Scientists from Kolkata-headquartered Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) made a significant discovery with the identification of a new species of Collembola, a soil-dwelling micro-arthropod , in Bihar. This finding highlights the rich biodiversity of Collembola in the region and provides new insights into its interaction with soil ecosystems.
The newly discovered species, Cyphoderus bihariensis, was named after the state. The discovery was made by a team from ZSI’s Apterygota section, led by Guru Pada Mandal, along with Koushik Kumar Roy and Kusumendra Kumar Suman. Their research is set to be published in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics. Dhriti Banerjee, director of ZSI, said, “Collembola play a major role in soil health, though their importance is often overlooked.
