ATREE researchers rediscover long-lost species after 111 years
Typhloperipatus williamsoni was noticed within the Siang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh.
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association
A crew of researchers on the Ashoka Belief for Analysis in Ecology and The Setting (ATREE) had reported rediscovering a long-lost species of the velvet worms (phylum Onychophora), one of many oldest dwelling fossils on the planet, after 111 years.
Named Typhloperipatus williamsoni, the traditional species — estimated to be round 220 million years outdated — was noticed by the crew within the Siang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh and the rediscovery was revealed within the Journal of Pure Historical past. The research gives the primary molecular information for the species.
Tracing the colonial trails
Based on the paper, T. williamsoni was first collected throughout the “Abor expedition” by Stanley Kemp, the erstwhile superintendent of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, and his crew in December 1911 in Siang Valley. Since Kemp’s discovery, there was no documented data of it from India.
The specimens had been noticed beneath stones whereas in search of ants in pre-monsoon season.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
Between 2021 and 2023, the ATREE crew comprising Surya Narayanan, D.R. Priyadarsanan, A.P. Ranjith, R. Sahanashree and Aravind Neelavar Ananthram, together with the Nationwide Geographic Society and Fellis Creation, adopted the paths of the Abor expedition. This time, the researchers discovered two people of T. williamsoni for the primary time since its description. Apparently, the specimens had been noticed beneath stones whereas in search of ants in pre-monsoon season.
Dwelling fossils
“Onycophora is a really outdated group, simply older than 350 million years. It has solely two households and less than 200 species. The range could be very much less,” defined Mr. Narayanan, lead authour of the paper.
“These had been evolving nearly concurrently with dinosaurs. When the mass extinction occurred, most likely loads of them had been worn out. What we see at this time is usually these species which escaped extinction.”
The rediscovery of T. williamsoni, which was regarded as extinct, additionally might assist clear up a biogeographic thriller, he famous.
Turning a nook
The molecular information from T. williamsoni indicated that South Asian onychophoras cut up from their neotropical (Central and South America together with southern components of Mexico and the Caribbean) and solely African kin round 237 million years in the past.
The rediscovery of T. williamsoni, a naturally uncommon species, is crucial by way of addressing gaps within the evolutionary historical past of Asian peripatids.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
Apparently, the Asian onycophora had been discovered to don’t have any kin in Australian onychophoras. That is uncommon given invertebrates present in Southeast Asia and India are often associated to these in Australia. Asian Onychophora is likely one of the few exceptions to this relationship.
“This rediscovery might truly flip the biogeographical story and will inform us extra about how this one small group of animals ended up in Asia from the neotropics, which was at all times a puzzle,” Mr. Narayanan famous.
Extra species
The metallic blue ant, Paraparatrechina neela,greater than 15 new species of parasitic wasps, a mollusc and a gecko are among the many different revealed discoveries.
The metallic blue ant, Paraparatrechina neela,greater than 15 new species of parasitic wasps, a mollusc and a gecko are among the many different revealed discoveries.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association
“We might take a couple of extra years to find all the brand new species now we have collected within the expedition,” stated Mr. Priyadarshanan, who was a part of the crew. He added that extra expeditions might be held within the area.
Whereas the rediscovery of T. williamsoni, a naturally uncommon species, is crucial by way of addressing gaps within the evolutionary historical past of Asian peripatids, the paper notes that its pure habitat faces important threats from increasing agriculture, deforestation, and slash-and-burn cultivation within the Siang Valley. The research requires the conservation of those habitats and broader sampling within the area.
Revealed – April 12, 2025 02:03 pm IST
