Papers by Pratyush Mohapatra
Mata meghalayana Sarkar & Mahapatra & Mohapatra & Nair & Kunte 2021, sp. nov
3. <i>Mata meghalayana</i> sp. nov. (Map 1; Figures 10,11,12,13,14) <b>3.a. Typ... more 3. <i>Mata meghalayana</i> sp. nov. (Map 1; Figures 10,11,12,13,14) <b>3.a. Type Material details:</b> <b>Holotype:</b> Collection Voucher Code is VS-AA468 and Specimen Voucher Code of the holotype is NCBS-BH999. Male, the type locality of this species is Mawkisiyem village, (25°16'26.83"N, 91°43'31.10"E) of Sohra (Cherrapunjee) East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya (Map-1). The specimen was captured by a spider and fell from the high canopy. It was photographed and collected on 17 th September, 2017 by Vivek Sarkar. The specimen was preserved in ethanol after collection. Two legs and a chunk of thoracic tissue was preserved in absolute ethanol and the specimen was pinned and dried later in December, 2019. It is deposited in the Research Collections Facility at NCBS, Bengaluru (=Bangalore), India (NCBS). <b>3.b. Diagnosis:</b> Like <i>Mata ruffordii</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>, this species also appears to have a combination of characters from both the previously known species of <i>Mata</i>. Similar to <i>M. kama</i> in having prominent spots on the radiomedial crossvein and faint infuscation on the medial crossvein, mediocubital crossvein, first cubitus anterior vein and median veins, the male opercula are short and entirely green with traces of black at the entire posterior edges (Fig-1A&amp;B) but unlike <i>M. kama</i> this thin border is only on the inner edges of the opercula. The anterior and dorsal half of the timbal cover of this species is black, similar to that of <i>M. rama</i> while in <i>M. kama</i> the anterior angular black spot of the timbal cover does not extend dorsally (Fig-1C&amp;D). The lateroposterior part of the timbal cover is prominently white and overlaid with fine white scales unlike <i>Mata rama</i> which has a predominantly black timbal cover with traces of fine white scales laterally. In addition, <i>Mata rama</i> has prominent infuscation only on the radial and radiomedial crossveins and the male opercula have broad dark edges that are broadly suffused inwardly unlike this new species. <b>3.c. Etymo [...]
BMC Genomics, Mar 16, 2023
Background Regeneration studies help to understand the strategies that replace a lost or damaged ... more Background Regeneration studies help to understand the strategies that replace a lost or damaged organ and provide insights into approaches followed in regenerative medicine and engineering. Amphibians regenerate their limbs effortlessly and are indispensable models to study limb regeneration. Xenopus and axolotl are the key models for studying limb regeneration but recent studies on non-model amphibians have revealed species specific differences in regeneration mechanisms. Results The present study describes the de novo transcriptome of intact limbs and three-day post-amputation blastemas of tadpoles and froglets of the Asian tree frog Polypedates maculatus, a non-model amphibian species commonly found in India. Differential gene expression analysis between early tadpole and froglet limb blastemas discovered species-specific novel regulators of limb regeneration. The present study reports upregulation of proteoglycans, such as epiphycan, chondroadherin, hyaluronan and proteoglycan link protein 1, collagens 2,5,6, 9 and 11, several tumour suppressors and methyltransferases in the P. maculatus tadpole blastemas. Differential gene expression analysis between tadpole and froglet limbs revealed that in addition to the expression of larval-specific haemoglobin and glycoproteins, an upregulation of cysteine and serine protease inhibitors and downregulation of serine proteases, antioxidants, collagenases and inflammatory genes in the tadpole limbs were essential for creating an environment that would support regeneration. Dermal myeloid cells were GAG+, EPYC+, INMT+, LEF1+ and SALL4+ and seemed to migrate from the unamputated regions of the tadpole limb to the blastema. On the other hand, the myeloid cells of the froglet limb blastemas were few and probably contributed to sustained inflammation resulting in healing. Conclusions Studies on non-model amphibians give insights into alternate tactics for limb regeneration which can help devise a plethora of methods in regenerative medicine and engineering.
