New springtail species discovered in Sikkim’s high-altitude ecosystems

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have identified a new species of Collembola, or springtails, in the high-altitude regions of Sikkim, marking a significant addition to India’s entomological records.

The discovery, announced by ZSI in a statement, highlights the Eastern Himalayas as a major biodiversity hotspot. The findings were published on December 1 in the peer-reviewed Journal of the Entomological Research Society.

The newly described species has been named Neelus sikkimensis and represents the first-ever record of the genus Neelus in India. With its inclusion, the global count of species within the genus has increased to eight.

The research was carried out by ZSI’s Apterygota Section under the leadership of Gurupada Mandal, with Kusumendra Kumar Suman as a key member of the study team.

According to ZSI, Neelus sikkimensis exhibits several distinctive biological traits, including an extremely small body size adapted to life deep within soil layers and moss-covered habitats typical of high-altitude environments.

Collembola, commonly referred to as springtails, play a crucial role in maintaining soil health and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said the discovery underlines the ecological importance of these often-overlooked micro-arthropods and the need to conserve fragile Himalayan habitats.

With PTI inputs