India Discovers New Plant Species in Antarctica

Indian scientists have discovered a new plant species in Antarctica. From a report: Polar biologists stumbled upon a species of moss during an expedition to the ice-covered continent in 2017. Identification is laborious, and it took the scientists five years to confirm that the species had been discovered for the first time. The peer-reviewed paper describing this discovery has been accepted in the leading international journal, Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. The biologists, based in the Central University of Punjab, have named the specie Bryum Bharatiensis. Bharati is the Hindu goddess of learning and the name of one of India's Antarctic research stations. Prof Felix Bast, a biologist who was part of the six-month-long expedition to the continent - the 36th by Indian scientists - discovered the dark green specie at Larsemann Hills, overlooking the Southern Ocean, in January 2017. This is located near Bharati, one of the remotest research stations in the world.

Interesting... but there a probably lots more

[Apopka]

In general, there are more undiscovered species than discovered. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/110824-earths-species-8-7-million-biology-planet-animals-science [nationalgeographic.com]

True, there are probably less undiscovered species in Antarctica than other places. The interesting part this is not in the summary is that it dries up and is dormant, and then comes back to life with snow melt. Unrelated to it being a new species, the article states that Antartica is being greening and this is contributed to climate change. That's a bit more interesting that a new species being found.

Old story

[Gabest]

Then it started copying bodies, right?

The singular of 'species'...

[sgage]

... is 'species'. One species, two species. Can't believe they let that slip through in their report.

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[alvinrod]

Perhaps they were referring to a coin minted to contain a likeness of the new plant. Seems a bit specious to me though.

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[sgage]

:-)

Overlooking the Southern Ocean

[sabt-pestnu]

That merely means it was coastal, right?

Well done

[AndyKron]

I'm glad scientists from India are making a good name for themselves in biology. They're getting pretty good at space exploration, too.

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[inthegreenwoods]

Bharat is the official name of India. It is named after the legendary kingdom ruled by Bharat the brother of the God Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, who created a righteous kingdom after overcoming the forces of evil. Bharatiya would be “Indian”. The word “India” is a corruption of Sindh, the name of the river that was the traditional boundary of north western India, from the Persian language, that was adopted by the English colonisers. It is used pragmatically when referring t