Zoological Survey of India Scientists discover new soil micro-arthropod species in Sikkim

Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of wingless, soil-dwelling micro-arthropod in Sikkim, marking the first time an Indian research team has described a species from this primitive hexapod group.

The newly identified species has been named Lepidocampa sikkimensis. The findings were published on January 7, in the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa, concluding a nearly five-decade hiatus in domestic research on Indian Diplura.
According to ZSI officials, although 17 Diplura species had previously been documented in India, all were historically described by foreign researchers.

Highlighting the significance of the discovery, ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said the finding represents a major contribution to the documentation of India’s soil biodiversity.

“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,” she said.

The research team was led by senior scientist Surajit Kar, along with Souvik Mazumdar, Pritha Mandal, Guru Pada Mandal and Kusumendra Kumar Suman. The species was identified from specimens collected near Ravangla in Sikkim. Further specimens were later recorded from Kurseong in West Bengal, indicating a wider distribution across the Eastern Himalayan region.

Scientists said the species is distinguished by its unique arrangement of body scales, specific chaetotaxy (bristle patterns), and specialised appendage structures.

Diplurans, commonly known as two-pronged bristletails, are primitive, blind hexapods that play a crucial role in soil ecosystems by aiding nutrient cycling and maintaining soil structure.

In addition to describing a new species, the study also relocated a rare Indian Diplura subspecies, Lepidocampa juradii bengalensis, which had not been recorded in nearly 50 years. The research further provides the first-ever global DNA barcode data for an Indian Lepidocampa species, bridging traditional morphology with modern molecular phylogenetics.