Description of three new species of the genus Mata Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Oncotympanini) with notes on their natural history from Indian state of Meghalaya, India
Zootaxa, Jan 13, 2021
Three new species of the Asian genus Mata Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) viz. Mata lenonia ... more Three new species of the Asian genus Mata Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae) viz. Mata lenonia sp.nov.; Mata ruffordii sp.nov. and Mata meghalayana sp.nov. are described from Indian state of Meghalaya. Keys and taxonomic descriptions of these species are provided with detailed accounts of their natural history and acoustics.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research
Aim/Background: The present study, examined the impact of excess Vitamin A on feeding and pre-met... more Aim/Background: The present study, examined the impact of excess Vitamin A on feeding and pre-metamorphic tadpoles of Microhyla nilphamariensis to analyse its dose-dependent and stage-specific lethal and teratogenic effects. Materials and Methods: Feeding and pre-metamorphic stage tadpoles were subjected to varying concentrations of commercially available Vitamin A palmitate for different time intervals. The control and treated tadpoles were fixed 5, 10-and 15-Days Post Treatment (dpt) in neutral buffered formalin for morphological analyses, morphometry and histology. Results: In both feeding and pre-metamorphic stages, mortality was high when exposed to higher concentrations and longer duration (48-96 hr). When exposed for 24 hr, the treated tadpoles showed significant differences in morphometry, and abnormalities in the eye and intestine of the feeding stages and eye and kidneys of pre-metamorphic stages. Significantly, most of the treated tadpoles died before attaining metamorphosis and those that survived had a delayed metamorphosis with abnormalities. Conclusion: Vitamin A is lethal to the tadpoles of Microhyla nilphamariensis at high concentrations and at lower concentrations it affects the thyroid hormone function and causes abnormalities of various kinds.
Habitat selection and diet of the Asian small-clawed otter in Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha, India
Écoscience
Rakesh Kumar Majhi1, Somdatta Saha1,2, Ashutosh Kumar1
Additional Information and Declarations can be found on page 24 DOI 10.7717/peerj.1310 Copyright ... more Additional Information and Declarations can be found on page 24 DOI 10.7717/peerj.1310 Copyright 2015 Majhi et al. Distributed under
The Indian Forester, 2015
0 and 85 40' to 87 10' E longitude) is located in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha state, ea... more 0 and 85 40' to 87 10' E longitude) is located in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha state, eastern India. The tiger reserve is dominated by moist deciduous forest, thick undergrowth and high degree of undulating terrain, which is a favorable habitat for browsers like sambar. During the study of ungulate density in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), two sambar stags (Rusa unicolor) were found dead in the Jenhabil range on 7 April 2012. The place where the incident happened was an open grassland adjacent to a moist deciduous forest. The incident came to our notice when the carcasses started stinking and after searching for about 200m from the Jenhabil-Jamuna road the dead bodies were discovered. From the surrounding situation it was clear that both the individuals had a tragic death due to interlocking of their antlers. On closer is worth recording. examination, it was found that the relatively smaller stag died an early death and the head was turned, for which it Sambar is a polygyno...
A Contribution to the Indian Trinket Snake, Coelognathus helena (Daudin, 1803), with the Description of a New Subspecies
Russian Journal of Herpetology, 2016
We describe and illustrate a new subspecies of the Indian trinket snake, Coelognathus helena (Dau... more We describe and illustrate a new subspecies of the Indian trinket snake, Coelognathus helena (Daudin) from India. The new taxon has long been confused with Coelognathus helena monticollaris (Schulz, 1992), but it differs diagnosable in morphology and geographic distribution. The new subspecies occurs in the northern Eastern Ghats and in the mountains of the central highlands of India. It shows a characteristic color pattern distinct from specimens of other localities where C. helena monticollaris is found. In contrast, the taxonomic status of C. h. monticollaris remains unchanged, although this subspecies also shows considerable variation in color pattern that may warrant taxonomic re-evaluation of it. The distribution and potentially underestimated diversity and zoogeography of the C. helena subspecies complex is discussed. Finally, we provide an identification key for the C. helena subspecies complex.
Zootaxa, 2013
Sepsophis punctatus Beddome 1870, the only species of a monotypic genus, was described based on a... more Sepsophis punctatus Beddome 1870, the only species of a monotypic genus, was described based on a single specimen from the Eastern Ghats of India. We rediscovered the species based on specimens from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh state, India, after a gap of 137 years, including four specimens from close to the type locality. The holotype was studied in detail, and we present additional morphological characters of the species with details on natural history, habitat and diet. The morphological characters of the holotype along with two additional specimens collected by Beddome are compared with the specimens collected by us. We also briefly discuss the distribution of other members of the subfamily Scincinae and their evolutionary affinities.
Transient Receptor Potential subfamily Melastatin member 8 (TRPM8) is involved in detection of co... more Transient Receptor Potential subfamily Melastatin member 8 (TRPM8) is involved in detection of cold temperature and different noxious compounds, execute thermo- as well as chemo-sensitive responses at cellular levels. Here we explored the molecular evolution of TRPM8 by analyzing sequences from different species. We elucidate that different regions of TRPM8 had different levels of selection pressure and the 4-5th transmembrane regions remain highly conserved. Synteny analysis suggests that since vertebrate origin, TRPM8 gene is linked with SPP2, a bone morphogen. We found 16656 TRPM8 variants in 1092 human genomes with top variations are SNPs, insertions and deletions. 692 missense mutations are also mapped to human TRPM8 protein. TRPM8 expresses endogenously in sperm cells of different vertebrates ranging from fish to human. We conclude that TRPM8 has emerged during vertebrate evolution (ca 450 MYA) and sperm-specific expression has guided its molecular evolution. These understandi...
