Browsing by Author "Bast, Felix"
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Item Abiotic stress in algae: response, signaling and transgenic approaches(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2022-05-02T00:00:00) Kaur, Manpreet; Saini, Khem Chand; Ojah, Hiramoni; Sahoo, Rajalakshmi; Gupta, Kriti; Kumar, Adesh; Bast, FelixHigh salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy metals, desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and ultraviolet radiations are major abiotic stress factors considered inhospitable to algal growth and development in natural and artificial environments. All these stressful conditions cause effects on algal physiology and thus biochemical functioning. For instance, long-term exposure to hyper/hypo salinity conditions inhibits cell differentiation and reduces growth. Photosynthesis is completely blocked in algae's dehydrated state, resulting in photoinhibition or photodamage. The limitation of nutrients in aquatic environments inhibits primary production via regulating phytoplankton community development and structure. Hence, in response to these stressful conditions, algae develop plenty of cellular, physiological, and morphological defences to survive and thrive. The conserved and generalized defence responses in algae include the production of secondary metabolites, desaturation of membrane lipids, activation of reactive species scavengers, and accumulation of compatible solutes. Moreover, a well-coordinated and timely response to such stresses involves signal perception and transduction mainly via phytohormones that could sustain algae growth under abiotic stress conditions. In addition, the combination of abiotic stresses and plant hormones could further elevate the biosynthesis of metabolites and enhance the ability of algae to tolerate abiotic stresses. This review aims to present different kinds of stressful conditions confronted by algae and their physiological and biochemical responses, the role of phytohormones in combatting these conditions, and, last, the future transgenic approaches for improving abiotic stress tolerance in algae. � 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.Item Abiotic stress in algae: response, signaling and transgenic approaches(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2022-05-02T00:00:00) Kaur, Manpreet; Saini, Khem Chand; Ojah, Hiramoni; Sahoo, Rajalakshmi; Gupta, Kriti; Kumar, Adesh; Bast, FelixHigh salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy metals, desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and ultraviolet radiations are major abiotic stress factors considered inhospitable to algal growth and development in natural and artificial environments. All these stressful conditions cause effects on algal physiology and thus biochemical functioning. For instance, long-term exposure to hyper/hypo salinity conditions inhibits cell differentiation and reduces growth. Photosynthesis is completely blocked in algae's dehydrated state, resulting in photoinhibition or photodamage. The limitation of nutrients in aquatic environments inhibits primary production via regulating phytoplankton community development and structure. Hence, in response to these stressful conditions, algae develop plenty of cellular, physiological, and morphological defences to survive and thrive. The conserved and generalized defence responses in algae include the production of secondary metabolites, desaturation of membrane lipids, activation of reactive species scavengers, and accumulation of compatible solutes. Moreover, a well-coordinated and timely response to such stresses involves signal perception and transduction mainly via phytohormones that could sustain algae growth under abiotic stress conditions. In addition, the combination of abiotic stresses and plant hormones could further elevate the biosynthesis of metabolites and enhance the ability of algae to tolerate abiotic stresses. This review aims to present different kinds of stressful conditions confronted by algae and their physiological and biochemical responses, the role of phytohormones in combatting these conditions, and, last, the future transgenic approaches for improving abiotic stress tolerance in algae. � 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.Item Agronomy and cultivation methods for edible seaweeds(Research India Publications, 2013) Bast, FelixSeaweeds, by all means, are “future plants”; they have been projected as the future viand for ever-increasing human populations, viable and sustainable source for biofuel without disturbing global food scenario, as potential candidates for carbon capture and sequestration that is considered as a practical remedy for global warming, and they have a number of pharmaceutical, industrial and biotechnological applications. However, information on its cultivation methods or life history remain obscure to a majority of marine botanists, especially in India. While life histories of seaweeds have traditionally been an exotic topic for specialists- language of which is ciphered with scientific jargons incomprehensible to general scientific audience, its agronomy