About Demaorchestia alanensis

• It is a new species of marine amphipod-a shrimp-like crustacea of the genus Demaorchestia.
• The present discovery has added one more species to the genus Demaorchestia, raising the global species number in the group to six.
• Features:
  • It is white in colour and less than 15 millimetres in length.
  • It has 13 pairs of legs. While three pairs are used for swimming in the water, eight pairs are used for walking on land. The other two pairs are used for capturing prey and feeding.
  • The species can be distinguished from the other members of the genus by two to three strong, hair-like structures, or setae, on the anterior margin of the propodus of the gnathopod.

What are Amphipods?

• Amphipod are any member of the invertebrate order Amphipoda (class Crustacea) inhabiting all parts of the sea, lakes, rivers, sand beaches, caves, and moist (warm) habitats on many tropical islands.
• They are often mistaken for tiny shrimp, which they resemble.
• They can be found in all marine habitats (even the deepest ocean trenches, e.g., Hirondellea dubia), and have also colonised freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
• The generic diversity of amphipods is apparently higher in cool waters than in warm ones.
• Freshwater and marine beach species are commonly known as scuds; those that occupy sand beaches are called sand hoppers, or sand fleas (see sand flea). 
• They range in size from a millimetre in length to the supergiant amphipod Alicella gigantea at 340 mm. 
• They are important food for many fish, invertebrates, penguins, shore birds, small cetaceans, and pinnipeds.
• Most amphipods are active swimmers, propelled by three pairs of abdominal appendages. 

Q1) What are crustaceans?

These are members of the subphylum Crustacea (phylum Arthropoda). They are found in a wide range of habitats - most are free-living freshwater or marine animals, but some are terrestrial. They are invertebrates with a hard exoskeleton (carapace), a segmented body that is bilaterally symmetrical, more than four pairs of jointed appendages ("legs") and an open circulatory system. Examples: Crabs, lobsters, shrimps, and wood lice etc.

Source: New marine amphipod species found in Chillika Lake, Odisha

About Smooth-Coated Otter

• It is a species of otter, the only extant representative of the genus Lutrogale. 
• Scientific Name: Lutrogale perspicillata
• Distribution:
  • They are found throughout much of southern Asia, from India eastward.
  • There is also an isolated population found in the marshes of Iraq.
• Habitat:
  • They are mostly found in lowlands, coastal mangrove forests, peat swamp forests, freshwater wetlands, large forested rivers, lakes, and rice paddies.
  • Some build permanent burrows near water with an underwater entrance and a tunnel that leads to a chamber above the high-water line.
  • Although adapted for water, smooth-coated otters are equally comfortable on land and can travel long distances overland in search of suitable habitat. 
• Features:
  • They are the largest otter in Southeast Asia. They weigh 7-11 kg as adults and can be up to 1.3 m long.
  • As its name indicates, the fur of this species is smoother and shorter than that of other otters.
  • The fur is light to dark brown dorsally and light brown to almost gray ventrally.
  • They have short, tightly packed under fur and longer, water-repellant guard hairs.
  • They are strong swimmers and hunt in groups. When fishing, they travel in a V-formation going upstream.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

Key Facts about Kawal Tiger Reserve

• Location:
  • It is located in the north-eastern part of Telangana, with the Godavari River on one side and the Maharashtra border on the other.
  • It forms part of the Deccan peninsula-central highlands.
• Rivers: The reserve is the catchment for the rivers Godavari and Kadam, which flow towards the south of the sanctuary.
• Corridor: It has connectivity to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra in the North and to the Indravati Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh towards its north-eastern side.
• Vegetation: Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.
• Habitat: It has diverse habitats, comprising dense forests, grasslands, open areas, rivers, streams, and water bodies.
• Flora:
  • Teak is found extensively, along with Bamboo.
  • As many as 673 plant species have been recorded, and the important ones are Anogeissus latifolia, Mitragyna parviflora, Terminalia crenulata, etc.
• Fauna:
  • It has a faunal diversity which is typical of the Deccan Plateau.
  • The major wild animals include: nilgai, chousinga, chinkara, black buck, sambar, spotted deer, wild dog, wolf, jackal, fox, tiger, leopard, and the jungle cat.

Q1) What are peat swamp forests?

Peat swamp forests form in areas where saturated soils or frequent flooding prevent organic material from fully decomposing. As this organic material slowly accumulates, it retains even more water through capillary action: up to 13 times its weight. Acting as a giant sponge that holds in the moisture, peat swamps eventually form a dome of wet organic material that can rise above the surrounding flood levels.

