Two Rare Foliicolous Fungi from the Western Ghats Region of Kerala State, India

During a survey of the foliicolous fungi in the Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats region of Kerala State, India, a new black mildew fungus was collected from the leaves of Elaeocarpus sp. (Elaeocarpaceae). Microscopic examinations of the infected plants revealed that it is an undescribed species of the genus Meliola Fries, and hence, this note.

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First record of Mantispilla indica (Westwood, 1852) (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) from the Western Ghats, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.6827.13.9.19376-19379 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 19376-19379

Author(s):

T.B. Suryanarayanan ◽

C. Bijoy

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

First Record ◽

Kerala State ◽

First Time ◽

The Western Ghats

The species, Mantispilla indica (Westwood, 1852) of the Mantispidae family is recorded for the first time from the Western Ghats as well as from Kerala state. Besides, the distribution of the species in India is mapped.

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Notes on the extended distribution of Humboldtia bourdillonii (Fabales: Fabaceae), an Endangered tree legume in the Western Ghats, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.5424.11.14.14886-14890 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (14) ◽

pp. 14886-14890

Author(s):

Anoop P. Balan ◽

A. J. Robi ◽

S. V. Predeep

Keyword(s):

Endemic Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Type Locality ◽

Tree Legume ◽

Endangered Tree ◽

Conservation Measures ◽

Tiger Reserve ◽

Kerala State ◽

Periyar Tiger Reserve ◽

The Western Ghats

Humboldtia bourdillonii is an Endangered tree legume; considered endemic to its type locality in the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Idukki District of Kerala State. A new population of this highly threatened endemic species is located in the Vagamon Hills of Kottayam District which is about 70km away from its original locality. The newly located population is drastically affected by the severe floods and landslides that occurred in Kerala state during August 2018. Urgent conservation measures are needed to protect the population from further loss.

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Legumes of Kerala, India: a checklist

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.6475.13.5.18257-18282 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 18257-18282

Author(s):

Anoop P. Balan ◽

S.V. Predeep

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

Single Species ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

The State ◽

Field Surveys ◽

Extensive Field ◽

Voucher Specimens ◽

Kerala State ◽

The Western Ghats

A checklist of the legumes of Kerala State is presented. This exhaustive checklist is an outcome of extensive field surveys, collection, identification and documentation of family Leguminosae carried out across Kerala State during the period 2006–2019. A total of 448 taxa were recorded under five subfamilies and 115 genera. The majority of the legumes are herbs and shrubs, the rest being trees and woody climbers. About 81 taxa are endemic to India, especially confined to the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, out of which 17 are endemic to Kerala. The state is home to two Critically Endangered and six Endangered legumes, facing severe threat of extinction. Crotalaria is the dominant legume genus in the state with 62 taxa followed by Desmodium and Indigofera. About 57 genera are represented by single species each. Legumes are treated according to the latest phylogenetic classification of the Legume Phylogeny Working Group (LPWG). Updated nomenclature, habit, native countries, voucher specimens, and images of endemic and lesser known legumes found in the state are provided. Crotalaria multiflora var. kurisumalayana (Sibichen & Nampy) Krishnaraj & N. Mohanan is reduced as a synonym to C. multiflora (Arn.) Benth.

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A NEW SPECIES OF SALACIA (HIPPOCRATEACEAE) FROM SOUTH INDIA

Edinburgh Journal of Botany ◽

10.1017/s0960428612000066 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

pp. 255-258 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

P. S. Udayan ◽

Regy Yohannan ◽

M. S. Devipriya ◽

V. Devipriya ◽

A. K. Pradeep

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

South India ◽

Habitat Distribution ◽

Kerala State ◽

The Western Ghats ◽

A New Species

A new species from South India, Salacia agasthiamalana Udayan, Regy Yohannan & Pradeep (Hippocrateaceae), is described from the Western Ghats of Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala State. An illustration and data on habitat, distribution and phenology are provided.

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A note on the current distribution of reedtail damselfly Protosticta rufostigma Kimmins, 1958 (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platystictidae) from Western Ghats, and its addition to the odonate checklist of Kerala

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.6307.13.1.17548-17553 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 17548-17553

Author(s):

Kalesh Sadasivan ◽

Muhamed Jafer Palot

Keyword(s):

Current Distribution ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Literature Search ◽

Original Description ◽

The State ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Kerala State ◽

The Western Ghats

The genus Protosticta (Odonata, Zygoptera, Platystictidae) is represented by nine species in the Western Ghats of peninsular India, of which seven are reported for the state of Kerala. Our recent records of Protosticta rufostigma Kimmins, 1958 from the Western Ghats of Kerala State is discussed, and despite a thorough literature search no collection records or photographs of the species has been found after the original description from Tamil Nadu. The species is, thus, added to the checklist of odonates of Kerala State. The description of the live insect, its ecology, status and distribution is discussed.

