biodiversity research

A new online tool, Paleolatitude.org, reveals Earth's past landscapes. Users can see how their location appeared millions of years ago. This helps scientists understand ancient climates and biodiversity. The tool uses geological and paleomagnetic data. It offers a new perspective on our planet's long history. This technology aids in understanding past environmental changes and their impact.

A collaborative effort involving IIT-Bhubaneswar and NIT-Rourkela has commenced field work for the Samudra Manthan project, aiming to build a comprehensive database of Odisha's marine bioresources. Researchers are collecting samples from Ganjam's Bahuda river mouth. This initiative will bolster marine biotechnology research, aid policymaking with vital biodiversity data, and foster industry connections.

Researchers have identified a new snapper species, 'Lutjanus arakan', in Indian waters for the first time at Gopalpur. This discovery, significant for marine fish taxonomy and the commercially valuable food fish, was published in Zootaxa. The species is distinguished by its unique reddish-silver hue with dark horizontal stripes.

A rare pebble crab species, Lyphira ngankee, has been discovered for the first time in Indian waters off the coast of Balasore. Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India identified four specimens, previously only known from the South China Sea. This significant finding expands the known geographical range of this unique marine creature.