Yojana Magazine October 2022 - 2 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


YOJANA   October 2022 19
he Islands can be generally divided into two groups, i.e., the 
Andamans and the Nicobars and are separated by the Ten Degree 
Channel which is about 150 km wide and 400 fathoms deep. The 
highest elevation is Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman and 
Mount Thullier (642 m) in Great Nicobar Island. The annual precipitation is 
slightly higher in Nicobar with an average of 3000 to 3500 mm. Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands support very luxuriant and rich vegetation due to tropical, hot 
and humid climate with abundant rains. Classification of Forest Types
2
 belong 
to four groups, i.e., Tropical Wet Evergreen, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical 
Moist Deciduous and Littoral and Swamp Forests, in addition to this, 13 different 
types of forests are classified. The total geographical area is under forest land 
i.e., 6,742.78
2
 km (81.74 per cent) as per the State Forest Report of 2019. An 
extraordinary variety of habitat types, ranging from sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with dense forests, characterise the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands. The least disturbed and the finest preserved mangroves in India 
are found in the region. The coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar is the second 
richest found in the world.
3
 These islands provide different variety of animal life 
of which, the coral reefs ecosystem constitute the most fragile and interesting 
faunal element as elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Reefs. 
According to the available literature, a total of 21,663 marine species 
have been reported from India, which includes marine algae and mangroves. 
Out of these, 20,444 species contributed by animals have been distributed in 
Indian seas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very rich in marine biodiversity  
(6,624 species; 29.24%) and the terrestrial ecosystem harbours 3,736 species. 
Highest level endemism found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is estimated 
to be about 1,123 species, of these 871 species are from terrestrial ecosystem 
A Biological Paradise
C Sivaperuman
The author is a Scientist-E and Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. 
Email: c_sivaperuman1@rediffmail.com
T
The Andaman and 
Nicobar archipelago 
consists of 836 islands, 
islets, and rocky outcrops, 
extending over 800 km. 
They are truly oceanic 
islands, never having 
been connected to 
the mainland during 
Pleistocene glaciations.
1
 
The separation of these 
islands from the Asian 
continent was brought 
about by geological 
change about 100 million 
years ago, during this 
period. The Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands were 
once a part of the Asian 
landmass but then got 
disconnected some 100 
million years ago during 
the Upper Mesozoic 
Period due to geological 
upheaval. The chains of 
these islands are in fact 
the camel backs of the 
submerged mountain 
ranges projecting above 
the sea level running 
north to south between 
6
o
 45
o
 and 13
o
 30
o
 N 
latitudes and 90
o
 20’ and 
93
o
 56
o
 E longitudes with 
an extent of 8,249 km
2
. 
ANdAMAN & NICObAR ISLANdS
Page 2


YOJANA   October 2022 19
he Islands can be generally divided into two groups, i.e., the 
Andamans and the Nicobars and are separated by the Ten Degree 
Channel which is about 150 km wide and 400 fathoms deep. The 
highest elevation is Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman and 
Mount Thullier (642 m) in Great Nicobar Island. The annual precipitation is 
slightly higher in Nicobar with an average of 3000 to 3500 mm. Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands support very luxuriant and rich vegetation due to tropical, hot 
and humid climate with abundant rains. Classification of Forest Types
2
 belong 
to four groups, i.e., Tropical Wet Evergreen, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical 
Moist Deciduous and Littoral and Swamp Forests, in addition to this, 13 different 
types of forests are classified. The total geographical area is under forest land 
i.e., 6,742.78
2
 km (81.74 per cent) as per the State Forest Report of 2019. An 
extraordinary variety of habitat types, ranging from sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with dense forests, characterise the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands. The least disturbed and the finest preserved mangroves in India 
are found in the region. The coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar is the second 
richest found in the world.
3
 These islands provide different variety of animal life 
of which, the coral reefs ecosystem constitute the most fragile and interesting 
faunal element as elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Reefs. 
According to the available literature, a total of 21,663 marine species 
have been reported from India, which includes marine algae and mangroves. 
Out of these, 20,444 species contributed by animals have been distributed in 
Indian seas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very rich in marine biodiversity  
(6,624 species; 29.24%) and the terrestrial ecosystem harbours 3,736 species. 
Highest level endemism found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is estimated 
to be about 1,123 species, of these 871 species are from terrestrial ecosystem 
A Biological Paradise
C Sivaperuman
The author is a Scientist-E and Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. 
Email: c_sivaperuman1@rediffmail.com
T
The Andaman and 
Nicobar archipelago 
consists of 836 islands, 
islets, and rocky outcrops, 
extending over 800 km. 
They are truly oceanic 
islands, never having 
been connected to 
the mainland during 
Pleistocene glaciations.
1
 
