ZSI discovers new hexapod species in eastern Himalayas

Kolkata: In a significant achievement for Indian taxonomy, scientists at the Zoological Survey of India discovered a new species of Diplura, a primitive, wingless group of soil-dwelling hexapods, in the eastern Himalayas.The newly described species, Lepidocampa sikkimensis, marked the first time an Indian research team identified and formally described a member of this ancient micro-arthropod group.
The findings were published on Jan 7, 2026, in the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa, ending a nearly 50-year hiatus in domestic research on Indian Diplura.While 17 Diplura species were previously documented from India, all were described by foreign researchers. Calling the discovery a "vital contribution" to documenting India's soil biodiversity, ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee said research into lesser-known and evolutionarily significant groups such as Diplura is crucial for understanding ecosystem functioning, particularly 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. Additional specimens were later found in Kurseong in Bengal, indicating a wider distribution across the eastern Himalayan range.The species is distinguished by its unique body scale arrangement, distinct bristle patterns, and specialised appendage structures. Blind and soil-dwelling, diplurans, commonly known as two-pronged bristletails, play a critical ecological role in nutrient cycling and maintaining soil structure.In a global first, the study also provides DNA barcode data for an Indian Lepidocampa species, bridging classical morphology with modern molecular phylogenetics. The team also rediscovered a rare sub-species, Lepidocampa juradii bengalensis, which was not recorded in nearly five decades.