In News:

A new species of water flea, Bryospilus (Indobryospilus) bharaticus n. sp., was recently discovered from moss growth on the walls of the Korigad Fort near Pune, Maharashtra.

This marks the first recorded discovery of the genus Bryospilus in Tropical Asia, underscoring the ecological uniqueness of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage biodiversity hotspot.

Taxonomic and Morphological Highlights

• It belongs to the genus Bryospilus, a group of tiny crustaceans known as water fleas, which typically inhabit rivers, ponds, and pools.
• The species displays adaptations for semi-terrestrial life, notably using its antennae with large spines for crawling through thick, debris-laden water films on moss surfaces.
• It lacks a main eye—an evolutionary adaptation to low-light habitats where color vision is unnecessary for foraging.

Ecological and Evolutionary Significance

• The genus Bryospilus includes species found in semi-terrestrial habitats in rainforests of West Africa, South and Central America, and New Zealand, making this Indian discovery a significant biogeographical addition.
• The organism’s relatives are typically found in littoral (vegetated) zones of water bodies, whereas some occur in open waters.
• The researchers suggest that ancestors of this species existed on the Indian subcontinent prior to the breakup of Gondwanaland, around 200 million years ago, hinting at Bryospilus bharaticus as a potential Gondwanan relict species.
• Each known Bryospilus species has been isolated to a specific former Gondwanan continent, reinforcing the evolutionary legacy of this find.

Research and Conservation Implications

• The discovery was part of an ongoing survey of underexplored crustacean taxa in the Western Ghats, led by Sameer Padhye and Kan Van Damme, and published in the Journal of Crustacean Biology (Oxford Academic, Sept 2024).
• The species was found in pristine, undisturbed moss habitats on Deccan Plateau hill forts, highlighting the importance of conserving such microhabitats.
• Zooplankton like water fleas are highly sensitive to environmental changes and serve as bioindicators of ecological health. The presence of B. bharaticus indicates low human disturbance in its habitat.
• The authors warn that air pollution and habitat disturbance could threaten these fragile ecosystems and stress the urgency of habitat protection, especially for organisms invisible to the naked eye.