Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

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A new butterfly species called Euthalia Malaccana has been recorded for the first time in India in Arunachal Pradesh. This species is usually found in the Indo-Australian region, mainly in Southeast Asia including northern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and the Sunda Islands. Male butterflies have a distinct blue apical spot on their forewings, while females have larger apical spots. Their hindwings have small red spots. The discovery is important as the species acts as an indicator of ecosystem health. This recent finding adds to India’s rich biodiversity, especially in the Northeast region.

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A new species of cave-dwelling fish named Schistura densiclava was discovered by Gauhati University’s Department of Zoology in Meghalaya. It was found in Krem Mawjymbuina, a limestone cave near Mawjymbuin village in East Khasi Hills district. The cave is deep, seasonally accessible, surrounded by dense forest, and untouched by tourism, keeping it pristine. This discovery raises the number of known cave-associated fish in Meghalaya to six. Unlike typical cave fish, Schistura densiclava has working eyes and bright body colours, showing it is a troglophile, meaning it can live inside and outside caves. It belongs to the loach family called Nemacheilidae and thrives in cool, low-light cave streams.

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Scientists have recently discovered a new extinct species named Mosura fentoni, an early marine predator from the Cambrian period around 506 million years ago. It was found in the Burgess Shale fossil site in British Columbia, Canada, which is known for preserving ancient marine life. Mosura fentoni belongs to the group Radiodonta, which are extinct stem-group arthropods and distant relatives of modern insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Although small in size, ranging from 1.5 to 6 centimetres, it had highly specialised body features. This discovery adds to our understanding of early marine ecosystems and arthropod evolution.

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Recently, scientists unearthed large stromatolites dating back 600 million years in the pine-covered ridges of Chambaghat in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Stromatolites are organo-sedimentary structures formed by algae and cyanobacteria trapping calcium carbonate in shallow marine environments. These structures show thin layers that are flat, dome-shaped, or hummocky in form. They were especially common during the Precambrian period, which is over 542 million years ago. While most stromatolites formed in marine seas, some from the Proterozoic era, over 2.5 billion years ago, lived in intertidal zones and freshwater bodies.

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The Union Ministry of Environment recently declared two new Ramsar sites in Rajasthan: Menar in Udaipur and Khichan in Phalodi. Menar is a freshwater monsoon wetland formed by Braham talab, Dhand talab, Kheroda talab, and nearby farmland that floods during monsoon. It supports water birds like the critically endangered white-rumped vulture and long-billed vulture. Khichan in the Thar Desert includes Ratri river and Vijaysagar pond, and supports 150 bird species.

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Recently, scientists discovered a new bat species called Himalayan long-tailed Myotis, or Myotis himalaicus, in the Western Himalayan region. It belongs to the Myotis frater complex, a group of similar bat species found across eastern China, Taiwan, Siberia, Korea, Japan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This new species is found mainly in Deodar, Pine, and Cedar forests along the southern slopes of the Himalayas. It is considered a rare and native species of the region.

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Recently, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) discovered how lac insects produce laccaic acid, which is used to make lac pigment. Lac insects are hemimetabolous and undergo gradual metamorphosis with stages like egg, nymph instars, pupa, and adult. They are found in Southeast Asian countries like India, Thailand, Myanmar, and China, with India and Thailand being top producers. More than 90% of India’s lac comes from Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Eastern Maharashtra, and Northern Odisha.

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Due to soaring market demand, overharvesting has pushed wild agarwood close to extinction. Aquilaria malaccensis, also called agarwood, is a tree from the Thymelaeaceae family known for its fragrant resin. Agarwood, also known as Oud, Gaharu or Agar, is one of the most valuable incense materials globally. It grows naturally in Northeast India, mainly in Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur. Its conservation status is Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Recently, nine men were rescued in a joint operation by police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams after being trapped in the Tawi River due to a sudden rise in water level caused by heavy rains. The Tawi River is a major left-bank tributary of the Chenab River and is an important river in the Jammu region. It is considered sacred and is also known as “Surya Putri” in ancient texts.

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Tamil Nadu has recently announced the establishment of India’s first Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) in Coimbatore district. Hornbills, called “farmers of the forest”, are vital seed dispersers aiding forest regeneration. They are under threat due to deforestation, habitat loss, and climate change impacts. Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) was chosen due to its rich biodiversity and conservation history for species like tigers, elephants, and lion-tailed macaques.