KOCHI: The Western Ghats continue to reveal their immense and largely untapped biodiversity. In a recent discovery, researchers from Mar Athanasius College, Kothamangalam, have identified a new species of freshwater algae in Rosemala, located in Kollam district. The species, belonging to the genus Sheathia, has been named Sheathia rosemalayensis after the place where it was found.
The discovery was made by Dr Jayalakshmi P S, assistant professor at Mar Athanasius College (Autonomous), Kothamangalam, and Fr Dr Jose John, former principal of Sacred Heart College (Autonomous), Thevara.
“This discovery is crucial because Sheathia species are extremely rare in India. Before this, only one other species was reported from the Himalayas,” Dr Jayalakshmi told TNIE. The research has been published in Phycologia, an international journal on algae by the International Phycological Society (USA).
This is not the first major discovery by Dr Jayalakshmi and Fr Dr Jose John. Previously, the duo identified three other new species of freshwater red algae: Kumanoa chaugulei, Kumanoa periyarensis, and Macrosporophycos sahyadricus. These were found in freshwater habitats in Kuttampuzha (Ernakulam district) and multiple locations in the Idukki district. Notably, Macrosporophycos was a newly discovered genus, a rare feat in algal taxonomy.
“DNA barcoding was performed on all four newly discovered species, confirming their unique identity. The findings were subsequently published in international scientific journals,” Dr Jayalakshmi said. She stressed the importance of genetic analysis in taxonomy, adding, “Physical characteristics alone are not sufficient for species identification.”
When asked why such a species had remained undiscovered until now, she pointed to a lack of specialised research in India. “Very few researchers focus on freshwater red algae, particularly in the Western Ghats. These studies are crucial, as freshwater red algae only thrive in pristine, undisturbed habitats. Their presence has significant bio-geographical and environmental implications,” she said.
Dr Jayalakshmi further pointed out that Sheathia rosemalayensis has so far been documented only in the southern Western Ghats, a geographically distinct region. In contrast, other species within the Sheathia genus, such as S. assamica, S indonepalensis, and S dispersa, have broader distributions spanning Assam, Nepal, Indonesia, Taiwan, and even the Hawaiian Archipelago.