Two new earthworm species discovered in Tripura

In a major breakthrough for biodiversity and ecological research in Northeast India, two new species of earthworms — Kanchuria tripuraensis and Kanchuria priyasankari — have been officially discovered in Tripura, marking a significant contribution to the scientific understanding of soil biodiversity in the region.

The discovery was made through a collaborative effort between researchers from Tripura and Kerala, led by Dr. Animesh Dey, Assistant Professor at the Ecology and Biodiversity Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Tripura University.

Dr. Dey told India Today NE that the two species were initially collected between 2004 and 2010 during doctoral research conducted by himself and Dr. Sabyasachi Nath, under the mentorship of renowned earthworm taxonomist Prof. Priyasankar Chaudhuri (Retd.). It was only after a new generation of researchers managed to recollect fresh specimens that the earthworms could be formally described and classified.

The first species, Kanchuria tripuraensis, has been named after Tripura, where it was found thriving in rubber and pineapple plantations — highlighting the ecological diversity of even agriculturally modified landscapes.

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The second species, Kanchuria priyasankari, is a tribute to Prof. Priyasankar Chaudhuri, whose four-decade-long dedication to earthworm taxonomy has placed Tripura on the national and international map for soil biodiversity studies.

According to the published research, K. tripuraensis is notable for possessing single ventromedian spermathecae in segments 7 and 8 — a distinguishing feature within the Kanchuria genus. On the other hand, K. priyasankari belongs to the turaensis-species group, known for three pairs of spermathecal pores, but differs from its closest relative K. turaensis in body size and reproductive structures.

The genus Kanchuria, which is endemic to Northeast India, now comprises 10 species with these new additions. This also increases the total number of recorded megadrile worm species in Tripura to 38, reinforcing the Eastern Himalaya–Northeastern Hills as India’s second richest region in earthworm diversity, after the Western Ghats.

The discovery underscores the importance of long-term ecological studies, collaborative fieldwork, and the preservation of microhabitats, even in human-modified environments. It also highlights Tripura’s emerging role as a vital contributor to the country’s biodiversity research landscape.