Prelims – General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change.
Mains – GS- III | Conservation
Why in the News?
A team of researchers from Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam, have discovered a new species of freshwater algae.
Sheathia Rosemalayensis – It is a new species of freshwater red algae from the Western Ghats.
Discovered in – Rosemala in Kollam district, Kerala.
Taxonomy
Family – Batrachospermaceae.
Scientific name – Sheathia Rosemalayensis, which has been named after the place where it was found.
Genus – Sheathia.
The Sheathia species are extremely rare in India.
Habitat – It has been documented only in the southern Western Ghats, a geographically distinct region.
It is the 4th new species of the Batrachospermaceae family described from this region.
Distinguished from other species – It is distinguished based on morphology and molecular sequence data from previously identified 3 other new species of freshwater red algae:
Kumanoa chaugulei, Kumanoa periyarensis, and Macrosporophycos sahyadricus.
DNA barcoding – It was performed on all 4 newly discovered species, confirming their unique identity.
Significance – It is crucial to study the freshwater red algae which are thrive only in pristine (fresh) water and undisturbed habitats.
Their presence has significant bio-geographical and environmental implications.
