (?), are recorded for the first time in the Eastern Ghats. A perusal of literature revealed that Meteorium scabriusculum Mitt., the holotype of P. scabriuscula, collected by Law from Concan, presumed to be a place in Thailand by Noguchi refers to only the present-day Konkan region in Peninsular India. Hence, the distribution of P. scabriuscula is amended here. Detailed descriptions with figures and photographic plates are provided.

scholarly journals The woody flora of Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India - A checklist

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 20033-20055
Author(s):  
Naveen Babu Kanda ◽  
Kurian Ayushi ◽  
Vincy K. Wilson ◽  
Narayanan Ayyappan ◽  
Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy
Keyword(s):  
Western Ghats ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Wildlife Sanctuary ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Ecological Features ◽  
Central Western Ghats ◽  
The Western Ghats

Documenting the biodiversity of protected areas and reserve forests is important to researchers, academicians and forest departments in their efforts to establish policies to protect regional biodiversity. Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) is an important protected area located in the central Western Ghats of Karnataka state known for its diverse flora and fauna with distinct ecological features. For the last four decades the sanctuary has witnessed the loss of forest cover, yet the vegetation in few locations is relatively undisturbed. The current inventory was undertaken during 2019–2020 to provide a checklist of woody species from SWS under-researched earlier. The list comprises 269 species of trees, lianas and shrubs distributed in 207 genera and 68 families. The most diverse families are Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae, Lauraceae, Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, Malvaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Anacardiaceae, representing 48% of total woody flora. The sanctuary shelters 263 native and six exotic plant species. Thirty-nine species were endemic to the Western Ghats, five species to peninsular India and one species to the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. Four forest types, i.e., dry deciduous, moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and evergreen forests, are represented in the sanctuary. Of the total species, only seven occurred in all forest types, while 111 species are exclusive to a single forest type. One-hundred-and-four taxa were assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List. Ten species that fall under Near Threatened, Vulnerable, and Endangered categories were encountered occasionally. The baseline data generated on plant diversity will be useful in highlighting the importance of these forests for species conservation and forest management. Such data form a cornerstone for further research. For instance, to understand the effect of invasive species and human impacts on the diversity of the region. 

A new species of rock-dwelling Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Tamil Nadu, southern India

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4571 (3) ◽  
pp. 383
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Tamil Nadu State ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

A new species of the gekkonid genus Cnemaspis is described based on a series of nine specimens from near Sankari in Salem district, Tamil Nadu state, southern India. The new species is diagnosable by the following suite of characters: a small-sized Cnemaspis (adult snout to vent length less than 33 mm); heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis consisting of weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with large strongly keeled, conical tubercles, 9–11 rows of dorsal tubercles, 12–17 tubercles in paravertebral rows; spine-like scales absent on flank, 17–20 lamellae under digit IV of pes. Males with 4–6 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by eight poreless scales from four precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by a single poreless scale; two single dorsal ocelli on occiput and between forelimb insertions, two pairs of ocelli on either side just anterior and posterior to forelimb insertions. Cnemaspis agarwali sp. nov. is the fifth endemic species of Cnemaspis from peninsular India outside the Western Ghats and highlights the rich and unique diversity of this understudied region. 

Two new Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Shevaroy massif, Tamil Nadu, India, with a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of Indian Cnemaspis

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4609 (1) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽  
NIKHIL GAITONDE ◽  
ISHAN AGARWAL
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
The Western Ghats

We present a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis, recovering a number of deeply divergent clades within Indian Cnemaspis, endemic to the southern and northern Western Ghats besides the Mysore Plateau and hills of Tamil Nadu. There are a number of unnamed lineages that are >5% divergent on ND2 across the phylogeny, including three from the gracilis clade on an elevation gradient (800–1400 m asl.) around Yercaud in the Shevaroy massif, Salem district, Tamil Nadu. We describe two of these as new species— Cnemaspis shevaroyensis sp. nov. and Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. are both allied to Cnemaspis gracilis and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by the absence of spine-like scales on flank, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of femoral and precloacal pores, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, a median row of enlarged and smooth sub-caudals. They differ from C. gracilis and each other in body size, the number of tubercles around midbody, the number of tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral and precloacal pores, the number of poreless scales in-between precloacal pores and between femoral and precloacal pores, and subtle colour pattern differences; besides uncorrected mitochondrial sequence divergence (7.9–16.6 %). We also provide a description of Cnemaspis yercaudensis from its type locality and an additional locality. The discovery of two endemic species and a third unnamed divergent lineage from an isolated massif in peninsular India outside the Western Ghats indicate that many other such understudied hill ranges may harbour high endemic biodiversity. 

scholarly journals A new species of shieldtail snake (Reptilia: Squamata: Uropeltidae) from Kolli Hill complex, southern Eastern Ghats, peninsular India

