Location

Found along stream banks and rocky edges near waterfalls in the temple town of Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.

Plant Features

Erect herb, reaching up to 90 cm. Four-angled stems covered with fine, deflexed hairs when young. Leaves are ovate with prominent veins and smooth margins.

Flowers

Small, pink, bi-lipped flowers arranged in clusters.

Blooming period: October to January.

Distinctive Features

Short, downturned hairs on the stem. Distinctive bracts around the flowers. Capsules containing seeds covered in simple hairs.

Family and Genus

Acanthaceae family. Dicliptera genus, which includes 27 species in India, 8 of which are endemic.

Diversity Contribution

This adds to the diversity of India's flora, especially in the Eastern Ghats where Andhra Pradesh hosts seven recorded species of Dicliptera.

Global Distribution

Dicliptera species are found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.

Scientific Name

Danio rerio

Habitat

• Small freshwater fish (2-3 cm long) found in tropical and subtropical regions.
• Native to South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains.
• Found in paddy fields, stagnant water, and streams.

Conservation Status

Classified as a species of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Organism for Biomedical Research

• Used to study vertebrate development, evolution, genetics, and disease.
• Notable for regeneration capacity of organs (brain, heart, eye, spinal cord).

Genetic Similarity to Humans

Zebrafish share about 70% of their genetic structure with humans.

Organ Systems

Zebrafish possess organs and tissues similar to humans, including muscles, blood, kidneys, and eyes.

Scientific Name

Piranga olivacea

Habitat

• Breeds in deciduous and mixed deciduous-evergreen forests.
• Winters in forests and forest edges.
• Migrates to tropical forests in Central and South America during winter.

Features

• Medium-sized songbird, around 7 inches in length.
• Stocky proportions, thick, rounded bills for insects and fruit.
• Large head, short and broad tail.

Male Plumage (Spring/Summer)

Brilliant red with black wings and tail.

Female/Immature Plumage (Fall)

Olive-yellow with darker olive wings and tails.

Post-Breeding Male Plumage

Molts to female-like plumage but retains black wings and tail.

Song and Call

Song: Described as a “robin with a cold.”

Call: Emphatic “chip-burr,” often used to locate the bird in treetops.

IUCN Red List

Least Concern

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.The term "Dicliptera srisailamica" recently in the news in the context of which of the following?

(a) A newly discovered species of amphibian

(b) A flowering plant found in the Eastern Ghats

(c) A newly launched satellite by ISRO

(d) A new variant of the coronavirus

Answer: b

Explanation:

Dicliptera srisailamica is a species of flowering plant in the genus of Dicliptera. This species is closely related to Dicliptera beddomei but shows distinct differences in various traits. The species was located within the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, near the well-known Srisailam area. This discovery adds to the rich biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats.