Description

Kaalinga

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Context:

Karnataka’s own king cobra found in the Western Ghats and known as ‘Kaalinga Sarpa’ in the local parlance will get its name etched in the scientific world.

Details:

Common Name	King Cobra.
Scientific Name	Ophiophagus hannah.
Key Characteristics	Largest venomous snake in the world. Possesses 11 large scales on the crown of its head.
Diet	Preys almost exclusively on other snakes.
Behavior	Active both during the day and night. Builds nests and females guard them ferociously.
Venom	Neurotoxin venom causing respiratory arrest and cardiac failure. Venom from a single bite can kill 10 people or an elephant.
Taxonomic History	Named Ophiophagus hannah by Theodore Edward Cantor in 1836.
Geographical Distribution	Found in forests, fields, and villages across Asia.
Identified Species	Ophiophagus kaalinga: Western Ghats of southwestern India; fewer than 40 bands. Ophiophagus hannah: Northern and eastern India, Andaman Islands, Pakistan, Indo-Burma, Indo-China, Thailand; 50 to 70 bands. Ophiophagus bungarus: Malay Peninsula, Greater Sunda Islands, southern Philippines; more than 70 bands. Ophiophagus salvatana: Luzon, northern Philippines; lacks bands.
Conservation Status	IUCN: Vulnerable CITES: Appendix II
Threats	Habitat destruction, exploitation for skin, food, medicine, and pet trade.

Source:

THE HINDU

Senna Tora

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Context:

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department is experimenting with the removal of a potential new species of invasive plant that has begun emerging in parts of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR).

Details:

Scientific Name	Senna tora (originally Cassia tora by Linnaeus).
Family and Subfamily	Fabaceae; Caesalpinioideae.
Common Names	Sickle senna, sickle wild sensitive plant, sickle pod, tora, coffee pod, foetid cassia.
Native Range	Central America.
Growth	Herbaceous annual; grows 30 to 90 cm tall.
Leaves	Pinnate with three opposite pairs of obovate leaflets; 3 to 4.5 cm long.
Flowers	Pale yellow; five petals; occur in pairs in leaf axils.
Pods	Sickle shaped; 10 to 15 cm long; contain 30 to 50 seeds.
Growing Conditions	Thrives in dry soil; stress tolerant; grows up to 1800 meters altitude; flowers from October to February after monsoon.
Pests	Affected by leaf eating larvae of Stegasta variana (in Vanuatu).
Uses	Edible: Young leaves cooked as vegetables, seeds used as coffee substitute. Traditional medicine: Treats skin diseases, arthritis, leprosy, ringworm, psoriasis, snakebites. Industrial: Natural pesticide, pet food, mining applications. Beverage: Tea made from seeds, rejuvenates vision (Korea).
Medicinal Properties	External germicide, antiparasitic, laxative, balm for arthritis.
Lifespan	Seed remains viable for up to 20 years.

About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR)

Location	Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu. Situated at the tri-junction of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
Name Meaning	Mudumalai means "ancient hill range," referring to its age of 65 million years, coinciding with the formation of the Western Ghats.
Boundaries	Shares boundaries with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) to the west and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) to the north.
Tourist Attraction	The Theppakadu elephant camp is a popular destination.
Vegetation	Tropical evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest, moist teak forest, dry teak forest, secondary grasslands, and swamps.
Flora	Tall grasses ("Elephant Grass"), giant bamboo, valuable timber species like teak and rosewood.
Fauna	Elephants, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Porcupine, and more.

Source:

THE HINDU

Cao Bang crocodile newt

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Context:

A crocodile-like creature was found in Vietnam's mountainous farm. The creature was spotted in a slow moving stream and it turned out to be a new species of crocodile with long limbs.

Details:

Scientific Name	*Tylototriton koliaensis.*
Discovery	Found in Vietnam's mountainous farm.
Habitat	Mountain forests at elevations of 3,300 feet or more, with weather fluctuating between a colder dry season and a warmer rainy season.
Size and Appearance	Medium-sized, about 5 inches in length. Stout body with rough, knob-like or wart-like skin. Large head, long and thin limbs. Completely black with bright orange marks on fingertips and toes. Dark gray stomach with an orange stripe running down the center of the tail.
Breeding	Breeds during the rainy summer in slow-flowing streams or temporary pools.
Behavior	Hides under rocks and cavities during winter.
What is a Crocodile Newt?	A genus of salamanders primarily found in Asia.
Why the Name?	Named "crocodile newts" due to their rough, textured skin resembling crocodile hide.
General Features	Typically dark brown or black with bright orange or red markings on their head, back, and tail.
Habitat Preferences	Often live near slow-moving streams, ponds, or marshes where they lay eggs and find food.
Species Examples	Tylototriton verrucosus (Himalayan crocodile newt) Tylototriton shanjing (Emperor newt) Tylototriton kweichowensis (Kweichow crocodile newt)

Source:

TOI

Koima

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Context:

A new genus of freshwater fish from the eastern Ghats — ‘Koima’ — has been described by researchers in India.

Details:

Region	Western Ghats (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Genus	Koima – A newly identified freshwater fish genus endemic to the Western Ghats.
Unique Traits	Yellowish brown body with black spots along the lateral line. Hyaline fins. Absence of uniform dorsal banding.
Species Reclassified	Mesonoemacheilus remadevii → Koima remadevii. Nemacheilus monilis → Koima monilis.
Habitat	Koima remadevii: Kunthi River, Silent Valley National Park, Kerala (fast flowing streams with rocky substrates). Koima monilis: Cauvery River tributaries, 350 to 800 m elevation.
Research Approach	Integrative taxonomy combining morphological and genetic analyses from rivers like Kunthi, Bhavani, Moyar, Kabini, and Pambar.
Cultural Connection	Name derived from the Malayalam word for loaches, reflecting cultural significance.
Conservation Implications	Highlights the fragility of aquatic ecosystems in the Western Ghats; calls for conservation against threats like habitat destruction and climate change.
Importance of Study	Reveals biodiversity through accurate taxonomy. Emphasizes need for revisiting freshwater fish classifications.

About Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats

source:

Down To Earth

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding Mudumalai Tiger Reserve:

It is located on the borders of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The reserve is known for its population of Bengal tigers and elephants.
It was established as a national park before being designated as a tiger reserve.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer: c

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is located at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala.

Statement 2 is correct. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which includes other reserves like Bandipur and Wayanad.

Statement 3 is correct. The reserve is famous for housing Bengal tigers and elephants among other species.

Statement 4 is incorrect. Mudumalai was designated a tiger reserve in 2007, after being a sanctuary since 1940, but it was not first established as a national park.