Highlighting the rich biodiversity of Silent Valley National Park in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR) of the Western Ghats mountain chain, a team of researchers has discovered two previously unknown species of moniligastrid earthworms.Belonging to two different genera — Moniligaster, which is endemic to Western Ghats, and Drawida- of the family Moniligastridae, the earthworms have been named Moniligaster girishi and Drawida reynoldsi, respectively. The discovery has been published in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.Moniligaster girishi. | Photo Credit: Special ArrangementThe new species — M. girishi and D. reynoldsi — are named in honour of P. Girish Kumar, a scientist at the Zoological Survey of India’s Western Ghats Regional Centre, Kozhikode, for his significant contributions to the taxonomic studies of wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in India, and John Warren Reynolds, an eminent Canadian earthworm specialist, for his remarkable contributions to the study of North American earthworms.While the specimen of M. girishi was collected from the tropical wet evergreen forest near Chembotti, the specimen of D. reynoldsi was collected from the montane grassland between Sispara and Anginda. With the inclusion of the two newly identified species, India’s moniligastrid fauna now comprises 95 recognised species, many of which have been discovered from the Western Ghats in recent decades.The discovery of M. girishi and D. reynoldsi raises the number of moniligastrid species known from Western Ghats to 70 (54 Drawida and 16 Moniligaster species), signifying the importance of this region as a biodiversity hotspot for the moniligastrid earthworms.Among the Western Ghats States, Kerala has the highest species richness in moniligastrid earthworms, with 30 Drawida and 13 Moniligaster species."Many new species have been described or reported from India this century. Interestingly, most new moniligastrid species discovered from India have originated from the Western Ghats, further emphasising it as an exceptional hotspot for this primitive group of earthworms," the study notes.It further reveals that Nilgiri Hills has a high diversity of moniligastrid species, especially Drawida and holds about 43% (16 species) of the 37 recorded from the entire State of Tamil Nadu. As Silent Valley National Park lies on the western side of the Nilgiri Hills and is an integral part of the NBR, the addition of two more moniligastrid earthworms from this region is of "biogeographical importance."The study says M. girishi, of the gravelyi species-group, is distinguished by a single undivided spermathecal atrial gland on each side of the anterior body, particularly by the condition of its prostate and prostatic capsule. D. reynoldsi, belonging to the robusta species-group characterised by glandular prostates and bilobed spermathecal atria, differs from other members in having a sausage-like prostatic capsule and a large, erect spermathecal atrium."No comprehensive studies have yet been conducted to ascertain the richness of earthworm species in Silent Valley. There could be a considerable number of species present there, and more detailed studies are needed,” says S. Prasanth Narayanan, a member of the research team and research scientist at the Advanced Centre of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam.“Some countries are developing allopathic medicines using enzymes and proteins derived from earthworms. We also have potential in this area, but further research is required," Mr. Narayanan added.Other members of the research team are K.T. Fahis, R. Paliwal, K.S. Anoop Das, V.P. Sylas, Naveen Babu, A.P. Thomas and J.M. Julka.Published - March 03, 2026 08:04 pm IST