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A new shrew species discovered in Andamans’ Narcondam Island

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    5th May, 2021

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of insectivorous mammal from Narcondam Island of the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.

Context

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of insectivorous mammal from Narcondam Island of the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands.

About the new species

  • Nomenclature: The species Crocidura narcondamicais a new addition to the list of mammals which are found in the country.
    • The new white-toothed shrew species is named after the Narcondam Island.
    • India: Narcondam Shrew Crocidura norcondamica
    • These are small and mouse-like mammals that live in sub-leaf stratum in the forests.
    • Insects are the primary diet of these animals.
    • The new species is medium size (head and body lengths) and has different external morphology with darker grey dense fur with a thick, darker tail compared to other species of the genus.
    • Craniodental characters (such as braincase) of the species was rounded and elevated with weak lambdoidal ridges.
    • This discovery is based on both osteological and DNA molecular studies of the specimen.
  • Numbers: With this discovery the number of mammals found in the country have increased from 429 to 430.
    • This is the first discovery of a shrew from this volcanic island (Narcondam Island) and it increases the number of White-toothed shrew (genus Crocidura) species in India from 11to 12.
    • The discovery of a new insectivorous mammal comes after 43 years.
    • Prior to this, scientists from the ZSI had discovered Crocidura jenkinsi on the South Andaman Island in 1978.

Narcondam Island

  • Narcondam is India's easternmost Island.
  • It is a small volcanic island located in the northern Andaman Sea.
  • It is located about 130 km east of North Andaman, and about 446 km of the west coast of Myanmar.
  • This is thickly vegetated island which is bordered by cliffs on the southern side and crested by three peaks is part of a volcanic arc that continues northward from Sumatra to Myanmar.
  • It is classified as dormant volcano by the Geological Survey of India.

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