Latest news with #TejasThackeray
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Large' fanged creature found behind a trapdoor in India. It's a new species
In a dirt burrow of southern India, a 'large' creature watched as something forcibly opened its trapdoor. It hurried forward, pulled the door shut and 'held it tightly' with its fangs, but its efforts were in vain. Scientists dug around the trapdoor to catch the bristly animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers hiked along the 'outskirts of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve' in May 2021 as part of a regionwide survey of scorpions, spiders and other arachnids, according to a study published May 26 in the peer-reviewed journal Taprobanica. During a morning search of the 'savanna grassland habitat,' researchers noticed some burrows and trapdoors in the 'reddish, gravelly soil,' the study said. Intrigued, they opened the doors, watched the spiders that momentarily emerged and began 'carefully' digging up the burrows. Researchers eventually caught roughly a dozen of these spiders and, after taking a closer look, realized they'd discovered a new species: Heligmomerus australis, or the southern trapdoor spider. Southern trapdoor spiders are considered 'large-sized,' reaching over an inch across, the study said. They have bristly bodies, claws, fangs and eight eyes arranged 'in three rows.' Photos show the reddish brown coloring of the new species. Southern trapdoor spiders built 'large' and 'deep' burrows with 'a single entrance,' the study said. These entrances were covered with a round, 'fairly thick' door constructed with silk, 'dried grass and algae, sand particles, and grass leaves.' While excavating one burrow, researchers found 'two spiderlings along with an adult female.' Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for 'south' because the site where it was discovered is 'currently the southernmost known locality for the genus Heligmomerus on the Indian peninsula.' So far, southern trapdoor spiders have only been found at one site around Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu near the southernmost tip of mainland India and a roughly 1,700-mile drive south from New Delhi. The new species was identified by its reproductive system, eye shape and arrangement, body shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. Researchers did not provide a DNA analysis of the new species. The research team included Akshay Khandekar, Tejas Thackeray, Swapnil Pawar, Vivek Waghe and Satpal Gangalmale.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers have rediscovered an elusive fish species thought to be extinct for 85 years
Researchers have rediscovered a rare fish species presumed to be extinct after it was not seen for more than eight decades. The last sighting of the Chel snakehead, or Channa amphibeus, was last recorded from specimens collected between 1918 and 1933 in the Himalayan region of India, leading scientists to believe the species had died out, according to a paper published recently in the journal Zootaxa. MORE: Giant tubeworms part of thriving ecosystem found under the seafloor in the Pacific But three specimens collected in 2024 -- as well as photographic evidence -- have confirmed that the species persisted over the last century despite remaining undetected. The specimens were located on the banks of the Chel River in the town of Kalimpong in West Bengal after researchers caught wind that it was being consumed by a local tribe, the paper states. There were repeated searches for the Chel snakehead in the last several decades, wildlife biologist Forrest Galante wrote on Instagram. It took months for the researchers to locate the fish, but they were able to positively confirm its existence. MORE: 'Starry night' toad rediscovered in Colombia after nearly 3 decades The Chel snakehead specimens were located in the Chel River system, the ecosystem in which it is endemic, according to the paper. The freshwater species -- considered the most elusive of the snakeheads -- is known for its bright green scales and yellow stripes. It is also the largest amount of snakeheads, according to the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, the Mumbai-based wildlife conservation involved in the rediscovery. "The resolution of this long-standing mystery in Indian ichthyology reinforces the importance of continued exploration and highlights the persistence of biodiversity, even in species once thought lost to time," said Tejas Thackeray, founder of the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, in a Facebook post. Researchers have rediscovered an elusive fish species thought to be extinct for 85 years originally appeared on
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers stunned after netting 'vanished' species 80 years after last sighting: 'The resolution of this long-standing mystery'
For more than 80 years, the Chel snakehead (Channa amphibeus) was thought to be extinct. The fish species, first described in 1840 in India's Chel River system, had gone unrecorded for decades — until now. A team of researchers, including wildlife experts Jayasimhan Praveenraj and Tejas Thackeray of the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, recently rediscovered the rare fish in the Himalayan region of India, as detailed by Mid-day. Their findings, published in the journal Zootaxa earlier this year, confirm that the species is still alive. Known for its striking appearance, the Chel snakehead has iridescent-green scales and unique yellow bars along its body. It is one of the largest and most vibrant species within its group, featuring chrome-yellow to orange stripes and a bright neon patch beneath its eye. The Chel snakehead also holds the record for the highest number of lateral-line scales among all snakeheads in the Gachua group, per the rediscovery of this elusive species reinforces the importance of continued exploration. Despite repeated searches over the years, the Chel snakehead remained undetected, leading some experts to believe it was extinct. Now, its survival highlights the resilience of biodiversity and raises hopes that other species thought to be lost could still be out there, waiting to be found. This isn't the first time an "extinct" species has resurfaced. The giant salmon carp, a huge fish native to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, was rediscovered in 2020. In 2023, researchers captured the first-ever live images of Attenborough's long-beaked echidna, a spiny mammal so elusive that it hadn't been documented in over 60 years. These discoveries prove that nature is more resilient than often assumed. While the Chel snakehead survived without human intervention, its rediscovery is a reminder that many species aren't so lucky. Protecting fragile ecosystems is more urgent than ever, with habitat destruction and a warming planet accelerating biodiversity loss. "The resolution of this long-standing mystery in Indian ichthyology reinforces the importance of continued exploration and highlights the persistence of biodiversity, even in species once thought lost to time," Thackeray said. Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante (@ reacted enthusiastically to the news, writing: "LFG!! Extinct species back, baby!!" in an Instagram post. His post echoed the excitement of researchers who have spent decades searching for the Chel snakehead. This is why conservation matters. Who knows how many more species are waiting to be found? One thing is certain: The natural world holds plenty of secrets. It's up to humans to make sure they have a future. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
