Kolkata: Scientists at the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of Diplura, marking a historic milestone in Indian entomology and ending a nearly five-decade hiatus in domestic research on Indian Diplura.
The newly identified species, Lepidocampa sikkimensis, is a wingless, soil-dwelling micro-arthropod. It is the first species within this primitive hexapod group to be described by Indian researchers. Although 17 species have previously been documented from the country, all were historically described by foreign scientists.
Dhriti Banerjee, director of ZSI, said: “The discovery of Lepidocampa sikkimensis is a vital contribution to the documentation of India’s soil biodiversity. Research into evolutionarily significant and lesser-known groups like Diplura is essential for understanding ecosystem functioning. This success underscores the necessity of sustained taxonomic efforts in biodiversity hotspots like the Himalayas.”
The research team, led by Surajit Kar and comprising Souvik Mazumdar, Pritha Mandal, Guru Pada Mandal and Kusumendra Kumar Suman, identified the species from specimens collected near Ravangla in Sikkim. Subsequent findings in Kurseong, West Bengal, indicate that the species may have a broader distribution across the Eastern Himalayan range.
The species is distinguished by its unique arrangement of body scales, specific chaetotaxy (bristle patterns), and specialised appendage structures. Dipluras — primitive, blind hexapods also known as two-pronged bristletails — play a critical role in soil ecosystems by aiding nutrient cycling and maintaining soil structure.
Beyond describing a new species, the study updates Indian soil fauna records. The team also relocated a rare Indian Diplura subspecies, Lepidocampa juradii bengalensis, which had not been recorded for nearly 50 years.
The research further provides the first-ever DNA barcode data globally for an Indian Lepidocampa species, bridging a significant gap between traditional morphological taxonomy and modern molecular phylogenetics.
The findings have been published in the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa.