Prelims – Current events of national importance| General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity.
Mains (GS III) – Conservation.
Why in News?
A group of scientists has announced the rediscovery of a long-forgotten species of velvet worms (phylum Onychophora), which are among the oldest living fossils on the planet, after a gap of 111 years.
- It is an ancient velvet worm species (phylum Onychophora), one of the oldest living fossils in the world.
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Onychopora
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- It has an ancient lineage that dates back over 350 million years.
- It comprises only two families and fewer than 200 species, indicating a limited diversity.
- These organisms evolved alongside dinosaurs, and it is likely that many were lost during the mass extinction event.
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- First discovered in - December 1911 in Siang Valley.
- After that there have been no documented records of it from India.
- The molecular analysis of T. williamsoni revealed that South Asian onychophoras diverged from their
- Neotropical counterparts, those found in Central and South America, as well as
- Southern Mexico and the Caribbean approximately 237 million years ago.
- Notably, it was discovered that Asian onychophoras lack any relatives among the Australian species.
- This finding is particularly striking, as invertebrates from Southeast Asia and India typically share connections with those in Australia.
- Asian onychophora stands out as one of the rare exceptions to this relationship.
Reference
The Hindu | Typhloperipatus williamsoni
