Scientists have discovered 133 new species of fauna in India and among the most significant is a bird - yet to be named - found in the Great Nicobar Island. Scientists have also discovered new species of spiders, reptiles, insects and fish in various parts of the country that have been compiled by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in 'Animal Discoveries 2012'.

India has only about two percent of the world's land surface, but is known to have over 7.52 percent of the total animal species in the world. It is estimated that about twice the present number of species still remain to be discovered in India alone. India accounts for over 92,000 animal species. Apart from these, scientists have also found 109 species of animals recorded for the first time in India.

Scientists have also reported 42 species of hard and soft corals from the Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands. Due to climate change and the  tsunami, many coral dominant regions in both the Andamans and the Gulf of Mannar have been affected.

Considerably higher number (42) of corals reported from India for the first time in just one year shows how important the whole region is in terms of marine biodiversity.

Experts feel that this is an important step for maintaining a databank of species. The present state of knowledge does not go beyond a total of 1.7 million species of plants, animals and microbes on earth. But in reality, this figure is merely a part of the total in existence.