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 15436-15442
Author(s):  
S.R. Ganesh ◽  
N.S. Achyuthan
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Evergreen Forests ◽  
Allopatric Species ◽  
Yellow Mottling ◽  
A New Species

We describe a new species of shieldtail (uropeltid) snake, Uropeltis rajendrani sp. nov., from the Kolli Hill complex of the southern Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, India.  The new species belongs to the U. ceylanica group and is differentiated from related species in having 16–17:16–17:15–16 dorsal scale rows; 145–158 ventral scales; 8–11 pairs of subcaudals; dorsum uniform brown, anteriorly powdered with yellow mottling; venter brown, scales outlined with yellow.  This endemic species with a restricted range is known only from atop Kolli Hill complex, inhabiting higher elevation (> 900m) evergreen forests, where it is the only known member of this genus. Allopatric species, endemism, isolated massif, Uropeltis rajendrani sp. nov., Western Ghats. 

scholarly journals Inventory of teloganodid mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Teloganodidae) from southern India with records of endemic taxa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 11800
Author(s):  
C. Selvakumar ◽  
K. G. Sivaramakrishnan ◽  
T. Kubendran ◽  
Kailash Chandra
Keyword(s):  
Southeast Asia ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Southern India ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Diagnostic Characters ◽  
The Family ◽  
Present Pattern ◽  
The Western Ghats

The present study deals with diagnostic characters, diversity, distribution and status of seven species belonging to four genera of Teloganodidae from southern India.  Six of them are endemic to the Western Ghats as is the genus Indoganodes Selvakumar, Sivaramakrishnan & Jacobus, 2014 and one is endemic to the Eastern Ghats.  Due to this high percentage of endemism, conservation of habitats and microhabitats harbouring this ancient gondwanan lineage gains priority.  A larval key to the known genera and species of Teloganodidae of southern India is also provided.  The present pattern of distribution of the family Teloganodidae is confined to southern Africa, Madagascar, southern India and Southeast Asia. 

scholarly journals Endophytic fungal association in roots of exotic medicinal plants cultivated in the Nilgiris, Western Ghats, Peninsular India

2021 ◽  
pp. 161-174
Author(s):  
Nagarajan Bharathy ◽  
Srinivasan Sowmiya ◽  
Shanmugam Karthik ◽  
Ravichandran Koshila Ravi ◽  
Mayakrishnan Balachandar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽  
Am Fungi ◽  
Fungal Spore ◽  
Fungal Endophyte ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
The Nilgiris ◽  
The Western Ghats

Algunos microbios beneficiosos para el suelo ayudan en el establecimiento y crecimiento de plantas medicinales exóticas. Por lo tanto, evaluamos la presencia y el estado de la asociación de endófitos de raíces [hongos micorrízicos arbusculares (AM) y hongos endofíticos septados oscuros (DSE)] en diez especies de plantas medicinales exóticas cultivadas en Nilgiris de los Ghats occidentales. El alcance de las variables endófitas de hongos y las características del pelo de la raíz difirieron significativamente entre las plantas medicinales. Se identificaron seis morfotipos de esporas de hongos AM en las muestras de suelo. Por lo tanto, este estudio indicó la asociación de plantas medicinales exóticas con hongos nativos AM y DSE que podrían explotarse para promover el crecimiento y aumentar la producción de metabolitos secundarios en estas especies de plantas. Some soil beneficial microbes help in the establishment and growth of exotic medicinal plants. Therefore, we evaluated the presence and status of root endophyte [arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and dark septate endophytic (DSE) fungi] association in ten exotic medicinal plant species cultivated in the Nilgiris of the Western Ghats. The AM fungi colonized all the examined plant species and eight plants had the co-occurrence of DSE fungi. The extent of fungal endophyte variables and root hair characteristics significantly differed among the medicinal plants. Six AM fungal spore morphotypes were identified in the soil samples. Thus, this study indicated the association of exotic medicinal plants with native AM and DSE fungi which could be exploited to promote growth and increase secondary metabolite production in these plant species.

scholarly journals A note on the current distribution of reedtail damselfly Protosticta rufostigma Kimmins, 1958 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from Western Ghats, and its addition to the odonate checklist of Kerala

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 17548-17553
Author(s):  
Kalesh Sadasivan ◽  
Muhamed Jafer Palot
Keyword(s):  
Current Distribution ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Original Description ◽  
The State ◽  
Peninsular India ◽  
Kerala State ◽  
The Western Ghats

The genus  Protosticta (Odonata, Zygoptera, Platystictidae) is represented by nine species in the Western Ghats of peninsular India, of which seven are reported for the state of Kerala.  Our recent records of Protosticta rufostigma Kimmins, 1958 from the Western Ghats of Kerala State is discussed, and despite a thorough literature search no collection records or photographs of the species has been found after the original description from Tamil Nadu.  The species is, thus, added to the checklist of odonates of Kerala State. The description of the live insect, its ecology, status and distribution is discussed. 

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