19 new species of flora and fauna found in Sikkim


Gangtok, Sept 3 (PTI) Sikkim continued to maintain its pole position as the country's richest state in terms of bio-diversity with 19 new species of flora and fauna being found in the state in last 10 years, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) said in a report.

Of the 353 species of flora and fauna discovered in the eastern Himalayan range between 1998 and 2008, Sikkim has generated 19 species comprising plants and fish, the WWF said in its report.

The WWF surveyors also discovered 21 new species of orchids in the range of which five have been found in Sikkim, the report said.

The new variety orchid - coelogune pantlingii (pure white) - has been found in several parts of Sikkim, it said adding of 14 fish varieties found Sikkim has contributed three varieties - Pseudopoda abnormis, Pseudopoda hingstoni and Pseudopoda minor.