Journal of Threatened Taxa, 2015
and prefers to roost inside old mines, cracks, culverts, crevices in old buildings, caves, among ... more and prefers to roost inside old mines, cracks, culverts, crevices in old buildings, caves, among large boulders, overhanging ledges, tunnels, dungeons, forts, temples and churches (Bates & Harrison 1997); sometimes co-roosting with other bat species (Flannery 1995; Payne et al. 2005). It has been recorded from the sea level to an elevation of 1,100m (Molur et al. 2002). Cantor's Leaf-nosed Bat is a comparatively rare species in India and has been recorded from a few localities with a small colony size .
Livestock Predation by Endangered Indian Wolf ( Canis
ABSTRACT Indian wolf predations on domestic livestock were investigated by a questionnaire survey... more ABSTRACT Indian wolf predations on domestic livestock were investigated by a questionnaire survey in four villages of the Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Eastern India. Most local inhabitants were subsistence daily wage laborers in addition to livestock rearing and agriculture as a secondary source of income, with an average livestock holding of 14 animals per household. Reported losses due to Indian wolves averaged 1.1 animals per household in one year of study, constituting 7.6 % of total stock-holding, representing in monetary US$ 3491.
<p class="HeadingRunIn"><strong>The first teresomatan caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) from the Eastern Ghats of India—a new species of <em>Gegeneophis</em> Peters, 1880</strong></p>
Zootaxa, 2013
A new species of caecilian amphibian, Gegeneophis orientalis sp. nov., is described based on a se... more A new species of caecilian amphibian, Gegeneophis orientalis sp. nov., is described based on a series of nine specimens from high elevation (ca. 1,200 m) habitats in the Eastern Ghats in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, India. This species differs from all other congeners in having only bicuspid teeth in the outer as well as inner rows. The new species is the first caecilian reported from the state of Odisha, the first teresomatan caecilian from the Eastern Ghats, and is the only Indian indotyphlid known from outside the Western Ghats region.
Amphibians and Reptiles of Similipal Biosphere Reserve
The avifauna of Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern India was studied during 2010-11. A total ... more The avifauna of Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Eastern India was studied during 2010-11. A total of 156 species belonging to 56 families were identified. Twenty two species were migratory comprising 21 winter visitors and one summer visitor. Among the birds recorded in this study, about 45% were insectivores and other dominating types include omnivores (17.3%), piscivores (12%), carnivores (9.6%), grainivores (9%) and frugivores (7%) respectively.
Rising concerns of human-sloth bear conflict in Odisha, eastern India: implications for conservat... more Rising concerns of human-sloth bear conflict in Odisha, eastern India: implications for conservation Human-sloth bear conflict has resulted in adverse consequences for people and wildlife. The situation is severe in Odisha, where sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) populations have been greatly reduced owing to several reasons. To understand and mitigate such crisis, thorough knowledge on the underlying patterns is required. In Odisha, no such studies were attempted prior to this. The human-sloth bear conflict data were obtained from the state forest departmental record book and were verified by visiting the conflict locations. In addition, the victims, victims' relatives or other eye witnesses were interviewed. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of conflict incidents and ecological variables associated with the incidents were assessed. To categorize and enlist the human activities that make people more vulnerable to such attacks, the data for the last 11 years (2001-2011) was e...
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bungarus fasciatus
Vertebrate Zoology, 2021
We reassess the taxonomy of the Indian endemic snake Xylophis captaini and describe a new species... more We reassess the taxonomy of the Indian endemic snake Xylophis captaini and describe a new species of Xylophis based on a type series of three specimens from the southernmost part of mainland India. Xylophis deepaki sp. nov. is most similar phenotypically to X. captaini, with which it was previously confused. The new species differs from X. captaini by having a broader, more regular and ventrally extensive off-white collar, more ventral scales (117–125 versus 102–113), and by lack of flounces on the body and proximal lobes of the hemipenis. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial 16S DNA sequences strongly indicates that the new species is most closely related to X. captaini, differing from it by an uncorrected pairwise genetic distance of 4.2%. A revised key to the species of Xylophis is provided.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Indian Egg-eater
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Psammophilus blanfordanus
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Papers by Pratyush Mohapatra