Sudheer Kumar Jena

Background: The Buthidae, is the largest and most widely distributed scorpion family that encompasses more than 1300 species worldwide and includes several medically important scorpions. Though they pose significant public health risks, there is a critical knowledge gap about the species-environmental interactions of Buthidae species in India. The present study addresses this by systematically mapping Buthidae species distributions across Central India in ArcGIS environment and finding out their suitable habitats using Maximum entropy modeling approach. The study also aims to identify the key environmental predictors of habitat suitability using Jackknife analysis. Results: The spatial patterns revealed scattered or an evenly distribution of most of the species except Hottentotta rugiscutis and Buthoscorpio politus , which show more or less a clustered distribution. Species distribution model demonstrated significant variation in minimum ( ≤ 22%) and maximum predictive performances (≥ 83%) across scorpion species. Suitable habitat for all species found to be diffused except H. rugiscutis and B. politus , for which the area under curve value was found to be excellent (≥ 90%) and very good (≥ 80%H. jabalpurensis (56.6%) and the lowest for H. rugiscutis (13%). For most species, hydrological factors like precipitation and relative humidity were key determinants of scorpion distribution in the study area. The result demonstrated clear interspecific variation in model performance and environmental drivers that play a critical role in niche partitioning through microhabitat stratification. Most species were found to be habitat specialists that are adapted to human settlements. Central Madhya Pradesh and Northwest Chhattisgarh emerged as high-risk regions for scorpion envenomation risks. Conclusion: This study brought into light the first predictive framework for medically significant Buthidae scorpions in Central India, integrating field surveys with species distribution modeling to provide critical insights to understand interspecific variation in model performance and environmental drivers in spatial segregation. The overall outcome of the study will no doubt help in management of Buthid scorpions in Central India for their conservation and better addressing of human-scorpion interactions in this region.

Eublepharis , an Asian-endemic genus of leopard geckos, represents the third largest genus within the family Eublepharidae. India harbors six recognized species in the genus Eublepharis , representing the highest species diversity for this genus reported from any single country to date. In this work, a new species of the genus, Eublepharis jhuma sp. nov ., is described based on three specimens. The new species can be diagnosed by the following combination of morphological features: (1) SVL 123–142 mm, (2) having large, flat, tubercle-like, moderately keeled scales across the dorsum, with interspaces much larger than the size of the tubercles, (3) two pale bands between the nuchal loop and caudal constriction, (4) subdigital lamellae tuberculate, (5) dorsal scales on the regenerated tail flat and rectangular, (6) 22–25 subdigital lamellae on the fourth toe, and (7) 12–13 precloacal pores. The new species is also phylogenetically distinct from all its congeners (6.9–7.8% from its closest sister species, E. satpuraensis ). The discovery of a new reptile from the Chota Nagpur Plateau highlights the role of more extensive study in the region. Furthermore, its occurrence in the Kaimur Plateau, the easternmost Vindhyan escarpments, highlights the allopatric speciation from the sister species, E. satpuraensis , shaped by deep-time geological processes.

Despite extensive research on biodiversity patterns, significant gaps remain in our understanding of species’ geographic distributions, representing a persistent Wallacean shortfall. The Godda Forest Division of Jharkhand state, located in the eastern part of India, remains largely unexplored with respect to amphibian diversity. In this study, we present the results of a six-month field survey conducted in the Godda Forest Division of Jharkhand spanning the summer and monsoon seasons. Phylogenetic analyses using 16S rRNA gene sequences were used to resolve the identification of taxonomically cryptic species. The survey documented 19 anuran species belonging to four families and 11 genera. These findings provide essential baseline information and underscore the need for systematic herpetofauna assessments across Jharkhand.

The first record of a butterfly species, the Tamil Treebrown Lethe drypetis todara Moore, 1881 (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) is described from Deomali Hill range of southern Odisha, in Eastern Ghats of India, collected by fruit-baiting. This is the first record from Odisha almost 129 years after its first report from Khurda in coastal Odisha by Taylor & de Niceville in the year 1888. The ecology and sampling of the species are described in this study.

A biodiversity survey was conducted in Koraput District of southern Odisha between August 2014 and July 2017. During the survey, occurrence of Mugger or Marsh Crocodile Crocodylus palustris was ascertained from five localities in a stretch of 23km of river Saberi, a tributary of the Godavari River system. The area is in the Gupteswar proposed reserve forest of Odisha, and forms a boundary with Kanger Ghat National Park of Chhattisgarh State. The geographic region offers possible scope for long term ecological monitoring jointly by wildlife organizations of Odisha and Chhattisgarh in collaboration with Central University of Orissa. For long-term conservation of the species, activities may be initiated with annual monitoring of crocodile populations involving local people, and creating awareness about the Schedule-I status of crocodiles under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.