ENDEMIC VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HERPETOFAUNA, AVIAN AND MAMMALIAN FAUNA: A PRILIMINARY REVIEW

1 ENDEMIC VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO HERPETOFAUNA, AVIAN AND MAMMALIAN FAUNA: A PRILIMINARY REVIEW Dr. Malabika Kakati Saikia, Assistant Professor Animal Ecology and Wildlife Biology Lab. Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Guwahati-781 014, Assam, India Email: malabika8370@gmail.com Northeastern India covering the state of Assam, including Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram and Sikkim (Total area: 2,62,179 km 2 ) are highly diverse biologically within Indian Sub-continent, and have supported around 300 species of mammals, 977 species of birds, 176 species of reptiles, 110 species of Amphibians, 422 species of fishes, above 11,586 species of Invertebrates, 10,000 species of flowering plants (above 50% of Indian flora) and 825 species of Orchids (Wilson & Reeder, 2005; Goswami et al.2012). The area also supports large numbers of endemic and endangered animals and plants species. Endemism is the phenomenon of restricted distribution or occurrence of a species in a well defined geographical area. It is related to biogeography that denotes the unique occurrence of a living species in the ecological pockets of a well defined geographic location that may be a small local area with unique niche characteristics or in large unique habitat patches of any state of our country. An endemic species is therefore an animal or a plant species whose habitat is restricted to a particular area or space on the globe and is found only in that region and nowhere else in the world. An endemic species therefore stands as the true representative of the specific environment of its habitat, and by the very fact such species may also serve as biological indicators. The major cause of endemism is attributed to the geographical barriers in the form of vast water sheet, fluid or frozen, sky-scrapping mountains, spread of large deserts etc., which can best be suited to the level of national or continental endemism. Species endemism may even be caused due to plate tectonic movements. In the case of narrow range of distribution, the endemic species probably indicate of their poor adaptability to varied environmental conditions other than that of their own habitats (Mani, 1974; Venkataraman et al., 2013). Again, the geographical range of a species is of importance in the concept of endemism. Once a species is described, it becomes, initially, known as endemic to that location and to that country. As and when this species is recorded from another country, it loses its original national endemic status. However it may remain as endemic to a particular geographical/bio-geographical region. This may occur in many small animal groups like arthropods, mollusks etc. The endemic tag of well marked taxa with well-defined status like the species of reptiles, birds or mammals are relatively stable. In the case of birds, the geographical range for endemism is frequently represented by Endemic Bird Area (EBA) encompassing their temporary habitats also, owing to the habitual widespread aerial and migratory practices of the avifauna (Venkataraman et al., 2013). In the context of faunal endemism related to India, the knowledge about endemism among the vertebrate animals of the country is comparatively better understood than that of the invertebrates'. Among the Indian Vertebrate fauna, species endemism among Amphibians and Reptiles are found to be as high as 61.2 % and 41 % of the species, respectively. Among fishes, 9 (nine) genera are endemic to India. Majority of the endemic fauna in India have their occurrence/ distribution in the hotspots of Eastern Himalayas, Indo Burma region and Western Ghats of India.

The Northeastern states of India also cover the area of Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Burma biodiversity Hotspot where more than 170 globally threatened species are found. The region is home to the Himalayan Newt-Tylototriton verrucosus, the endangered dragonfly Epiophlebia laidlawi is also harbored here. The only endemic genus in the hotspot is the Namadapha flying squirrel which is critically endangered. The Indo-Burma region is also meet within North-Eastern India at south of Brahmaputra River. This hotspot spreads over a large area comprising several major landforms encountering a wide diversity of climate and habitat patterns. Many of the species known from this region, especially some freshwater turtle species, are endemic to the area. Historical evidence shows that, the Indo-Chinese and Malayan faunal derivatives are largely concentrated in Northeastern states-burma (Now Myanmar) area owing to several factors, such as formation of tertiary mountains, Himalayan upliftment, Garo-Rajmahal Gap and climatic discontinuity with rest of the India (Mani, 1974; Agarwal, 1998). The alluvium filled lowland marshy gap between the Garo hills of Meghalaya and the Rajmahal Hills of Orissa at the extreme northeastern corner of the peninsula was an insurmountable barrier to the specialized hill stream fishes and other mammalian fauna of northeastern region. The extensive and continuous ranges of a number of the humid tropical forest form cut off recently converted to fragmented and isolated patches. The highly discontinuous distribution of animal species between northeast India and peninsular India is the results of recent local diversifications, multiple origins and polyphyletic differentiations, leading to evolutionary convergence and parallelism in the widely separated areas. A variety of ecologically and taxonomically specialized forms of species have been characterized at present by marked discontinuous distribution in northeastern region-burma biogeography zones and in the Peninsular India. The eastern Himalaya and northeastern region is richer in endemic species of fishes than the western parts of the Himalayas. There are a number of species, which are confined to the Eastern Himalaya alone and do not extend westward beyond Nepal. These include Psilorhynchus balitora, Balitora brucei brucei, Noemacheilus beavani, N. savona, N. scaturigina, Gagata nangra, and Glyptothorax rebeiroi. The species, which are endemic to the extreme eastern Himalaya, include Tor progenies, Schizothorax progastus, Noemacheilus sikkimensis, Batasio batasio, Lepidocephalichthys annandalei, Mystus (Mystus) montanus dibrugarensis, Erethistoides montanum montanum and Glyptothorax striatus (Mani, 1974). The Eastern Himalaya, which constitutes the northeastern region, harbors large numbers of endemic avian and reptilian species originated from the Indo-Chinese and Malayan origin. Again, the genera or species, which are strictly confined to Northeastern region and Northeastern region and Burma, are derivatives of Indo-Chinese, Malayan or the peninsular stock. Roonwal et al. (1964) have described some interesting species of termites as endemic to Assam. A point of considerable biogeographically significance is the observation that, nearly all the endemic subspecies, species and genera of Northeastern region are derivatives of forms that are widely distributed in Indo-China and Malayan and represent, therefore, recent differentiations of this stock. The faunas of forest zones largely composed of tropical element derived from the fauna of Indo-Chinese and Malayan sub-regions of the oriental region and thus spread to eastern parts then Palaearctic region, so colonized in eastern Himalayas. The eastern Himalaya is also exceptionally rich in Lepidoptera, the greatest bulk of which are essentially Indo-Chinese and Malayan forms. The dominant components of the flora-fauna of the northeastern region are the Indo-Chinese and Malayan elements. In some groups, the Malayan elements are predominant and in others the Indo-Chinese elements outnumber the Malayan component in northeastern region. The Gondwana elements, representing primitive or older groups and ecologically specialized derivatives of ancient stocks have spread northward from Malaya to Assam-Burma and Eastern Himalaya mountainous area. We have, for example, the fresh-water prawn Xiphocaridina curvirostris occurring in the Northeast and in Newzeland. Based on the above information it is evident that, there will be a great scope to uncover the more endemic species of animals in near future in northeast India if rigorous field survey could be carried out in the region. The recorded 2

endemic species of Herpetofauna, avian fauna and mammalian fauna of Northeastern region are given below- 1. ENDEMIC HERPETOFAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA A. AMPHIBIAN FAUNA Of the total 342 known Amphibians species from India, 230 species are regarded as endemic (67.25%), to entire India and 54 are from NE India (16%). It is the highest endemicity of all the vertebrate fauna found in India and Northeast India. In India the main hotspot of amphibian endemicity are the Western Ghats (with 162 species) and North-eastern India (with above 54 species). Of the total 19 endemic species Bufonids of India, 8 are from Northeastern India. Of the total 28 species endemic Dicroglossids of India, 6 are from North-eastern India and others from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Central India and Western Ghats. Interestingly, all the 7 endemic Megophryids species are from North-eastern India. Of the total 9 endemic species of Microhylids recorded in India, Northeastern region also supported by one species. Of the total 10 endemic Ranidae species of India, 6 are endemic to North-eastern India, whereas, Western Ghats supports only 2 endemic species of raniodae. All the 10 species of Ranixalidae are endemic to the Western Ghats. Again, of the total 74 endemic Rhacophorids species, 17 are from North-eastern India, whereas, out of 34 endemic Caecilians species of India, 9 are endemic to North-eastern India (Venkataraman et al., 2013). The following are the endemic amphibian species in NER. a. LIST OF ENDEMIC AMPHIBIAN SPECIES IN NE INDIA 1. Bufoides meghalayanus (Anura - Bufonidae) Khasi Hills Toad 2. Duttaphrynus manipurensis (Anura - Bufonidae) Manipur Toad 3. Duttaphrynus mizoramensis (Anura - Bufonidae) Kolasib's Toad 4. Duttaphrynus nagalandensis (Anura - Bufonidae) Nagaland Toad 5. Duttaphrynus wokhaensis (Anura - Bufonidae) Wokha Toad 6. Euphlyctis ghoshi (Anura - Dicroglossidae) Manipur Frog 7. Fejervarya sengupti (Anura - Dicroglossidae) Sengupta's Frog 8. Limnonectes khasianus (Anura - Dicroglossidae) Khasi Hills Frog 9. Limnonectes mawlyndipi (Anura - Dicroglossidae) Mawlindip Frog 10. Nanorana mokokchungensis (Anura - Dicroglossidae) Mokokchung Paa Frog 11. Leptobrachium nokrekensis (Anura - Megophryidae) Nokrek's Spadefoot Toad 12. MLeptolalax khasiorum (Anura - Megophryidae)Khasihill Spade foot Toad 13. Kalophrynus orangensis (Anura - Microhylidae) Orang Sticky Frog 14. Kaloula assamensis (Anura - Microhylidae) Assam Painted Frog 15. Amolops assamensis (Anura - Ranidae) Assamese Cascade Frog 16. Amolops kohimaensis (Anura - Ranidae) Kohima Spiny Torrent Frog 17. Hylarana garoensis (Anura - Ranidae) Garo Hills Frog 18. Odorrana mawphlangensis (Anura - Ranidae) Mawphlang Frog 19. Chiromantis cherrapunjiae (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Cherrapunji Bush Frog 20. Philautus garo (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Garo Hills Bush Frog 21. Philautus namdaphaensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Namdapha Bush Frog 22. Polypedates assamensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae)Assam Bush Frog 23. Polypedates subansiriensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Subansiri Tree Frog 24. Pseudophilautus manipurensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Manipur Bush Frog 25. Pseudophilautus shillongensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Shillong Bush Frog 26. Rhacophorus subansiriensis (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Subansiri Bush Frog 27. Rhacophorus suffry (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Suffry Flying Frog 28. mtheloderma nagalandense (Anura - Rhacophoridae) Nagaland Bug-eyed Frog 29. Chikila fulleri (Gymnophiona - Chikilidae) