A new Collembola species discovered from Bihar, India
Kolkata, 18th March 2025: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India have recently discovered a new species of Collembola, a soil-dwelling micro-arthropod, in Bihar. This finding highlights the rich biodiversity of Collembola in the region and helps in understanding its interaction with soil.
The newly identified species, Cyphoderus bihariensis, is named after the state of collection. The discovery was made by a team from the Apterygota section of the Zoological Survey of India, led by Dr. Guru Pada Mandal, along with Shri Koushik Kumar Roy and Shri Kusumendra Kumar Suman. The print version of the research is scheduled for publication in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics.
Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, the Director of the Zoological Survey of India, congratulated the researchers and emphasized the significance of Collembola by stating, “Collembola play a major role in soil health, although their role in this regard often overlooked, through humus development, nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition and overall monitoring of the soil.”
Cyphoderus bihariensis is characterized by its minute body size, lack of eyes, furcula (an abdominal appendage that develops from its ventral side), which is the jumping organ, along with feathered dental scales and a multi-toothed mucro, as well as its chaetotaxy (the arrangement of body chaetae). This new species is also grouped into a species-group named ‘multidentati’, making this group a new record for India.
Regarding this discovery, the team leader, Dr. Guru Pada Mandal, explained,” This discovery helps us to understand the rich diversity of Collembola in India. The worldwide species diversity of the genus Cyphoderus is 86, and India now has 10 species after this new discovery. This highlights the need for continued research to understand this diversity and its impactful contribution in ecosystems, specially soil ecosystems.”
The discovery was published online as:
Roy, K.K., Mandal, G.P. & Suman, K.K. (2025) A new species of the genus Cyphoderus Nicolet, 1842 (Collembola: Paronellidae), and redescription of Cyphoderus javanus Börner, 1906 from India. Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics, 11 (in press).
This research highlights the continuous efforts of the Zoological Survey of India to explore and document the nation’s rich biodiversity, enhancing our understanding of the natural world.