The separation of these 
islands from the Asian 
continent was brought 
about by geological 
change about 100 million 
years ago, during this 
period. The Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands were 
once a part of the Asian 
landmass but then got 
disconnected some 100 
million years ago during 
the Upper Mesozoic 
Period due to geological 
upheaval. The chains of 
these islands are in fact 
the camel backs of the 
submerged mountain 
ranges projecting above 
the sea level running 
north to south between 
6
o
 45
o
 and 13
o
 30
o
 N 
latitudes and 90
o
 20’ and 
93
o
 56
o
 E longitudes with 
an extent of 8,249 km
2
. 
ANdAMAN & NICObAR ISLANdS
20 YOJANA   October 2022
while 252 species are from marine 
counterpart. Overall, 1,200 species 
of terrestrial and marine fauna of 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have 
been listed under various Schedules of 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The 
long isolation of these islands from 
the sub-continent has resulted in high 
endemicity of terrestrial faunal and 
floral elements. More than 10% of the 
plants are endemic and, estimated about 
871 species from terrestrial ecosystem. 
Among the invertebrates, butterfly has 
more than 70% of endemism in sub-species level. 
Marine Ecosystem
Porifera: Sponges are worldwide in their distribution, 
from the Polar regions to the tropics. The highest numbers 
of sponges were generally found on firm surfaces such 
as rocks, but some sponges can attach themselves to soft 
sediment by means of a root-like base. Generally, the 
more species of sponges are found from shallow, and also 
distributed in deep ocean. Around 512 species of sponges 
are recorded from Indian waters. Among them, Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands represent 130 species. A total of 12 
species of calcareous sponges were reported from Indian 
waters and are protected under the Schedule III of Indian 
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. 
Scyphozoa: The Scyphozoans are commonly known 
as true jellyfish. The Scyphozoan taxon comes under 
the phylum Cnidaria. According to the recent estimates,  
191 species belonging to three orders, and 20 families were 
recorded.
4
 A total of 5 scyphozoan species were reported 
from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
Anthozoa (Scleractinian corals): The Scleractinian 
corals of Indian water are highly diverse than other parts 
of the tropical reefs. A total of 424 species of Scleractinian 
corals belonging to 19 families were reported from the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5
 The reefs are mainly 
dominated by the family Acroporidae, Faviidae, Poritidae, 
Fungidae and Agariciidae. 
Octocorals: Octocorals are commonly called 
as Alcyonarians, Order Octocorallia (eight polyp 
tentacles) are distinguishing from the hard corals (six 
or multiple of six polyp tentacles) by their number of 
polyp tentacles. They consist of soft corals, seafans, 
seawhips, seapens, tubecorals and blue corals. A total of 
413 species of Octocorals were recorded from Indian, 
about 229 species from the continental shelf region of 
A&N Islands.
6
Platyhelminthes: Flatworms, also known as polyclads 
belong to the Order Polycladida, Class Turbellaria under the 
phylum Platyhelminthes. They are exclusively marine and 
free-living organisms. These animals 
are one of the common inhabitants of 
the coral reefs. Zoological Survey of 
India has documented 47 species under 
10 genera which includes 7 new records 
to Indian waters and 6 new species. 
Crustacea: Crustaceans belong 
to the phylum Arthropoda, and include 
both marine and terrestrial forms of life. 
These highly diverse animals consists 
of economically important groups such 
as crabs, shrimps and lobsters. Out of 
2,394 species of the crustaceans that have been reported 
from India, marine species (94.85%) contribute the most. 
A total of 897 species were recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands of which 388 species brachyuran crabs 
and 129 species are shrimps. 
Mollusca: Mollusca are the mainly assorted phylum 
in reef ecosystems and also, this fauna is the second 
species-rich phylum in the world after the arthropods. 
Mollusca comprise six groups such as Polyplacophora, 
Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda and 
Cephalopoda. In India, 5,070 species of Mollusca have 
been recorded from freshwater (183 species); land (1,487 
species) as well as from marine habitats (3,370 species). 
Echinodermata (Holothuroidea - Sea cucumbers): 
The Holothuroidea, commonly known as Sea cucumbers, 
are an abundant and diverse group of worm-like and 
usually soft bodies echinoderms. About 1,100 species 
recorded worldwide till now whereas India represents 179 
species.
7
Ascidians: Ascidiacea is a marine invertebrate 
animal, specified as class which is commonly known as 
the ascidians or sea squirts. They are categorised under the 
subphylum Tunicata and phylum Chordata, which includes 
all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords. A total 
of 442 species were recorded from Indian waters while 
57 ascidians were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
8
Pisces: The Ichthyofaunal diversity of India accounts 
for a total of 2,735 species, of which Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands contribute to 58% of the total diversity. 
Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Islands has been revised 
with a total of 1,583 species belonging to 177 families 
under 36 orders.
9
 
Mammalia: Marine mammals include representatives 
of three major orders, namely Cetacea (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), Sirenia (manatees and dugong) and 
Carnivora (sea otters, polar bears and pinnipeds). A total 
of 26 species of marine mammals were recorded from 
Indian waters. Andaman and Nicobar Islands represented 
7 species of marine mammals. 
An extraordinary variety of 
habitat types, ranging from 
sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with 
dense forests, characterise the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
The least disturbed and the 
finest preserved mangroves in 
India are found in the region.
Page 3


YOJANA   October 2022 19
he Islands can be generally divided into two groups, i.e., the 
Andamans and the Nicobars and are separated by the Ten Degree 
Channel which is about 150 km wide and 400 fathoms deep. The 
highest elevation is Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman and 
Mount Thullier (642 m) in Great Nicobar Island. The annual precipitation is 
slightly higher in Nicobar with an average of 3000 to 3500 mm. Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands support very luxuriant and rich vegetation due to tropical, hot 
and humid climate with abundant rains. Classification of Forest Types
2
 belong 
to four groups, i.e., Tropical Wet Evergreen, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical 
Moist Deciduous and Littoral and Swamp Forests, in addition to this, 13 different 
types of forests are classified. The total geographical area is under forest land 
i.e., 6,742.78
2
 km (81.74 per cent) as per the State Forest Report of 2019. An 
extraordinary variety of habitat types, ranging from sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with dense forests, characterise the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands. The least disturbed and the finest preserved mangroves in India 
are found in the region. The coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar is the second 
richest found in the world.
3
 These islands provide different variety of animal life 
of which, the coral reefs ecosystem constitute the most fragile and interesting 
faunal element as elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Reefs. 
According to the available literature, a total of 21,663 marine species 
have been reported from India, which includes marine algae and mangroves. 
Out of these, 20,444 species contributed by animals have been distributed in 
Indian seas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very rich in marine biodiversity  
(6,624 species; 29.24%) and the terrestrial ecosystem harbours 3,736 species. 
Highest level endemism found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is estimated 
to be about 1,123 species, of these 871 species are from terrestrial ecosystem 
A Biological Paradise
C Sivaperuman
The author is a Scientist-E and Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. 
Email: c_sivaperuman1@rediffmail.com
T
The Andaman and 
Nicobar archipelago 
consists of 836 islands, 
islets, and rocky outcrops, 
extending over 800 km. 
They are truly oceanic 
islands, never having 
been connected to 
the mainland during 
Pleistocene glaciations.
1
 
The separation of these 
islands from the Asian 
continent was brought 
about by geological 
change about 100 million 
years ago, during this 
period. The Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands were 
once a part of the Asian 
landmass but then got 
disconnected some 100 
million years ago during 
the Upper Mesozoic 
Period due to geological 
upheaval. The chains of 
these islands are in fact 
the camel backs of the 
submerged mountain 
ranges projecting above 
the sea level running 
north to south between 
6
o
 45
o
 and 13
o
 30
o
 N 
latitudes and 90
o
 20’ and 
93
o
 56
o
 E longitudes with 
an extent of 8,249 km
2
. 
ANdAMAN & NICObAR ISLANdS
20 YOJANA   October 2022
while 252 species are from marine 
counterpart. Overall, 1,200 species 
of terrestrial and marine fauna of 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have 
been listed under various Schedules of 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The 
long isolation of these islands from 
the sub-continent has resulted in high 
endemicity of terrestrial faunal and 
floral elements. More than 10% of the 
plants are endemic and, estimated about 
871 species from terrestrial ecosystem. 
Among the invertebrates, butterfly has 
more than 70% of endemism in sub-species level. 
Marine Ecosystem
Porifera: Sponges are worldwide in their distribution, 
from the Polar regions to the tropics. The highest numbers 
of sponges were generally found on firm surfaces such 
as rocks, but some sponges can attach themselves to soft 
sediment by means of a root-like base. Generally, the 
more species of sponges are found from shallow, and also 
distributed in deep ocean. Around 512 species of sponges 
are recorded from Indian waters. Among them, Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands represent 130 species. A total of 12 
species of calcareous sponges were reported from Indian 
waters and are protected under the Schedule III of Indian 
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. 
Scyphozoa: The Scyphozoans are commonly known 
as true jellyfish. The Scyphozoan taxon comes under 
the phylum Cnidaria. According to the recent estimates,  
191 species belonging to three orders, and 20 families were 
recorded.
4
 A total of 5 scyphozoan species were reported 
from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
Anthozoa (Scleractinian corals): The Scleractinian 
corals of Indian water are highly diverse than other parts 
of the tropical reefs. A total of 424 species of Scleractinian 
corals belonging to 19 families were reported from the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5
 The reefs are mainly 
dominated by the family Acroporidae, Faviidae, Poritidae, 
Fungidae and Agariciidae. 
Octocorals: Octocorals are commonly called 
as Alcyonarians, Order Octocorallia (eight polyp 
tentacles) are distinguishing from the hard corals (six 
or multiple of six polyp tentacles) by their number of 
polyp tentacles. They consist of soft corals, seafans, 
seawhips, seapens, tubecorals and blue corals. A total of 
413 species of Octocorals were recorded from Indian, 
about 229 species from the continental shelf region of 
A&N Islands.
6
Platyhelminthes: Flatworms, also known as polyclads 
belong to the Order Polycladida, Class Turbellaria under the 
phylum Platyhelminthes. They are exclusively marine and 
free-living organisms. These animals 
are one of the common inhabitants of 
the coral reefs. Zoological Survey of 
India has documented 47 species under 
10 genera which includes 7 new records 
to Indian waters and 6 new species. 
Crustacea: Crustaceans belong 
to the phylum Arthropoda, and include 
both marine and terrestrial forms of life. 
These highly diverse animals consists 
of economically important groups such 
as crabs, shrimps and lobsters. Out of 
2,394 species of the crustaceans that have been reported 
from India, marine species (94.85%) contribute the most. 
A total of 897 species were recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands of which 388 species brachyuran crabs 
and 129 species are shrimps. 
Mollusca: Mollusca are the mainly assorted phylum 
in reef ecosystems and also, this fauna is the second 
species-rich phylum in the world after the arthropods. 
Mollusca comprise six groups such as Polyplacophora, 
Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda and 
Cephalopoda. In India, 5,070 species of Mollusca have 
been recorded from freshwater (183 species); land (1,487 
species) as well as from marine habitats (3,370 species). 
Echinodermata (Holothuroidea - Sea cucumbers): 
The Holothuroidea, commonly known as Sea cucumbers, 
are an abundant and diverse group of worm-like and 
usually soft bodies echinoderms. About 1,100 species 
recorded worldwide till now whereas India represents 179 
species.
7
Ascidians: Ascidiacea is a marine invertebrate 
animal, specified as class which is commonly known as 
the ascidians or sea squirts. They are categorised under the 
subphylum Tunicata and phylum Chordata, which includes 
all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords. A total 
of 442 species were recorded from Indian waters while 
57 ascidians were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
8
Pisces: The Ichthyofaunal diversity of India accounts 
for a total of 2,735 species, of which Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands contribute to 58% of the total diversity. 
Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Islands has been revised 
with a total of 1,583 species belonging to 177 families 
under 36 orders.
9
 
Mammalia: Marine mammals include representatives 
of three major orders, namely Cetacea (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), Sirenia (manatees and dugong) and 
Carnivora (sea otters, polar bears and pinnipeds). A total 
of 26 species of marine mammals were recorded from 
Indian waters. Andaman and Nicobar Islands represented 
7 species of marine mammals. 
An extraordinary variety of 
habitat types, ranging from 
sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with 
dense forests, characterise the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
The least disturbed and the 
finest preserved mangroves in 
India are found in the region.
YOJANA   October 2022 21
Terrestrial Fauna
Protozoa: Importance of protozoa as bio indicators 
for pollution and environmental bio monitoring has been 
recognised since long, particularly in water purification 
plants and activated sludge processes.
10
 A total of 2,577 
species of protzoans were reported from India. A total of 
only 9 species of Protozoans were recorded from Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands.
Mollusca (Land and freshwater): Land snails form 
an important component in the forest ecosystem. Globally, 
about 35,000 species of land molluscs have been reported, 
besides, there may be 30,000 to 60,000 additional species 
yet to be described.
11
 There are about 5,070 species of 
mollusca, which have been recorded from India of which 
283 species are freshwater and 1,487 species are land 
mollusca. A total of 152 species of freshwater and land 
molluscs were reported from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Annelida: The Annelids, known as the ringed worms 
or segmented worms, are a large phylum, with over 17,000 
extant species including ragworms, earthworms, and 
leeches.
12
 A total of 840 Annelids were reported from India 
and 193 species were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Insecta: The insects are known to be the most 
successful and diverse animals on earth. They have 
evolved even before the origin of Dinosaurs. They have 
adapted to almost every conceivable type of environment 
from the Equator to the Arctic and from sea-level to the 
snow field of highest mountains, on land, in air and water 
and few species also inhabit the sea. The composition of 
insect group indicates that seven orders viz. Lepidoptera, 
Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera 
and Odonata comprise bulk (93 per cent) of the fauna, 
while Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Dictyoptera and ten other 
orders are represented by a small number (7 per cent) of 
species. 
Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moth): This group has 
small to very large in size insects, commonly known as 
butterflies and moths. So far, 305 species belonging to 125 
genera under 9 families of butterflies are reported from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Of these, 155 species are 
endemic to these Islands. About 622 species belonging to 
423 genera under 37 families of moths are known from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. 
Odonata: These are amphibiotic insects commonly 
known as dragonfly or damselfly. The adults are large 
predacious flying insects. They have a colourful body, 
clear wings and make swift flying movements. 72 species 
belonging to 39 genera, pertaining to 11 families are 
reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. Only 
11 species are endemic to these Islands.
Arachnida: The current knowledge of spiders in 
Andaman and Nicobar is still in its preliminary stage. 
Around 103 species have been reported, of which 20 spider 
species are endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Pisces: Freshwater fish are those that spend some 
or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and 
lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. A total of 951 
species of freshwater are reported from Indian freshwater 
of which 77 species are recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
13
Amphibia: A total of 284 species of amphibians were 
documented by Dinesh (2009). Most of the amphibian 
studies were carried out at western part of India.
14
 
Consecutive works of Dinesh et al. (2010, 2011, 2012, 
2013, 2015) enriched the database up to 384 species. 
A total of 19 species of amphibians were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
15
Reptilia: A total of 82 species were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands including 39 species of 
snakes, 15 species of geckos, 11 species of skinks, nine 
species of lizards, seven species of tortoises and one 
species of crocodile who have contributed for description 
of species of reptilia.
16
 Later, Das (1994) prepared the 
checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
Aves: A total of 377 species/sub species (268 species 
and 81 sub species) of birds are found. Around 30 species 
are endemic, of which 21 species are recorded from the 
Andaman Island group and 9 species from the Nicobar 
Island group are known to be limited in distribution on the 
Islands. A total of 42 species are threatened birds. 
Mammalia: A total of 426 species of mammals were 
reported from India. A total of 60 species of mammals 
were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
17
Coral reefs are abundant in the region
Page 4


YOJANA   October 2022 19
he Islands can be generally divided into two groups, i.e., the 
Andamans and the Nicobars and are separated by the Ten Degree 
Channel which is about 150 km wide and 400 fathoms deep. The 
highest elevation is Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman and 
Mount Thullier (642 m) in Great Nicobar Island. The annual precipitation is 
slightly higher in Nicobar with an average of 3000 to 3500 mm. Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands support very luxuriant and rich vegetation due to tropical, hot 
and humid climate with abundant rains. Classification of Forest Types
2
 belong 
to four groups, i.e., Tropical Wet Evergreen, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical 
Moist Deciduous and Littoral and Swamp Forests, in addition to this, 13 different 
types of forests are classified. The total geographical area is under forest land 
i.e., 6,742.78
2
 km (81.74 per cent) as per the State Forest Report of 2019. An 
extraordinary variety of habitat types, ranging from sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with dense forests, characterise the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands. The least disturbed and the finest preserved mangroves in India 
are found in the region. The coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar is the second 
richest found in the world.
3
 These islands provide different variety of animal life 
of which, the coral reefs ecosystem constitute the most fragile and interesting 
faunal element as elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Reefs. 
According to the available literature, a total of 21,663 marine species 
have been reported from India, which includes marine algae and mangroves. 
Out of these, 20,444 species contributed by animals have been distributed in 
Indian seas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very rich in marine biodiversity  
(6,624 species; 29.24%) and the terrestrial ecosystem harbours 3,736 species. 
Highest level endemism found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is estimated 
to be about 1,123 species, of these 871 species are from terrestrial ecosystem 
A Biological Paradise
C Sivaperuman
The author is a Scientist-E and Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. 
Email: c_sivaperuman1@rediffmail.com
T
The Andaman and 
Nicobar archipelago 
consists of 836 islands, 
islets, and rocky outcrops, 
extending over 800 km. 
They are truly oceanic 
islands, never having 
been connected to 
the mainland during 
Pleistocene glaciations.
1
 
The separation of these 
islands from the Asian 
continent was brought 
about by geological 
change about 100 million 
years ago, during this 
period. The Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands were 
once a part of the Asian 
landmass but then got 
disconnected some 100 
million years ago during 
the Upper Mesozoic 
Period due to geological 
upheaval. The chains of 
these islands are in fact 
the camel backs of the 
submerged mountain 
ranges projecting above 
the sea level running 
north to south between 
6
o
 45
o
 and 13
o
 30
o
 N 
latitudes and 90
o
 20’ and 
93
o
 56
o
 E longitudes with 
an extent of 8,249 km
2
. 
ANdAMAN & NICObAR ISLANdS
20 YOJANA   October 2022
while 252 species are from marine 
counterpart. Overall, 1,200 species 
of terrestrial and marine fauna of 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have 
been listed under various Schedules of 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The 
long isolation of these islands from 
the sub-continent has resulted in high 
endemicity of terrestrial faunal and 
floral elements. More than 10% of the 
plants are endemic and, estimated about 
871 species from terrestrial ecosystem. 
Among the invertebrates, butterfly has 
more than 70% of endemism in sub-species level. 
Marine Ecosystem
Porifera: Sponges are worldwide in their distribution, 
from the Polar regions to the tropics. The highest numbers 
of sponges were generally found on firm surfaces such 
as rocks, but some sponges can attach themselves to soft 
sediment by means of a root-like base. Generally, the 
more species of sponges are found from shallow, and also 
distributed in deep ocean. Around 512 species of sponges 
are recorded from Indian waters. Among them, Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands represent 130 species. A total of 12 
species of calcareous sponges were reported from Indian 
waters and are protected under the Schedule III of Indian 
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. 
Scyphozoa: The Scyphozoans are commonly known 
as true jellyfish. The Scyphozoan taxon comes under 
the phylum Cnidaria. According to the recent estimates,  
191 species belonging to three orders, and 20 families were 
recorded.
4
 A total of 5 scyphozoan species were reported 
from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
Anthozoa (Scleractinian corals): The Scleractinian 
corals of Indian water are highly diverse than other parts 
of the tropical reefs. A total of 424 species of Scleractinian 
corals belonging to 19 families were reported from the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5
 The reefs are mainly 
dominated by the family Acroporidae, Faviidae, Poritidae, 
Fungidae and Agariciidae. 
Octocorals: Octocorals are commonly called 
as Alcyonarians, Order Octocorallia (eight polyp 
tentacles) are distinguishing from the hard corals (six 
or multiple of six polyp tentacles) by their number of 
polyp tentacles. They consist of soft corals, seafans, 
seawhips, seapens, tubecorals and blue corals. A total of 
413 species of Octocorals were recorded from Indian, 
about 229 species from the continental shelf region of 
A&N Islands.
6
Platyhelminthes: Flatworms, also known as polyclads 
belong to the Order Polycladida, Class Turbellaria under the 
phylum Platyhelminthes. They are exclusively marine and 
free-living organisms. These animals 
are one of the common inhabitants of 
the coral reefs. Zoological Survey of 
India has documented 47 species under 
10 genera which includes 7 new records 
to Indian waters and 6 new species. 
Crustacea: Crustaceans belong 
to the phylum Arthropoda, and include 
both marine and terrestrial forms of life. 
These highly diverse animals consists 
of economically important groups such 
as crabs, shrimps and lobsters. Out of 
2,394 species of the crustaceans that have been reported 
from India, marine species (94.85%) contribute the most. 
A total of 897 species were recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands of which 388 species brachyuran crabs 
and 129 species are shrimps. 
Mollusca: Mollusca are the mainly assorted phylum 
in reef ecosystems and also, this fauna is the second 
species-rich phylum in the world after the arthropods. 
Mollusca comprise six groups such as Polyplacophora, 
Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda and 
Cephalopoda. In India, 5,070 species of Mollusca have 
been recorded from freshwater (183 species); land (1,487 
species) as well as from marine habitats (3,370 species). 
Echinodermata (Holothuroidea - Sea cucumbers): 
The Holothuroidea, commonly known as Sea cucumbers, 
are an abundant and diverse group of worm-like and 
usually soft bodies echinoderms. About 1,100 species 
recorded worldwide till now whereas India represents 179 
species.
7
Ascidians: Ascidiacea is a marine invertebrate 
animal, specified as class which is commonly known as 
the ascidians or sea squirts. They are categorised under the 
subphylum Tunicata and phylum Chordata, which includes 
all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords. A total 
of 442 species were recorded from Indian waters while 
57 ascidians were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
8
Pisces: The Ichthyofaunal diversity of India accounts 
for a total of 2,735 species, of which Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands contribute to 58% of the total diversity. 
Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Islands has been revised 
with a total of 1,583 species belonging to 177 families 
under 36 orders.
9
 
