Genus of algae crucial to life found in Ghats

Bengaluru: Scientists have discovered a new genus of freshwater diatom — microscopic algae crucial to life — found in the clean rivers of the Eastern and Western Ghats in India. “The genus which has an interesting suite of features, distinguishing it from the other members in the group Gomphonemoid in terms of valve symmetry and other certain valve features, has been named Indiconema to value its restricted distribution in the country.The research underlines the importance of diatoms in shaping the biodiversity of India’s diverse landscapes,” The department of science and technology (DST), said Thursday.
As per DST, the discovery, published in the journal Phycologia, reports one Indiconema species from the Eastern Ghats and another from the Western Ghats mountain ranges. This pattern of endemic species shared between the two ghats has also been observed in other endemic-rich groups like reptiles. “Diatoms are microscopic algae crucial to life, producing 25% of the world’s oxygen supply. They form the base of aquatic food chains and are highly sensitive to water quality changes, making them excellent indicators of aquatic health,” DST said in a statement.
India boasts around 6,500 diatom taxa, with 30% endemic to the country, highlighting its unique biodiversity. The varied biogeographic zones, from freshwater to marine and sea level to mountains, support diverse diatom species. “Indiconema discovered by scientists of Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute of DST differs in having a pore field at both the head and foot pole rather than having only at the foot pole,” DST said.