had been a trade secret for coastal communities in East Asian countries, especially Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia. In this mini-review, an overview of major coastal and offshore seaweed mariculture techniques are presented with the aid of clear-to-understand illustrations.Item Arctic biodiversity amidst looming climate apocalypse: Current status and way forward(Elsevier, 2021-08-27T00:00:00) Rani, Alka; Gupta, Kriti; Saini, Khem Chand; Narwal, Sahil; Bast, FelixArctic region is at the forefront of climate crisis; this is where the planet is warming maximally and the effects of climate change are most obvious. In this review, we introduce the topic in broader perspective by discussing first on why Arctic biodiversity matters, and scientific evidences for a changing Arctic biodiversity due to climate change. The Arctic then dwells into the current status of Arctic biodiversity covering species diversity and its conservation status with an emphasis on species important for bioprospecting. Subsequently, threats to Arctic biodiversity will be reviewed including climate change, shipping, oil exploration, overfishing, and overharvesting. This essay would then further deliberate why Arctic matters to India in particular. Himadri-Indian research station at Svalbard, Norway-will be briefed followed by an overview of Svalbard Global Seed Vault and why signing a pact with this international facility would benefit the country. The essay concludes with final thoughts and way forward including strategies to minimize Arctic biodiversity loss, UN SDGs (Ssustainable Ddevelopment Ggoals), and climate action. � 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Item Arctic biodiversity amidst looming climate apocalypse: Current status and way forward(Elsevier, 2021-08-27T00:00:00) Rani, Alka; Gupta, Kriti; Saini, Khem Chand; Narwal, Sahil; Bast, FelixArctic region is at the forefront of climate crisis; this is where the planet is warming maximally and the effects of climate change are most obvious. In this review, we introduce the topic in broader perspective by discussing first on why Arctic biodiversity matters, and scientific evidences for a changing Arctic biodiversity due to climate change. The Arctic then dwells into the current status of Arctic biodiversity covering species diversity and its conservation status with an emphasis on species important for bioprospecting. Subsequently, threats to Arctic biodiversity will be reviewed including climate change, shipping, oil exploration, overfishing, and overharvesting. This essay would then further deliberate why Arctic matters to India in particular. Himadri-Indian research station at Svalbard, Norway-will be briefed followed by an overview of Svalbard Global Seed Vault and why signing a pact with this international facility would benefit the country. The essay concludes with final thoughts and way forward including strategies to minimize Arctic biodiversity loss, UN SDGs (Ssustainable Ddevelopment Ggoals), and climate action. � 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Item Baywatch India: Top five pricey reds(Ocean Society of India, 2015) Bast, FelixWith a coastline of ca 7000 km, Indian coastal region is one of the longest in the world and harbors a rich diversity of seaweeds. However, attempts to utilize this economically valuable marine resource have been scanty, or even nonexistent. The primary reason for this is scarcity of competent phycologists from India, and therefore most of the diversity still remain to be explored. Some progress have been made since 2012, having completed five systematic research expeditions targeting coasts of Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and West Bengal to profile DNA-based phylogenetic diversity of seaweeds supported by DST-INSPIRE Faculty Award. In this article five of the most important naturally occurring red seaweeds of Indian coastal region ( Porphyra keralensis Sp. Nov., Kappaphycus alverazi, Eucheuma denticulatum, Grateloupia ettikkulensis Sp.Nov., and Hypnea valentiae) are introduced that have great economic potentials spanning across food, pharmaceutical, scientific and hydrocolloid industries. As habitats of these seaweeds are in coastal villages of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andaman & Nicobar Islands where fishing is the main source of income for local communities, it is expected that utilizing these seaweed resources efficiently and sustainably will contribute substantially to the livelihood of these rustic communities.Item Biogeochemistry of the antarctic coasts: Implications for biodiversity and climate change(Wiley Blackwell, 2022-04-01T00:00:00) Karayakath, Amrutha; Pattanaik, Jitendra K.; Saini, Khem C.; Kundu, Pushpendu; Bast, FelixNotwithstanding its largely lifeless appearance, Antarctica hosts considerable biodiversity and ecosystem (trophic-level) complexity. Antarctic soils, ice-covered areas, coastal regions, and the surrounding Southern Ocean contributes to this biodiversity. However, studies related to the number of species present, how and where they are located and their influence on the ecosystem processes are still scarce. Biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles often coincide with climate change studies. Photosynthetic carbon fixation by phytoplanktons in the Antarctic coasts influences the atmospheric CO2 levels. On a geological timescale, such processes determine the climate. In this chapter, studies on Essential Ocean Variables and elemental cycles in Antarctica are reviewed to understand the biogeochemistry of the coast of Antarctica, and how these parameters and cycles influence the different coastal features of Antarctica. In the recent past, Antarctica has experienced a rapid rate of warming that in turn has threatened its biodiversity. The effects of climate change on biogeochemical parameters and their further consequences are therefore discussed here. The second half of this chapter deals with the prokaryotic as well as eukaryotic microbial diversities of Antarctica, and the implications they hold for climate change. � 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Item The Blood Rain Mystery(Vigyan Prasar, DST, 2016) Bast, FelixBlood rain is a weird, but natural phenomenon in which raindrops appear red, sometimes dark red, resembling the human blood. Spells of this extraordinary phenomenon had been reported since ancient times. Mention of blood rain can be found even in the Iliad- an ancient Greek epic set during Trojan war believes to have been authored by Homer around 700 BC.Item A Brief History of Earth(Ocean Society of India, 2015) Bast, FelixAccording to the current scientific consensus, universe formed 15 bya (billion years ago), which is 1500 Crore years ago, in the so-called “big bang hypothesis.” Sun and the solar system including Earth formed 4.567 bya, which is 456 Crore years ago. According to Vedas, age of earth is 1.97 billion years (precisely 197,29,49,116 years, in year 2015), which is much closer to the current understanding rather than 6019 years, as calculated by 17th Century Vice Chancellor of University of Cambridge, John Lightfoot [1]. Soon after the earth formed, a giant Mars-sized body “Theia” collided with our planet in so-called “giant impact hypothesis” (4 bya) ejecting a huge mass of earth to the space, that resulted in a giant crater on this planet, which would soon turn out to be the Pacific Ocean, and ejected mass became moonItem Brown barcoded as red but reality is green! How epiphytic green algae confuse phycologists?(Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2015) Bast, Felix; Bhushan, S.; John, A.A.Promises and perils of DNA barcoding are now well-known, but no studies have revealed the extent of taxonomic misidentification of algal specimens available in primary DNA sequence repositories. Our original objective was to assess the molecular identity of the ubiquitous brown alga Turbinaria ornata (Sargassaceae:, Fucales) from the southeast Indian coast. We extracted total genomic DNA from freshly collected algal thalli and sequenced the nuclear ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer-1 (nrDNA ITS1) barcode locus. Following a BLASTn DNA sequence similarity search, the identity of our alga was Laurencia thyrsifera, a Pacific red alga that has never been reported in India, which came as a big surprise. Further analyses of BLAST hits using a robust phylogenetic framework of Bayesian Inference led to the conclusion that our sequence belonged to an epiphytic Ulvellacean green algal genus Ulvella, which might have been extracted and amplified with our universal ITS primers. This is the first report for Ulvella from India, and detection of this alga growing on Turbinaria. Our Bayesian analyses revealed that a number of GenBank accessions of this epiphyte are misidentified as red algae, which are published in some of the reputed phycological and botanical journals. This finding could have a profound impact on several of the fallacious phylogenetic conclusions arrived at in these publications. ? 2015 Dipartimento di Biologia, Universit? di Firenze.Item Cancer phylogenetics: Computational modeling of tumor evolution(Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2012) Bast, FelixThe field of phylogenetics is one of the core areas of Bioinformatics which deals with computational methods to infer evolutionary heritage of organisms and genes. While phylogenetics has been extensively utilized in taxonomy and systematics of organisms, it is only very recently that the system started expanding to other fields- most importantly in cancer biology where it profoundly transformed our understanding of clonal evolution. Many of our findings in cancer phylogenetics credit to the fact that the tumor is not merely a collection of transformed cells with random mutation events; rather it is an evolving population. Many of the facets underpinning modern evolutionary synthesis can be applied to classify cancers and track its progression from initiating somatic mutation to symptomatic neoplasm. It is now widely accepted that all sub-clones within cancer are phylogenetically related and probability of a particular sub-clone progressing into neoplasm depending upon its time of initiation and evolutionary fitness. Computational