Mammalia: Marine mammals include representatives 
of three major orders, namely Cetacea (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), Sirenia (manatees and dugong) and 
Carnivora (sea otters, polar bears and pinnipeds). A total 
of 26 species of marine mammals were recorded from 
Indian waters. Andaman and Nicobar Islands represented 
7 species of marine mammals. 
An extraordinary variety of 
habitat types, ranging from 
sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with 
dense forests, characterise the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
The least disturbed and the 
finest preserved mangroves in 
India are found in the region.
YOJANA   October 2022 21
Terrestrial Fauna
Protozoa: Importance of protozoa as bio indicators 
for pollution and environmental bio monitoring has been 
recognised since long, particularly in water purification 
plants and activated sludge processes.
10
 A total of 2,577 
species of protzoans were reported from India. A total of 
only 9 species of Protozoans were recorded from Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands.
Mollusca (Land and freshwater): Land snails form 
an important component in the forest ecosystem. Globally, 
about 35,000 species of land molluscs have been reported, 
besides, there may be 30,000 to 60,000 additional species 
yet to be described.
11
 There are about 5,070 species of 
mollusca, which have been recorded from India of which 
283 species are freshwater and 1,487 species are land 
mollusca. A total of 152 species of freshwater and land 
molluscs were reported from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Annelida: The Annelids, known as the ringed worms 
or segmented worms, are a large phylum, with over 17,000 
extant species including ragworms, earthworms, and 
leeches.
12
 A total of 840 Annelids were reported from India 
and 193 species were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Insecta: The insects are known to be the most 
successful and diverse animals on earth. They have 
evolved even before the origin of Dinosaurs. They have 
adapted to almost every conceivable type of environment 
from the Equator to the Arctic and from sea-level to the 
snow field of highest mountains, on land, in air and water 
and few species also inhabit the sea. The composition of 
insect group indicates that seven orders viz. Lepidoptera, 
Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera 
and Odonata comprise bulk (93 per cent) of the fauna, 
while Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Dictyoptera and ten other 
orders are represented by a small number (7 per cent) of 
species. 
Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moth): This group has 
small to very large in size insects, commonly known as 
butterflies and moths. So far, 305 species belonging to 125 
genera under 9 families of butterflies are reported from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Of these, 155 species are 
endemic to these Islands. About 622 species belonging to 
423 genera under 37 families of moths are known from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. 
Odonata: These are amphibiotic insects commonly 
known as dragonfly or damselfly. The adults are large 
predacious flying insects. They have a colourful body, 
clear wings and make swift flying movements. 72 species 
belonging to 39 genera, pertaining to 11 families are 
reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. Only 
11 species are endemic to these Islands.
Arachnida: The current knowledge of spiders in 
Andaman and Nicobar is still in its preliminary stage. 
Around 103 species have been reported, of which 20 spider 
species are endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Pisces: Freshwater fish are those that spend some 
or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and 
lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. A total of 951 
species of freshwater are reported from Indian freshwater 
of which 77 species are recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
13
Amphibia: A total of 284 species of amphibians were 
documented by Dinesh (2009). Most of the amphibian 
studies were carried out at western part of India.
14
 
Consecutive works of Dinesh et al. (2010, 2011, 2012, 
2013, 2015) enriched the database up to 384 species. 
A total of 19 species of amphibians were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
15
Reptilia: A total of 82 species were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands including 39 species of 
snakes, 15 species of geckos, 11 species of skinks, nine 
species of lizards, seven species of tortoises and one 
species of crocodile who have contributed for description 
of species of reptilia.
16
 Later, Das (1994) prepared the 
checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
Aves: A total of 377 species/sub species (268 species 
and 81 sub species) of birds are found. Around 30 species 
are endemic, of which 21 species are recorded from the 
Andaman Island group and 9 species from the Nicobar 
Island group are known to be limited in distribution on the 
Islands. A total of 42 species are threatened birds. 
Mammalia: A total of 426 species of mammals were 
reported from India. A total of 60 species of mammals 
were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
17
Coral reefs are abundant in the region
22 YOJANA   October 2022
Representative Fauna of A&N Islands
Coconut Crab Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) 
The coconut crab or robber crab or palm thief crab 
(Birgus latro Linnaeus, 1767) comes under the family 
of Coenobitidae and Infraorder Anomura. The coconut 
crab is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world which 
is related to hermit crabs and lobsters. This is the only 
species of the genus Birgus that can be adapted to exist on 
land and also dependent on marine water for the pelagic 
larvae. The size of adult coconut crabs can be varied; can 
grow up to 40 cm; a leg can reach more than 0.91 m. This 
species carries an empty gastropod shell for protection at 
juvenile stage, but the adults develop a strong exoskeleton 
on their abdomens and stop carrying a shell.
Long-tailed Macaque: Macaca fascicularis umbrosa 
Miller, 1902 
It inhabits Great Nicobar Island, Katchal island and 
Little Nicobar Island in Nicobar Islands. Their preferred 
habitats are mangroves and coastal forests. They are also 
found in inland forest at altitude of up to 600 m above 
sea level. The long-tailed Macaque is an endangered 
primate in India and it has been listed in Schedule-I of 
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 
Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami Hume, 1873 
There are 55 different species of hornbills found 
in Asia and Africa, of which 31 species of hornbills 
are present within Asia. There are 9 species of Indian 
hornbills, of which 4 species are endemic in India, and 
among them one species is present in Narcondam Island. 
This species is considered as endangered according to the 
IUCN categories and protected under Schedule I under 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is roughly estimated that 
about 68-85 breeding pairs are present on the island, with 
a population of about 700-1100 hornbills. 
Nicobar Megapode Megapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 
1846
The Nicobar Megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis) 
belongs to the family of megapodes, Megapodiidae. 
IUCN has categorised these megapode species and has 
listed them as vulnerable. These species are found only 
in the Nicobar Islands of India. The hatchlings have 
feathers at the time of hatching and are able to fly. 
Conservation efforts: The Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands are located in the equatorial belt and have 
been endowed with an abundance of flora and fauna. 
Many species are endemic and restricted to small areas 
because of the island’s geographic isolation. Due to the 
mentioned reasons, any change in the natural systems 
can affect the ecosystem in a chaotic way. In order to 
conserve the ecosystem, 87% of the areas are declared 
as protected areas. There are 105 protected areas (nine 
National Parks and 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries) that have 
been established over an area of 1271.12 km
2 
on land 
and 349.04 km
2
 in surrounding territorial sea. Apart 
from this, the Great Nicobar is declared as Biosphere 
Reserve to protect the endemic fauna of these islands. ?
Endnotes:
1. Ripley and Beehler, 1989
2. Champion and Seth (1968)
3. Turner et al., 2001
4. Morandini and Cornelius, 2015
5. Raghuraman et al., 2012
6. Rajendra et al., 2016
7. Samuel et al., 2017
8. Mondal et al., 2016 &2017
9. Rao, 2016
10. Kelkwitz and Marson, 1908
11. Budd and Jensen, 2000
12. Lydeard et al., 2004
13. Chandra and Rajan, 2004
14. Aravind and Gururaja, 2011
15. (Das, 1998 & 1999; Chandra and Rajan, 2004)
16. Whitaker, 1978, Biswas and Sanyal, 1965, 1977a-b, 1980, 1987
17. Chaturvedi, 1980; Tikader and Das, 1985; Anon, 2002; Chandra 
and Rajan, 2004)
Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) 
Narcondam Hornbill Aceros 
narcondami Hume, 1873
Nicobar Megapode Megapodius 
nicobariensis Blyth, 1846
Long-tailed Macaque: Macaca fascicularis umbrosa Miller, 1902
Page 5


YOJANA   October 2022 19
he Islands can be generally divided into two groups, i.e., the 
Andamans and the Nicobars and are separated by the Ten Degree 
Channel which is about 150 km wide and 400 fathoms deep. The 
highest elevation is Saddle Peak (732 m) in North Andaman and 
Mount Thullier (642 m) in Great Nicobar Island. The annual precipitation is 
slightly higher in Nicobar with an average of 3000 to 3500 mm. Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands support very luxuriant and rich vegetation due to tropical, hot 
and humid climate with abundant rains. Classification of Forest Types
2
 belong 
to four groups, i.e., Tropical Wet Evergreen, Tropical Semi Evergreen, Tropical 
Moist Deciduous and Littoral and Swamp Forests, in addition to this, 13 different 
types of forests are classified. The total geographical area is under forest land 
i.e., 6,742.78
2
 km (81.74 per cent) as per the State Forest Report of 2019. An 
extraordinary variety of habitat types, ranging from sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with dense forests, characterise the Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands. The least disturbed and the finest preserved mangroves in India 
are found in the region. The coral reefs of Andaman and Nicobar is the second 
richest found in the world.
3
 These islands provide different variety of animal life 
of which, the coral reefs ecosystem constitute the most fragile and interesting 
faunal element as elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Reefs. 
According to the available literature, a total of 21,663 marine species 
have been reported from India, which includes marine algae and mangroves. 
Out of these, 20,444 species contributed by animals have been distributed in 
Indian seas. Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very rich in marine biodiversity  
(6,624 species; 29.24%) and the terrestrial ecosystem harbours 3,736 species. 
Highest level endemism found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is estimated 
to be about 1,123 species, of these 871 species are from terrestrial ecosystem 
A Biological Paradise
C Sivaperuman
The author is a Scientist-E and Officer-in-Charge, Zoological Survey of India, Andaman and Nicobar Regional Centre. 
Email: c_sivaperuman1@rediffmail.com
T
The Andaman and 
Nicobar archipelago 
consists of 836 islands, 
islets, and rocky outcrops, 
extending over 800 km. 
They are truly oceanic 
islands, never having 
been connected to 
the mainland during 
Pleistocene glaciations.
1
 
The separation of these 
islands from the Asian 
continent was brought 
about by geological 
change about 100 million 
years ago, during this 
period. The Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands were 
once a part of the Asian 
landmass but then got 
disconnected some 100 
million years ago during 
the Upper Mesozoic 
Period due to geological 
upheaval. The chains of 
these islands are in fact 
the camel backs of the 
submerged mountain 
ranges projecting above 
the sea level running 
north to south between 
6
o
 45
o
 and 13
o
 30
o
 N 
latitudes and 90
o
 20’ and 
93
o
 56
o
 E longitudes with 
an extent of 8,249 km
2
. 
ANdAMAN & NICObAR ISLANdS
20 YOJANA   October 2022
while 252 species are from marine 
counterpart. Overall, 1,200 species 
of terrestrial and marine fauna of 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands have 
been listed under various Schedules of 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The 
long isolation of these islands from 
the sub-continent has resulted in high 
endemicity of terrestrial faunal and 
floral elements. More than 10% of the 
plants are endemic and, estimated about 
871 species from terrestrial ecosystem. 
Among the invertebrates, butterfly has 
more than 70% of endemism in sub-species level. 
Marine Ecosystem
Porifera: Sponges are worldwide in their distribution, 
from the Polar regions to the tropics. The highest numbers 
of sponges were generally found on firm surfaces such 
as rocks, but some sponges can attach themselves to soft 
sediment by means of a root-like base. Generally, the 
more species of sponges are found from shallow, and also 
distributed in deep ocean. Around 512 species of sponges 
are recorded from Indian waters. Among them, Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands represent 130 species. A total of 12 
species of calcareous sponges were reported from Indian 
waters and are protected under the Schedule III of Indian 
Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. 
Scyphozoa: The Scyphozoans are commonly known 
as true jellyfish. The Scyphozoan taxon comes under 
the phylum Cnidaria. According to the recent estimates,  
191 species belonging to three orders, and 20 families were 
recorded.
4
 A total of 5 scyphozoan species were reported 
from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
Anthozoa (Scleractinian corals): The Scleractinian 
corals of Indian water are highly diverse than other parts 
of the tropical reefs. A total of 424 species of Scleractinian 
corals belonging to 19 families were reported from the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
5
 The reefs are mainly 
dominated by the family Acroporidae, Faviidae, Poritidae, 
Fungidae and Agariciidae. 
Octocorals: Octocorals are commonly called 
as Alcyonarians, Order Octocorallia (eight polyp 
tentacles) are distinguishing from the hard corals (six 
or multiple of six polyp tentacles) by their number of 
polyp tentacles. They consist of soft corals, seafans, 
seawhips, seapens, tubecorals and blue corals. A total of 
413 species of Octocorals were recorded from Indian, 
about 229 species from the continental shelf region of 
A&N Islands.
6
Platyhelminthes: Flatworms, also known as polyclads 
belong to the Order Polycladida, Class Turbellaria under the 
phylum Platyhelminthes. They are exclusively marine and 
free-living organisms. These animals 
are one of the common inhabitants of 
the coral reefs. Zoological Survey of 
India has documented 47 species under 
10 genera which includes 7 new records 
to Indian waters and 6 new species. 
Crustacea: Crustaceans belong 
to the phylum Arthropoda, and include 
both marine and terrestrial forms of life. 
These highly diverse animals consists 
of economically important groups such 
as crabs, shrimps and lobsters. Out of 
2,394 species of the crustaceans that have been reported 
from India, marine species (94.85%) contribute the most. 
A total of 897 species were recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands of which 388 species brachyuran crabs 
and 129 species are shrimps. 
Mollusca: Mollusca are the mainly assorted phylum 
in reef ecosystems and also, this fauna is the second 
species-rich phylum in the world after the arthropods. 
Mollusca comprise six groups such as Polyplacophora, 
Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda and 
Cephalopoda. In India, 5,070 species of Mollusca have 
been recorded from freshwater (183 species); land (1,487 
species) as well as from marine habitats (3,370 species). 
Echinodermata (Holothuroidea - Sea cucumbers): 
The Holothuroidea, commonly known as Sea cucumbers, 
are an abundant and diverse group of worm-like and 
usually soft bodies echinoderms. About 1,100 species 
recorded worldwide till now whereas India represents 179 
species.
7
Ascidians: Ascidiacea is a marine invertebrate 
animal, specified as class which is commonly known as 
the ascidians or sea squirts. They are categorised under the 
subphylum Tunicata and phylum Chordata, which includes 
all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notochords. A total 
of 442 species were recorded from Indian waters while 
57 ascidians were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
8
Pisces: The Ichthyofaunal diversity of India accounts 
for a total of 2,735 species, of which Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands contribute to 58% of the total diversity. 
Ichthyofaunal diversity of the Islands has been revised 
with a total of 1,583 species belonging to 177 families 
under 36 orders.
9
 
Mammalia: Marine mammals include representatives 
of three major orders, namely Cetacea (whales, dolphins 
and porpoises), Sirenia (manatees and dugong) and 
Carnivora (sea otters, polar bears and pinnipeds). A total 
of 26 species of marine mammals were recorded from 
Indian waters. Andaman and Nicobar Islands represented 
7 species of marine mammals. 
An extraordinary variety of 
habitat types, ranging from 
sandy beaches to coral reefs, 
mangroves and mountains with 
dense forests, characterise the 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
The least disturbed and the 
finest preserved mangroves in 
India are found in the region.
YOJANA   October 2022 21
Terrestrial Fauna
Protozoa: Importance of protozoa as bio indicators 
for pollution and environmental bio monitoring has been 
recognised since long, particularly in water purification 
plants and activated sludge processes.
10
 A total of 2,577 
species of protzoans were reported from India. A total of 
only 9 species of Protozoans were recorded from Andaman 
and Nicobar Islands.
Mollusca (Land and freshwater): Land snails form 
an important component in the forest ecosystem. Globally, 
about 35,000 species of land molluscs have been reported, 
besides, there may be 30,000 to 60,000 additional species 
yet to be described.
11
 There are about 5,070 species of 
mollusca, which have been recorded from India of which 
283 species are freshwater and 1,487 species are land 
mollusca. A total of 152 species of freshwater and land 
molluscs were reported from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Annelida: The Annelids, known as the ringed worms 
or segmented worms, are a large phylum, with over 17,000 
extant species including ragworms, earthworms, and 
leeches.
12
 A total of 840 Annelids were reported from India 
and 193 species were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands.
Insecta: The insects are known to be the most 
successful and diverse animals on earth. They have 
evolved even before the origin of Dinosaurs. They have 
adapted to almost every conceivable type of environment 
from the Equator to the Arctic and from sea-level to the 
snow field of highest mountains, on land, in air and water 
and few species also inhabit the sea. The composition of 
insect group indicates that seven orders viz. Lepidoptera, 
Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera 
and Odonata comprise bulk (93 per cent) of the fauna, 
while Thysanoptera, Neuroptera, Dictyoptera and ten other 
orders are represented by a small number (7 per cent) of 
species. 
Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moth): This group has 
small to very large in size insects, commonly known as 
butterflies and moths. So far, 305 species belonging to 125 
genera under 9 families of butterflies are reported from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Of these, 155 species are 
endemic to these Islands. About 622 species belonging to 
423 genera under 37 families of moths are known from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. 
Odonata: These are amphibiotic insects commonly 
known as dragonfly or damselfly. The adults are large 
predacious flying insects. They have a colourful body, 
clear wings and make swift flying movements. 72 species 
belonging to 39 genera, pertaining to 11 families are 
reported from Andaman and Nicobar Islands so far. Only 
11 species are endemic to these Islands.
Arachnida: The current knowledge of spiders in 
Andaman and Nicobar is still in its preliminary stage. 
Around 103 species have been reported, of which 20 spider 
species are endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Pisces: Freshwater fish are those that spend some 
or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and 
lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. A total of 951 
species of freshwater are reported from Indian freshwater 
of which 77 species are recorded from Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
13
Amphibia: A total of 284 species of amphibians were 
documented by Dinesh (2009). Most of the amphibian 
studies were carried out at western part of India.
14
 
