Two new species of freshwater red algae have been found at a famous waterfall spot in Nagaon district of central Assam.

The two new plant species — Sheathia assamica and Sirodotia assamica belong to non-flowering plant group Rhodophyta (Algae). They have been reported in two science journals Algae and Phytotaxa recently.

Both these algae are traced by associate professor in botany, Nowgong College, Assam, Farishta Yasmin, while she was working on a research project of the ministry of environment, forests and climate change during 2011.

Later, she collaborated with the team of scientists for detailed higher systematic studies.

Yasmin said the research work was a part of an international project on “The Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Freshwater Red Algae” coordinated by O. Necchi Jr. (São Paulo State University, Brazil), John A. West (University of Melbourne, Australia) and E. K. Ganesan (Instituto Oceanográfico, Venezuela) in collaboration with 17 international specialists.

The species were found in Champawati Kunda in Chapanala area of Nagaon district.

It is a waterfall and a lovely place to visit for weekends and daytime recreation.

Sirodotia assamica Telegraph picture

“I was amazed with the luxuriant growth of red algae in streams of some particular areas and observed the differences among them growing in the same habitat. They also had restricted appearance as occurred during November to February in our place,” Yasmin told this correspondent.

Red algae (Rhodophyta) are primarily marine, less than three per cent grow in freshwater habitat.

“They are important constituents of stream floras in terms of abundance and distribution. Usually, they are unnoticed due to rarity of occurrence in habitat. These red algae are macrophytic algae (large algae) in lotic (running water) habitats like stream, rivers, waterfalls and so on and provide nutrition as well as shelter to zooplanktons. Small animals subsequently maintain the lotic ecosystem,” Yasmin said.

“I am very happy that the species were named after our state. The stream of Chapanala is an ideal environmental habitat for abundant growth and diversity of freshwater red algal flora, but the place is being subjected to increased anthropogenic activities resulting in threat to survival of this special group of aquatic plant,” she said.

“These are important constituents of stream floras in terms of abundance or distribution but they are usually overlooked by ecologists and taxonomists due to rarity of occurrence in habitat,” Yasmin added.