models of tumor evolution have also contributed in identifying common clades- "cancer sub-types"- associated with particular cancers in different patients that in turn helped in translating our understanding of oncogeny to the development of "targeted therapeutics"- rationally designed drugs that are molecularly targeted to particular sub-types. Advent of next generation ultra-deep genome sequencing technologies has been rapidly trans-forming the very landscape of cancer phyogenetics. This chapter introduces the concept of cancer phylogenetics and reviews some of the recent advances in this field. This chapter also summarizes various phylogenetic approaches including distance matrix methods, parsimony, maximum likelihood, Bayesian methods and probabilistic inference that have potential applications in cancer research. ? 2012 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.Item Carrageenan based hydrogels and composites: A systematic investigation reporting their multidimentional essence(Nova Science Publishers, Inc., 2016) Ul Rehman, W.; Majeed, A.; Rani, P.; Saini, K.C.; Najar, R.A.; Mehra, R.; Singh, A.; Bast, FelixCarrageenans are red seaweed extracted sulfated linear polysaccharides which possess excellent gel forming properties. They are extensively used for their thickening, gel forming as well as stabilizing properties in food industries. Due to their good protein binding abilities, they are preferred in meat and dairy preservation. Structurally, they are polymers of alternately repeating disaccharide unit, ?-(133)-D-galactose and ?-(134)-3,6- anhydro-D- or L-galactose. Sulphation of the galactose gives them the distinguishing properties. Three isomeric forms of carrageenan with slightly different properties exist in nature. Their hydrogels are used in tissue engineering and controlled drug delivery while their composites find applications in wound dressings, protection of fish and meat from dehydration. In the field of medicine, carrageenans possess anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antiviral, and antitumor activities. Besides they also possess many industrial applications. ? 2016 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.Item Caulerpa taxifolia inhibits cell proliferation and induces oxidative stress in breast cancer cells(Springer, 2018) Mehra, Richa; Bhushan, Satej; Yadav, Umesh Prasad; Bast, Felix; Singh, SandeepCaulerpa taxifolia (M. Vahl) C. Agardh or killer alga is known to possess several bioactive secondary metabolites with unique structural modifications. We investigated anti-oxidant and anti-proliferative activity of C. taxifolia extract (CTE) on breast and lung cancer cells, along with possible effects on mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and cell cycle progression. The results revealed up to 6-folds increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), 2-folds increase in glutathione reductase (GR) activity, 1.7-fold increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and 1.8-fold change in catalase activity w.r.t. untreated cells i.e. 10.72 to 21.44 nmol/min/mL, 2.0 to 3.49 U/mL and 37.51 to 69.26 U/min/g FW, respectively, in MDA-MB-cells. Likewise, selective anti-proliferative activity with IC50 0.19 + 0.1, 0.27 + 0.1, and 0.43 + 0.1 μg/μL, was recorded in MDA-MB-231, T-47D, and H1299 cells. In addition, dose-dependent increase in MMP of up to 40% and G1/S phase mitotic arrest was documented by CTE treatment in MDA-MB-231 cells. The results suggest an anti-proliferative and oxidative stress inducing activity of CTE. Changes in MMP and cell cycle arrest further support the anti-cancer effects of CTE. It is believed that C. taxifolia may be considered as a potent source of anti-cancer drugs, subject to further validations.Item Chloroplast DNA phylogeography of holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) in Indian subcontinent(2014) Bast, Felix; Rani, Pooja; Meena, DevendraOcimum tenuiflorum L., holy basil "Tulsi", is an important medicinal plant that is being grown and traditionally revered throughout Indian Subcontinent for thousands of years; however, DNA sequence-based genetic diversity of this aromatic herb is not yet known. In this report, we present our studies on the phylogeography of this species using trnL-trnF intergenic spacer of plastid genome as the DNA barcode for isolates from Indian subcontinent. Our pairwise distance analyses indicated that genetic heterogeneity of isolates remained quite low, with overall mean nucleotide p-distance of 5?10-4. However, our sensitive phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood framework was able to reveal subtle intraspecific molecular evolution of this species within the subcontinent. All isolates except that from North-Central India formed a distinct phylogenetic clade, notwithstanding low bootstrap support and collapse of the clade in Bayesian Inference. North-Central isolates occupied more basal position compared to other isolates, which is suggestive of its evolutionarily primitive status. Indian isolates formed a monophyletic and well-supported clade within O. tenuiflorum clade, which indicates a distinct haplotype. Given the vast geographical area of more than 3 million km 2 encompassing many exclusive biogeographical and ecological zones, relatively low rate of evolution of this herb at this locus in India is particularly interesting. ? 