Source: Kawal Tiger Reserve turns a haven for smooth-coated otters

About Fault Line

• It is a line determined by the intersection of a geological fault and the earth's surface.
• A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. 
• This is caused by the stresses created as sections of a plate (or two plates) are moving in different directions. 
• All faults are related to the movement of Earth's tectonic plates. The biggest faults mark the boundary between two plates. 
• Faults allow the blocks to move relative to each other.
• This movement may occur rapidly, in the form of an earthquake, or it may occur slowly, in the form of creep. 
• Faults may range in length from a few millimeters to thousands of kilometers, such as the San Andreas Fault in California and the Anatolian Fault in Turkey, both of which are visible from space. 
• Most faults produce repeated displacements over geologic time. 
• The fault surface can be horizontal, vertical or some arbitrary angle in between.
• Earth scientists use the angle of the fault with respect to the surface (known as the dip) and the direction of slip along the fault to classify faults.
• There are a number of different types of faults, but most can be divided into three categories: strike-slip faults, normal faults, and thrust faults.
• Strike-slip fault:
  • It occurs in an area where two plates are sliding past horizontally with little to no vertical movement. 
  • Strike-slip faults are found in California, the San Andreas Fault being the most famous, which has caused many powerful earthquakes.
• Normal fault:
  • Normal faults cracks where one mass of rock slides downward and pulls away from another mass of rock.
  • Normal faults create space. Two blocks of crust pull apart, stretching the crust into a valley. 
  • The Basin and Range Province in North America and the East African Rift Zone are two well-known regions where normal faults are spreading apart Earth's crust.
• Reverse faults:
  • Reverse faults also called thrust faults, slide one block of crust on top of another. 
  • This involves upward movement as the two plates collide and buckle upwards.
  • These faults are commonly found in collisions zones, where tectonic plates push up mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Rocky Mountains. 

Q1) What is a tectonic plate?

A tectonic plate (also called lithospheric plate) is a massive, irregularly shaped slab of solid rock, generally composed of both continental and oceanic lithosphere. Due to the convection of the asthenosphere and lithosphere, the plates move relative to each other. Plate size can vary greatly, from a few hundred to thousands of kilometers across; the Pacific and Antarctic Plates are among the largest. Plate thickness also varies greatly, ranging from less than 15 km for young oceanic lithosphere to about 200 km or more for ancient continental lithosphere (for example, the interior parts of North and South America).

Source: Discovery of 72-kilometer fault line on Canada's Vancouver Island

About Karrar Combat Drones

• It is an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) developed by Iran.
• It is the first long-endurance, combat-capable Iranian drone.
• It will be strategically deployed along border areas, providing air defense units with the capability to intercept and neutralize hostile aerial threats at significantly reduced costs compared to traditional manned fighter sorties.
• Features:
  • The Karrar drone, which was first introduced in 2010, has an operational range of up to 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
  • It has a maximum speed granted by its turbojet installation of 560 miles per hour.
  • It reportedly boasts a service ceiling altitude of 47,000 feet.
  • Lacking any retractable or fixed undercarriage, the Karrar is launched via rocket-assist (with a catapult launching rail) and is recovered by way of a parachute-retarded freefall.
  • It has been equipped with the Majid thermal missile with a range of 8 kilometers.
  • The Iranian-made Majid air defense missile features advanced thermal and optical seekers, enhancing its tracking and interception capabilities.

Q1) What is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)?

An UAV is an aircraft that carries no human pilot or passengers. UAVs—sometimes called drones—can be fully or partially autonomous but are more often controlled remotely by a human pilot. RAND research has contributed to the public discussion on the use of drones for warfare and surveillance.

Source: Iran unveils advanced Karrar combat drones armed with Majid air-to-air missiles, to be used along border

About Saiga Antelope

• It is a large migratory herbivore.
• Appearance:
  • This antelope has an extremely unusual appearance with an over-sized and flexible nose, the internal structure of which acts like a filter.
  • Their large noses filter out dust kicked up by the herd in the warm summers and warms the icy air before it reaches their lungs in the winters.
• Habitat: It inhabits open dry steppe grasslands and semi-arid deserts.
• Distribution:
  • The antelope were once found throughout the Eurasian Steppe, the great band of grassland that stretches from Hungary in Europe to Manchuria in Asia.
  • Presently it is found in fragmented populations within Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan.
• The Saiga has two sub-species: Saiga tatarica tatarica (found in most of the range) and Saiga tatarica mongolica (found only in Mongolia).
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Near threatened
  • CITES :Appendix II
• Threats: Hunting and habitat destruction.

Q1) What is steppe Biome?

It refers to a large flatland with grasses or shrubs but without any trees. This flatland is usually found in areas with a climate that is not wet enough to support the growth of a forest although not dry enough to be classified as a desert. Any trees located in these regions are located close to water bodies such as lakes and rivers. In some parts of the world, a steppe is known by a different name. For example, a steppe is known as a veld in South Africa while the North American prairie is technically a steppe.

Source: Miracle on the Steppe: The Saiga has beaten extinction for now, finds new IUCN Red List

About Bab al-Mandab strait

• It is strait between Arabia (northeast) and Africa (southwest) that connects the Red Sea (northwest) with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean (southeast).
• It forms a vital strategic link in the maritime trade route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal
• It is one of the world's most important routes for global seaborne commodity shipments, particularly crude oil and fuel.
• It is bordered by Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast.

Key points about the Red Sea

• It is a semi-enclosed inlet (or extension) of the Indian Ocean between the continents of Africa and Asia. It is one of the world’s warmest seas.
• The northern portion of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, where it is connected to the Mediterranean Sea via the famous Suez Canal.
• Bordering Countries:
  • Yemen and Saudi Arabia border the Red Sea to the east.
  • It is bordered by Egypt to the north and west and by Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti to the west.

Q1) Where is Sinai Peninsula?

It is a triangle-shaped peninsula located in northeastern Egypt. It serves as a land bridge connecting Asia and Africa.It has an area about 23,500 square miles (61,000 square km). It is the sovereign territory of Egypt.

Source: Bab al-Mandab shipping lane a target as Israel fights Hamas

About Cassiopeia A

• It is a remnant of a massive star that exploded some 340 years ago. 
• It is the youngest remnant off the massive star in our galaxy known to mankind.
• It belongs to the prototypical type of supernova remnant and has been extensively studied by a number of ground-based and space-based observatories,
• The remnant spans about 10 light-years and is located 11,000 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia.
• It gives information related to the supernovae phenomenon and its complexities.

Key points about supernova explosion

• It is the explosion of a massive star.
• It happens when there is a change in the core of the star. A change can occur in two different ways, with both resulting in a supernova.
• The first type of supernova happens in binary star systems:
  • Binary stars are two stars that orbit the same point. One of the stars, a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, steals matter from its companion star.
  • Eventually, the white dwarf accumulates too much matter. Having too much matter causes the star to explode, resulting in a supernova.
• The second type of supernova occurs at the end of a single star’s lifetime:
  • As the star runs out of nuclear fuel, some of its mass flows into its core. Eventually, the core is so heavy that it cannot withstand its own gravitational force.
  • The core collapses, which results in the giant explosion of a supernova. 

Q1) What is the meaning of constellations?

Constellation, in astronomy, any of certain groupings of stars that were imagined—at least by those who named them—to form conspicuous configurations of objects or creatures in the sky. Constellations are useful in assisting astronomers and navigators to locate certain stars.

Source: Webb captures star explosion in deep space. Pictures show violent aftermath

About Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme

• This national forest certification scheme offers voluntary third-party certification designed to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry in the country.
• The scheme includes forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification.
• It can provide market incentives to various entities that adhere to responsible forest management and agroforestry practices in their operations.
• Parties involved: This includes state forest departments, individual farmers, or Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in agroforestry and farm forestry, as well as other wood-based industries in the value chain.
• The Forest Management certification is based on the Indian Forest Management Standard, consisting of 8 criteria, 69 indicators and 254 verifiers, which is an integral part of the National Working Plan Code 2023, launched earlier this year.
• A separate Trees outside Forests Standard, is now introduced.
• It will be overseen by the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council, which will act as a multistakeholder advisory body.
  • The Council is represented by members from eminent institutions such as Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Forest Survey of India, Quality Council of India, Indian Institute of Forest Management including representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, State Forest Departments, Forest Development Corporations, and representatives from wood-based industries.
• Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal will act as the scheme operating agency and will be responsible for overall management of the scheme.
• The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies under the Quality Council of India will accredit the certification bodies which will carry out independent audits and assess adherence of various entities on the standards prescribed under the scheme.

Q1) What is the Quality Council of India?

It was set up in 1997, jointly by the Government of India and the Indian Industry represented by the three premier industry associations i.e. Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). It was established as a National body for Accreditation. It is a non-profit organization registered under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.

Source: Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme launched to promote Sustainable Management of forests and agroforestry

About Cinereous Vulture

• It is also known as the Eurasian Black Vulture or monk vulture.
• It is one of the heaviest and largest raptors in the world.
• It is one of the two largest Old World vultures.
• It is an altitudinal migrant — which means it migrates from a higher to a lower altitude. 
• Habitat: This vulture is a bird of hilly, mountainous areas, especially favoring dry semi-open habitats such as meadows at high altitudes over much of the range.
• Distribution: It is a Eurasian species. It is mainly found in Spain and inland Portugal, South France, central Asia, northern India, northern Manchuria, Mongolia and Korea.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Near threatened
  • Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule IV

Key facts about the Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located on the Southern Delhi Ridge of the Aravalli hill range on the Delhi-Haryana border.
• It is also part of the Sariska-Delhi Wildlife Corridor, which runs from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan to Delhi Ridge.
• Vegetation: The vegetation falls under the Northern Tropical Thorn Forests type.
• Climate: It is mainly influenced by its remote inland position and prevalence of air of continental character, which is characterized by extreme summer heat alternating with great winter cold.
• Flora: Consists of Prosopis juliflora as the dominant exotic species and Diospyros montana as the dominant native species in the sanctuary.
• Fauna: Golden Jackals, Striped-Hyenas, Indian crested-Porcupines, Civets, Jungle Cats, Snakes, Monitor Lizards, Mongoose etc.

Q1) What is Aravali Hill?

The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest mountains of the world which runs in a southwest direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana and Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat.The highest peak is Guru Shikhar at 1,722 metres (5,650 ft).

Source: Rare vulture spotted at Asola Bhatti sanctuary