India added 709 new species to its fauna in 2025, which includes 483 species new to science and 226 species recorded for the first time in India. The country also added 353 taxa to its flora, of which 14 are infraspecific taxa.

The details of new discoveries and new records by the Zoological Survey of India and Botanical Survey of India were released by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav in Kolkata on June 30. “India’s total faunal biodiversity now stands at 1,05,953 species, reaffirming its status as one of the world’s premier mega diverse nations,” a press statement from ZSI said.

A Statewide analysis of the new animal discoveries point out that Kerala recorded the highest 98 new species of animals, followed by West Bengal with 76 species, Karnataka 67 species and Arunachal Pradesh 65 species of fauna. Among the animal groups added to the country’s fauna Hymenoptera contributed the highest number of additions (106), followed by Lepidoptera (65), Diptera (64), Arachnida (64), Coleoptera (55) and Pisces (50), reflecting the remarkable diversity and continuing discovery of India’s invertebrate fauna.

Among the crucial fauna discovered in 2025, Myotis himalaicus, a new species of Himayalan bat. Ptyctolaemus mamdaphaensis and Ptyctolaemu siangensis are two newly discovered species of green fan-throated lizard and Lycodon irwini, a species commonly known as Irwin’s wolf snake.

Of the 353 plant taxa added to the country’s floral database, 221 taxa have been described as new to science, while 132 taxa represent new distributional records for India, thereby expanding the known geographical range of several plant groups and enriching the country’s floristic inventory.

A State-wise analysis of the plant discoveries indicates that Arunachal Pradesh emerged as the leading contributor with 49 discoveries, followed by Uttarakhand (39) and Kerala (37).

The Plant Discoveries, 2025 documents 154 angiosperms, three pteridophytes, 13 bryophytes, 62 lichens, 93 fungi, 22 algae, and six microbes. Among the most notable discoveries are several wild relatives of economically and ecologically significant plant groups, including Begonia, Impatiens (balsams), legumes, and orchids.

“Approximately 43% of the newly described taxa belong to vascular plants, while the remaining discoveries comprise a wide array of non-vascular organisms, highlighting the growing scientific attention being accorded to these ecologically significant groups,” a press statement by the BSI said.

Among the plants discovered Polystichum siangense, a recently discovered species of fern belonging to the family Dryopteridaceae, found in Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, Miliusa beddomei, and new wild member of the custard apple family discovered from Western Ghats and Hericium indicum is a recently discovered species of wild edible tooth-fungus.

(with inputs from Tanesha Choraria)