2014 Felix Bast et al.Item Cladophora goensis sp. nov. (Cladophorales, Ulvophyceae) –a bloom forming marine algae from Goa, India(CSIR- NISCAIR, 2015) Bast, Felix; John, Aijaz Ahmad; Bhushan, SatejA new species of green seaweed, Cladophora goensis sp. nov. (Cladophorales, Ulvophyceae), had been discovered from Vasco-da-Gamma, Goa, India. This species formed algal bloom of moderate intensity in the Bay of Mormugao, on the west coast of India. Observations suggest combination of a number of morphological characteristics of this alga distinct from previously described members of this genus, including parietal chloroplast surrounding central hollow and bilenticular pyrenoids. Molecular sequence data at Nuclear ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer-1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) regions along with intervening 5.8S rRNA indicated Kimura-2-Parameter (T3P) pair-wise distance of 1.77 x 10-1 between this species and the nearest phylogenetic accession of Cladophora glomerata. In phylogenetic reconstructions using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood, this species was not part of any monophyletic clades comprising any of the previously described species of this genus at the locus studied, thereby ascertaining conformity with phylogenetic species concept. With this discovery, a new phylogenetically primitive morphological synapomorphy of “pseudo dichotomous profuse branching” has been revealed for cladophoralean algae, and this is the single most important morphological characteristic of this bloom- forming seaweed.Item Cladophora goensis- a bloom forming marine algae from Goa, India.(2015) Bast, Felix; John,Aijaz A.; Bhushan, SatejA new species of green seaweed, Cladophora goensis sp. nov. (Cladophorales, Ulvophyceae), had been discovered in our last field trip to Vasco-da-Gamma, Goa, India. This species formed algal bloom of moderate intensity in the Bay of Mormugao, on the west coast of India. Our observations suggest combination of a number of morphological characteristics of this alga distinct from previously described members of this genus, including parietal chloroplast surrounding central hollow and bilenticular pyrenoids. Molecular sequence data at Nuclear ribosomal DNA Internal Transcribed Spacer-1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) regions along with intervening 5.8S rRNA indicated Kimura-2-Parameter (K2P) pair-wise distance of 1.77 x 10-1 between this species and the nearest phylogenetic accession of Cladophora glomerata. In our phylogenetic reconstructions using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood, this species was not part of any monophyletic clades comprising any of the previously described species of this genus at the locus studied, thereby ascertaining conformity with phylogenetic species concept. With this discovery, a new phylogenetically primitive morphological synapomorphy of “pseudodichotomous profuse branching” has been revealed for cladophoralean algae, and we argue that this is the single most important morphological characteristic of this bloom-forming seaweed.Item Classroom(Springer India, 2015) Bast, FelixIn this section of Resonance, we invite readers to pose questions likely to be raised in a classroom situation. We may suggest strategies for dealing with them, or invite responses, or both. ?Classroom? is equally a forum for raising broader issues and sharing personal experiences and viewpoints on matters related to teaching and learning science. ? 2015, Indian Academy of Sciences.Item Concise review of green algal genus Monostroma Thuret(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2022-10-27T00:00:00) Kaur, Manpreet; Kala, Swarna; Parida, Aseema; Bast, FelixMonostroma (Ulotrichales, Chlorophyta) is the most intensively cultivated genus among green seaweeds, accounting for over 90% of total green algal cultivation. It is commonly found in the eulittoral zones of marine and estuarine habitats, thus contributing significantly to the ecology of the coastal ecosystem. Morphologically, the frond of Monostroma is blade-like with eponymous one-cell thickness; therefore, it is also known as �Slender sea lettuce�. Monostroma nitidum is often used for salad ingredients, boiled tsukudani, soups, etc., due to its health benefits. Monostroma kuroshiense is commercially cultivated in�East Asia�and�South America�for the edible product "hitoegusa-nori" or "hirohano-hitoegusa nori", popular�sushi�wraps. This genus remains one of the well-studied seaweed genera for ecophysiology, habitat-dependent seasonality of its growth pattern, gametangial ontogeny and phylogenetics. Moreover, rhamnan sulfate (RS), a sulfated polysaccharide, is the main component of the fiber extracted from�M. nitidum and studied for various biological activities. This review presents the taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, life history, distribution, ecology, physiology, cultivation