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Description of a cryptic new species of Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Western Ghats of Kerala State of India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4656.3.7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4656 (3) ◽

pp. 501-514

Author(s):

AMIT SAYYED ◽

L. LEE GRISMER ◽

PATRICK D CAMPBELL ◽

RAVEENDRAN DILEEPKUMAR

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Adult Males ◽

Adult Females ◽

Fourth Digit ◽

Southern Western Ghats ◽

Kerala State ◽

The Western Ghats

We describe a cryptic new species of gecko of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch from the southern Western Ghats of Kerala. This medium-sized Cnemaspis species is differentiated from all other Indian congeners by a suite of the following distinct morphological characters: heterogeneous mid-dorsal scales, 6–7 supralabials; 113–120 paravertebral rows of tubercles; 71–85 mid-dorsal scales; absence of spine-like tubercles on flanks; subimbricate, smooth ventral scales; 135–140 mid-ventral scales; subdigital lamellae under fourth digit of manus 23–25; subdigital lamellae under fourth digit of pes 24–25; males with 7–8 precloacal pores; median row of subcaudals enlarged, smooth, a series of two large scales alternating, containing one divided scale; head and neck colouration brownish-yellow, consistent in adult males; adult females with orange coloured head and neck. Recent new descriptions of Cnemaspis species together with the present discovery show that the southern Western Ghats species have been overlooked by previous studies. Therefore we suggest further studies to evaluate the diversity of Cnemaspis in this region.

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A new species of Echidnodella (Asterinales, Lembosiaceae) from Western Ghats of Kerala State, India

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.496.3.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 496 (3) ◽

pp. 275-280

Author(s):

HINA MOHAMED ◽

JACOB THOMAS

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Aesthetic Value ◽

Host Genus ◽

Wide Range ◽

Kerala State ◽

Endemic Medicinal Plant ◽

Foliicolous Fungi ◽

Black Mildews ◽

A New Species

Black mildews belong to a wide range of leaf inhabiting fungal genera, which causes severe damage to the living leaves, affect photosynthetic efficiency, cause physiological imbalances, and reduces the plants’ aesthetic value. During a survey of foliicolous fungi in Vagamon hills of Kerala state’s Western Ghats region, an endemic medicinal plant Xanthophyllum arnottianum was found infected with an undescribed species of black mildew causing fungal genus Echidnodella. Their mycelia are non-appressoriate and devoid of hypostroma. Thyriothecia are oval, ellipsoidal, X or Y shaped, elongated producing eight uniseptate brown coloured ascospores in each bitunicate asci. Echidnodella was distinguished from the allied genus Echidnodes in the absence of paraphyses and from the genera Lembosia and Morenoella in the lack of appressoria (haustoria). This new species, Echidnodella vagamonensis is described and illustrated in detail to provide the consolidated account of the species known on this host genus.

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Three New Species of Macrobrachium Bate, 1868 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) from the Western Ghats of Kerala State, India

Crustaceana ◽

10.1163/1568540043166100 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 77 (10) ◽

pp. 1179-1192 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

◽

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Three New Species ◽

Kerala State ◽

The Western Ghats

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A checklist of the vertebrates of Kerala State, India

Journal of Threatened Taxa ◽

10.11609/jott.1999.7.13.7961-7970 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (13) ◽

pp. 7961 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. O. Nameer ◽

Praveen J ◽

A. Bijukumar ◽

Muhamed Jafer Palot ◽

Sandeep Das ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Western Ghats ◽

Scientific Information ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

The State ◽

Current Status ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Kerala State ◽

Research Students ◽

The Western Ghats ◽

Made In

Following the first publication on vertebrates of India (Blanford 1888–1890), a huge wealth of information has been compiled on the vertebrate fauna of various biogeographic zones of the country, especially the Western Ghats. The state of Kerala comprising of a land area of 38,863km2, 590km coastline, an intricate system of backwaters along the coast, tropical moist forests of the Western Ghats, the highly undulating terrain, and the tropical monsoon is a unique geographical and environmental entity rich in biodiversity. A region-specific checklist that summarises and documents the current status of vertebrate diversity provides benchmark data for documentation and appreciation of biodiversity at regional level. Further, with the current rate of global biodiversity loss and concordant conservation efforts, the taxonomic community has a greater responsibility to make scientific information available to scientists, policy makers, politicians, research students and all relevant stakeholders, an attempt that has been made in the present paper. The State of Kerala has 1847 species of vertebrates in 330 families and 81 orders, of which 386 are endemic to the Western Ghats region (of the Western Ghats - Sri Lanka Hotspot), and 205 species as threatened. Six hundred and eighty species of vertebrates of Kerala have been listed in the various schedules of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, while 148 are listed in the different appendices of CITES.

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