664 animal species were added to Indias faunal inventory and 339 taxa to its flora in 2022

In the year 2022, India added 664 animal species to its faunal record. These include 467 new species and 197 new records (species discovered for the first time in India). The country contributed 339 new plant species, in 2022, 186 of which are new to science and 153 of which are new distributional records. On July 1, Union Minister for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav announced information of new discoveries and records in Kolkata.

The faunal findings have been collated in a publication titled "Animal Discoveries - New Species and New Records 2023" by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), while the floral discoveries are featured in "Plant Discoveries 2022" by the Botanical Survey of India (BSI). Three new species and one new record of mammals were discovered, as well as two new records of birds, 30 new species and two new recordings of reptiles, six new species and one new record of amphibia, and 28 new species and eight new records of fish. Two bat species were identified among the mammal species discovered. Invertebrates have had the most new faunal discoveries, with 583 species, followed by vertebrates with 81. With 384 species, insects dominate invertebrates, while fish lead vertebrates, followed by reptiles, amphibia, mammals, and aves.

Kerala recorded the most number of new discoveries in 2022. As many as 82 animal species are new to science, with 15 new records from Kerala accounting for 14.6% of all new species and records. Karnataka came in second with 64 new species and 24 new records, accounting for 13.2% of the total. Tamil Nadu witnessed 71 new discoveries and 13 new records, accounting for 12.6% of the country's total new discoveries and new records. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands produced around 8.4% of the findings, while West Bengal supplied 7.6% and Arunachal Pradesh contributed 5.7%. The fauna variety of the nation has expanded to 1,03,922 due to new discoveries and records.

Kerala had the most number of new discoveries in 2022. Kerala contributed 82 new animal species to science and 15 new records, accounting for 14.6% of all new species and records. Karnataka came in second with 64 new species and 24 new records, accounting for 13.2% of the total. Tamil Nadu witnessed 71 new discoveries and 13 new records, accounting for 12.6% of the country's total new discoveries and new records. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands produced around 8.4% of the findings, while West Bengal supplied 7.6% and Arunachal Pradesh contributed 5.7%. The fauna variety of the nation has expanded to 1,03,922 due to new discoveries and records.

According to ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee, the year 2022 will see the most new discoveries in the past ten years.

'Plant Discoveries 2022' lists 339 taxa that have been added to the Indian flora during 2022. These include 319 new species and 20 infraspecific taxa to the Indian flora. 186 of them are new to science, while 153 are new distributional records from India. 37% of the new discoveries are seed plants, 29% are fungus, 16% are lichen, 8% are algae, 6% are bryophytes, 3% are bacteria, and 1% are pteridophytes. Seed plants contributed the most discoveries, with dicotyledons accounting for 73% and monocotyledons accounting for 27%. The western Himalayas accounted for around 21% of all discoveries, with the Western Ghats accounting for 16%. There are 125 angiosperms, one gymnosperm, five pteridophytes, 19 bryophytes, 55 lichens, 99 fungi, 27 algae, and nine microorganisms in Plant Discoveries 2022.

A state-by-state examination of plant taxa reveals that Kerala has made the most discoveries (57), accounting for 16.8% of all plant discoveries in the country in 2022. Wild relatives of numerous potential horticultural, agricultural, medicinal, and decorative plants, such as begonia, impatiens (balsams), legumes, zingibers, and orchids, were discovered in 2022.