and harvesting, chemical composition, and biotechnological applications of this genus. � 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.Item Concise review of green algal genus Monostroma Thuret(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2022-10-27T00:00:00) Kaur, Manpreet; Kala, Swarna; Parida, Aseema; Bast, FelixMonostroma (Ulotrichales, Chlorophyta) is the most intensively cultivated genus among green seaweeds, accounting for over 90% of total green algal cultivation. It is commonly found in the eulittoral zones of marine and estuarine habitats, thus contributing significantly to the ecology of the coastal ecosystem. Morphologically, the frond of Monostroma is blade-like with eponymous one-cell thickness; therefore, it is also known as �Slender sea lettuce�. Monostroma nitidum is often used for salad ingredients, boiled tsukudani, soups, etc., due to its health benefits. Monostroma kuroshiense is commercially cultivated in�East Asia�and�South America�for the edible product "hitoegusa-nori" or "hirohano-hitoegusa nori", popular�sushi�wraps. This genus remains one of the well-studied seaweed genera for ecophysiology, habitat-dependent seasonality of its growth pattern, gametangial ontogeny and phylogenetics. Moreover, rhamnan sulfate (RS), a sulfated polysaccharide, is the main component of the fiber extracted from�M. nitidum and studied for various biological activities. This review presents the taxonomy, morphology, anatomy, life history, distribution, ecology, physiology, cultivation and harvesting, chemical composition, and biotechnological applications of this genus. � 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.Item Creatures of India: Guide to Animals in India with up-to-date systematics(New Delhi Publishers, 2014) Bast, FelixIndian Biodiversity, albeit being one of the richest in the world with three of the 32 �Biodiversity Hotspots�, is unfortunately in a serious sate of neglect from the administration and the general public alike. Four big-sized animals, Pink-headed Duck, Himalayan Mountain Quail, Lesser Indian Rhinoceros and Indian Cheetah, have gone extinct in the last century alone. IUCN enlist India at 7th rank of shame-list, countries struggling to protect its biodiversity. With almost 18% of world population cramming into less than 2% of area, sub-continental forest cover has been steadily shrinking, so as its biodiversity. This report is first of its kind in India, a comprehensive assessment of status and trends of commonly found animals in the subcontinent with its up-to-date taxonomic positions, overview on the systematics, bio-prospecting and conservation. This work also serves as a �binomen dictionary�-for looking up binomial names of virtually every animal species that you might encounter in daily life in India. The idea to write this book sprang from one of the class assignments as part of BSS.506: Biosystematics and Biodiversity course here at the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. The assignment was to make a database of Indian Biodiversity. While I appreciate the passion that my students put in the creation of database, most of their entries were well-described taxa from North America and Europe-presumably obtained through online resources, highlighting the dire need to categorize Indian Biodiversity. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published few checklists of animal taxa in India but those did not include several of the important animal phyla. Checklists merely enlist scientific names without common name or any other information and therefore their utility in practical identification is extremely limited. This inspired me to write a book with following focuses: 1. Limit to the macroscopic extant species that are commonly found in nature throughout the subcontinent. 2. Species of human importance; a note on bio-prospecting that highlights commercially cultivated/medicinally important/culturally significant taxa discussed in each chapter introduction. 3. Species of conservation importance; a note on conservation discussed in each chapter introduction and common names are appropriately superscribed throughout (CR: Critically Endangered, EN: Endangered, VU: Vulnerable and NT: Near Threatened.) 4. Example families and genera covering all iconic metazoan phyla and phylogenetic trees to illustrate evolutionary relationships between them; to aid in understanding and appreciation of animal systematics. 5. Designated animals representing national and state level administration. This book is still incomplete; as a privileged reader who appreciates the biodiversity, a column in all the tables are waiting for you to complete; �Name in Regional Language�. With seventeen official languages, India is so linguistically diverse that if I sought out to include a multilingual list of taxa covered in this book, it would have doubled the weight of this book and wasted a number of pages! Instead I made this book like a class-activity notebook; it is for you to find, identify and complete the name in local dialect/regional language in the space provided (Activity: 1), a simple, yet pedagogically-sound method.