Consecutive works of Dinesh et al. (2010, 2011, 2012, 
2013, 2015) enriched the database up to 384 species. 
A total of 19 species of amphibians were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
15
Reptilia: A total of 82 species were recorded from 
Andaman and Nicobar Islands including 39 species of 
snakes, 15 species of geckos, 11 species of skinks, nine 
species of lizards, seven species of tortoises and one 
species of crocodile who have contributed for description 
of species of reptilia.
16
 Later, Das (1994) prepared the 
checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Andaman and 
Nicobar Islands.
Aves: A total of 377 species/sub species (268 species 
and 81 sub species) of birds are found. Around 30 species 
are endemic, of which 21 species are recorded from the 
Andaman Island group and 9 species from the Nicobar 
Island group are known to be limited in distribution on the 
Islands. A total of 42 species are threatened birds. 
Mammalia: A total of 426 species of mammals were 
reported from India. A total of 60 species of mammals 
were recorded from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
17
Coral reefs are abundant in the region
22 YOJANA   October 2022
Representative Fauna of A&N Islands
Coconut Crab Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) 
The coconut crab or robber crab or palm thief crab 
(Birgus latro Linnaeus, 1767) comes under the family 
of Coenobitidae and Infraorder Anomura. The coconut 
crab is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world which 
is related to hermit crabs and lobsters. This is the only 
species of the genus Birgus that can be adapted to exist on 
land and also dependent on marine water for the pelagic 
larvae. The size of adult coconut crabs can be varied; can 
grow up to 40 cm; a leg can reach more than 0.91 m. This 
species carries an empty gastropod shell for protection at 
juvenile stage, but the adults develop a strong exoskeleton 
on their abdomens and stop carrying a shell.
Long-tailed Macaque: Macaca fascicularis umbrosa 
Miller, 1902 
It inhabits Great Nicobar Island, Katchal island and 
Little Nicobar Island in Nicobar Islands. Their preferred 
habitats are mangroves and coastal forests. They are also 
found in inland forest at altitude of up to 600 m above 
sea level. The long-tailed Macaque is an endangered 
primate in India and it has been listed in Schedule-I of 
the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. 
Narcondam Hornbill Aceros narcondami Hume, 1873 
There are 55 different species of hornbills found 
in Asia and Africa, of which 31 species of hornbills 
are present within Asia. There are 9 species of Indian 
hornbills, of which 4 species are endemic in India, and 
among them one species is present in Narcondam Island. 
This species is considered as endangered according to the 
IUCN categories and protected under Schedule I under 
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is roughly estimated that 
about 68-85 breeding pairs are present on the island, with 
a population of about 700-1100 hornbills. 
Nicobar Megapode Megapodius nicobariensis Blyth, 
1846
The Nicobar Megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis) 
belongs to the family of megapodes, Megapodiidae. 
IUCN has categorised these megapode species and has 
listed them as vulnerable. These species are found only 
in the Nicobar Islands of India. The hatchlings have 
feathers at the time of hatching and are able to fly. 
Conservation efforts: The Andaman and Nicobar 
Islands are located in the equatorial belt and have 
been endowed with an abundance of flora and fauna. 
Many species are endemic and restricted to small areas 
because of the island’s geographic isolation. Due to the 
mentioned reasons, any change in the natural systems 
can affect the ecosystem in a chaotic way. In order to 
conserve the ecosystem, 87% of the areas are declared 
as protected areas. There are 105 protected areas (nine 
National Parks and 96 Wildlife Sanctuaries) that have 
been established over an area of 1271.12 km
2 
on land 
and 349.04 km
2
 in surrounding territorial sea. Apart 
from this, the Great Nicobar is declared as Biosphere 
Reserve to protect the endemic fauna of these islands. ?
Endnotes:
1. Ripley and Beehler, 1989
2. Champion and Seth (1968)
3. Turner et al., 2001
4. Morandini and Cornelius, 2015
5. Raghuraman et al., 2012
6. Rajendra et al., 2016
7. Samuel et al., 2017
8. Mondal et al., 2016 &2017
9. Rao, 2016
10. Kelkwitz and Marson, 1908
11. Budd and Jensen, 2000
12. Lydeard et al., 2004
13. Chandra and Rajan, 2004
14. Aravind and Gururaja, 2011
15. (Das, 1998 & 1999; Chandra and Rajan, 2004)
16. Whitaker, 1978, Biswas and Sanyal, 1965, 1977a-b, 1980, 1987
17. Chaturvedi, 1980; Tikader and Das, 1985; Anon, 2002; Chandra 
and Rajan, 2004)
Birgus latro (Linnaeus, 1767) 
Narcondam Hornbill Aceros 
narcondami Hume, 1873
Nicobar Megapode Megapodius 
nicobariensis Blyth, 1846
Long-tailed Macaque: Macaca fascicularis umbrosa Miller, 1902
YOJANA   October 2022 25
ujarat is one of the rich biodiversity States, 
which is indicated by the presence of 7,500 
species of flora and fauna, among these 2,550 
are angiosperms and 1,366 are vertebrate 
species (of which 574 are bird species and rest are mammals, 
reptiles, amphibians, fish, etc.).
Gujarat State has many biodiversity hotspots like 
Little Rann of Kutch, Greater Rann of Kutch, Marine 
National Park, Jamnagar, wetlands and forests of Barda 
Sanctuary, Porbandar, Grasslands of Velavadar, Thol Lake 
and Nalsarovar, Northern part of Western Ghat in South 
Gujarat, etc. They are abodes of several migratory birds and 
other rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The 
flora of this region is unique in nature as the species have 
developed many adaptations like resistance to salinity to 
Wonder in the West
R K Sugoor 
The author is IFS, Director, Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, Gandhinagar, Government of Gujarat. 
Email: gj095@ifs.nic.in
The region in and around Gujarat is blessed with a  plethora  of varied ecosystems that 
accommodate numerous species of wildlife. The State can boast of a tremendous diversity of 
flora and fauna found in contrasting environments. It has many biodiversity hotspots that are 
abodes of several migratory birds and other rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. 
G
sustain themselves in hostile and adverse climatic condition 
in arid and semi-arid regions.
The region is blessed with a plethora of varied 
ecosystems that accommodate numerous species of wildlife. 
A diversity of flora and fauna is found here in contrasting 
environments. In order to conserve such rich and diverse 
natural heritage of wildlife in Gujarat, four National Parks, 
23 Sanctuaries, and one Conservation Reserve have been 
established over a period of time. In spite of industrialisation 
in the State, the Government has managed to succeed in 
not only preserving the ecosystems, but also in spreading 
awareness amongst general public. The National Parks 
and Sanctuaries of Gujarat are home to unique, rare and 
threatened species of animals and plants which attract the 
attention of national and international nature lovers. In fact, 
bIOdIVERSITy