12 New Wild Species Discovered in India In 2016

2016 was a great year for wildlife researchers and scientist in India, they have discovered new species of wild birds,species of reptiles, fishes,amphibians,snake and spiders. Some of the most notable additions to the list of animal species discovered in India in 2016 are Khaire’s Black Shieldtail snake,Himalayan Forest Thrush bird, Sorting Hat Spider,Red Forest Crab and the most beautiful five species of fan throated lizards.

Khaire’s Black Shieldtail

Khaire’s Black Shieldtail is the new species of snake discovered in the Western Ghats of India. This non venomous Shieldtail snake species belongs to Melanophidium genus, endemic to southern India and is the fourth species of the genus.

Himalayan Forest Thrush

Himalayan Forest Thrush is a new bird species found in the forests of the Himalayas and breeds from Sikkim and Darjeeling in India. The Himalayan thrush discovered in the forests of Arunachal Pradesh and has very melodious musical sound.

Indian Dancing Tadpole

A new species of dancing tadpoles from dancing frog family, have been discovered from the Western Ghats of India. Dancing Tadpoles are the new addition in the uniqueness of amphibians of the Western Ghats.

Red Forest Crab

Five new species of brightly coloured freshwater crabs have been discovered in the forests of Western Ghats in Maharashtra. These Freshwater crabs only found during the monsoon season, named as Ghatiana atropurpurea, Ghatiana splendida, Gubernatoriana thackerayi, Gubernatoriana waghi, and Gubernatoriana alcocki.

Sorting Hat Spider

Sorting Hat Spider is a fantastic appearance spider discovered in the Indian state of Karnataka. The spider discovered in the Western Ghats mountainous region of India and the sorting hat used for camouflage.

Chiraharitae Termite

A new termite species called as Glyptotermes Chiraharitae has been discovered in Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala. India is home to 285 species of termites and 61 species have been documented only from Kerala.

Sikkim Pika

Ochotona Sikimaria is a new species of pika commonly found in the state of Sikkim, This mammal belonging to the rabbit and hare family and look like tailless rats. A pika is a small mammal with round body and look like a combination rabbit and rat, mostly found in Great Himalaya.

Fan Throated Lizard

Five new species of fan throated lizards discovered in India and the species is found mostly on the ground. Dr Varad Giri and Deepak have discovered this species of agamid lizard in Southern India.

Laterite Narrow Mouthed Frog

Microhyla laterite is the new species of frog discovered in Karnataka, in the laterite rock formations of India’s coastal plain. The frog is only known from few localities in Udupi district and found in laterite wastelands area.

Cyrtodactylus Gecko

Cyrtodactylus Varadgiri is a new species of gecko discovered in Badlapur forested belt of Mumbai. This distinctive new species of Cyrtodactylus is a member of the subgenus Geckoella and first ground dwelling gecko discovered in last 130 years. There are few more new species gecko discovered in Chhattisgarh forest and at the ruins of Hampi in Karnataka.

Newar Three Ring Butterfly

Recently in Uttarakhand, Three new varieties of butterflies were discovered around Nainital and Haldwani. A totel of 1,300 varieties of butterflies found in India and Uttarakhand was home to 450 varieties of butterflies but after three more names were added to the list, butterflies found in the hill state is 453. Name of all three spotted species of butterflies are ciliate blue (Anthene emolus), Newar three ring (Ypthima newara) and western five ring (Ypthima indecora).

Wallaceophis Snake

Wallaceophis gujaratensis is a new snake species discovered in only seven locations in Gujarat. The Striped Racer snake belonging to that also include racers, royal snakes and whip snakes.