Sat Apr 12 08:33:51 UTC 2025: **Ancient Velvet Worm Rediscovered in Arunachal Pradesh After 111 Years**
**Bengaluru, April 12, 2025** – A team of researchers has rediscovered a long-lost species of velvet worm, *Typhloperipatus williamsoni*, in Arunachal Pradesh’s Siang Valley after a 111-year absence. The ancient species, estimated to be around 220 million years old, was first collected in 1911 but had not been seen since. The rediscovery, published in the *Journal of Natural History*, provides the first molecular data for the species, offering crucial insights into its evolutionary history and biogeography.
The Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) team, along with the National Geographic Society and Fellis Creation, retraced the steps of the 1911 expedition, ultimately finding two specimens of *T. williamsoni* under stones. Lead author Surya Narayanan explained that Onychophora, the phylum to which velvet worms belong, is an ancient group with limited diversity, making this rediscovery particularly significant.
The molecular data suggests that Asian onychophorans diverged from their relatives in the Neotropics and Africa around 237 million years ago. This finding is surprising, as Southeast Asian and Indian invertebrates typically share relationships with Australian species. The discovery of *T. williamsoni* challenges existing biogeographical understanding, offering clues to the migration patterns of this ancient group.
The team also discovered several other new species during the expedition, including a metallic blue ant and more than 15 parasitic wasp species. However, the researchers warn that *T. williamsoni*’s habitat is threatened by expanding agriculture and deforestation, underscoring the need for conservation efforts in the Siang Valley. Further expeditions are planned to explore the region’s biodiversity.
First Piper 