A green pit viper named after Salazar Slytherin from Harry Potter, an unfamiliar snake found in an Instagram post, and twelve new species of day geckos from a single mountain range are few of the more than 60 new-to-science species found, identified and/or named by Indian biologist Zeeshan Mirza over the past decade.

“I work on multiple taxa, but by far, snakes fascinate me more than any other group of organisms,” Mirza, who is pursuing a PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Biology, Germany, where he studies developmental genetics in nematodes, told Mongabay.

Mirza’s wildlife journey began in the urban forests near his home in Mumbai. “I was born and brought up in Mumbai, the Western Ghats were close; I did end up conducting extensive fieldwork in the Ghats,” Mirza said. What started as childhood curiosity evolved into systematic scientific expeditions that have expanded our understanding of India’s vast biodiversity.

The Western Ghats, an ancient mountain range running parallel to India’s western coast, served as a particularly rich hunting ground for Mirza. On one expedition, he found four new tarantula species.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site harbors exceptional levels of species found nowhere else on Earth, though many remain undocumented and are threatened by human development. “[Some] species may not even get named before they go extinct,” he said.

“One of the major conservation challenges I feel that threaten biodiversity and their habitats, not just in the Western Ghats but most biodiversity hotspots, is the exponential growth of humans,” Mirza noted. “Nearly all issues that threaten biodiversity globally are linked to the human population.”

The illegal pet trade is another threat. When Mirza and colleagues documented a tarantula with metallic luster (Chilobrachys psychedelicus), the previously unknown spider appeared in online pet stores across the U.S. and Europe just eight months later.

To combat this issue, Mirza suggests researchers should avoid publishing precise location data, journals should require collection permits for descriptions, and consumers should choose certified captive-bred specimens rather than potentially smuggled wildlife from developing countries.

Mongabay’s Liz Kimbrough interviewed Zeeshan Mirza about his findings and conservation threats in India. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Mongabay: Among your many findings, which new species has been the most exciting or significant to you, and why?

Mirza: I work on multiple taxa, but by far, snakes fascinate me more than any other group of organisms. I have discovered over 60 new species, but the papers on new snake species are my favorite. Especially the first one, which was the new genus and new species from Gujarat [state in western India]. Wallaceophis gujaratensis was the snake. This was special in many ways. It taught me a lot about snakes and taxonomy, and I learned many new techniques. Also, given that I find snakes more fascinating, my first taxonomy paper on snakes was not just a new species but also a new genus.

Mongabay: Having worked across various regions in India, what areas do you think hold the most potential for discovering new species, and why?

Mirza: India is host to several of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, and indeed, there is a lot of potential in all these hotspots for discovering new species. However, there are areas outside of these hotspots that have not been explored, and I am certain that these landscapes, too, have promising potential for stumbling upon undiscovered species. Among the biodiversity hotspots, I am a bit biased towards the Himalayas, given that my focus of research for the last couple of years has been the Himalayas.

Mongabay: You’ve conducted extensive fieldwork across India, particularly in the Western Ghats. What are the major conservation challenges you’ve observed in these regions, and how do they impact the species you study?

Mirza: Yes, given that I was born and brought up in Mumbai, the Western Ghats were close; I did end up conducting extensive fieldwork in the Ghats. One of the major conservation challenges I feel that threaten biodiversity and their habitats, not just in the Western Ghats but most biodiversity hotspots, is the exponential growth of humans. Nearly all issues that threaten biodiversity globally are linked to the human population.

Mongabay: Can describing new species present a threat to that species? How do you protect these species?

Mirza: The frenzy of owing exotic-looking animals as pets has been the major driver for the illegal collection of rare and newly described species. Small species that may be easily concealed in a bag are the main targets. These include snakes, lizards, scorpions and tarantulas. My colleague and I discovered a tarantula species called Cilantica psychedelicus, a polychromatic species with a metallic luster. This species was unknown to the world until the description, and sadly, eight months after the description, the species was on sale across online pet stores in the U.S. and Europe. Pet traders and collectors rely on new species description papers to get information on the distribution and specific localities. Even a few researchers describe new species from illegally sourced material, especially from developing countries. One of the ways that I believe this may be regulated is that researchers should not provide precise location data. Journals publishing new species descriptions should demand collection and export permits from researchers to curb illegally sourced specimens for research.

To reduce illegal collection and export: Vigilant local residents and forest department officials can keep a check on active collectors in areas with high tarantula density or other focal species; train sniffer dogs to detect live animals in bags at airports; and pet lovers could choose to avoid species that are from developing countries, which are likely to be illegally sourced, or demand certified captive breed species.

Mongabay: Your research has highlighted several cryptic species, organisms that look similar but are genetically distinct. How important is this kind of research for conservation efforts?

Mirza: Given that these are highly similar-looking species, they generally get classified as a single species. It may be likely that three species are distinct genetically but may end up being classified as one. This would lead the species to be considered widespread and may not be a priority for conservation management attention. However, it may be possible that each of the three species are narrowly distributed and are endangered. Classifying them as a single species and focusing on part of the range of the species might lead to ignoring a population that might be devoid of conservation attention and [lead to] extinction. We all are aware that species that are widespread and not threatened are not qualified for conservation funding.

Mongabay:What advice would you give to young naturalists in India who are inspired by your work or who want to discover new species? 

Mirza: Being curious is the key to discoveries in science. Many new species exist; one should attempt to identify them using keys and characteristics while comparing museum specimens. Sending an image for identification and relying on someone else will only end the identification process, and one does not learn anything. If you are eager to learn, pick up a book and identify the species that interests you on your own! Species classification based on morphology is a skill that is getting rarer by the day, and I hope more people take an interest in it, especially at a time when India’s population is leading to indiscriminate habitat destruction and loss of species. Several of these species may not even get named before they go extinct.

Banner image of Zeeshan Mirza examining a new tarantula species found in India’s western Ghats. Image courtesy of Mirza. 

Liz Kimbrough is a staff writer for Mongabay and holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Tulane University, where she studied the microbiomes of trees. View more of her reporting here.

Four new tarantula species found in India’s Western Ghats mountains

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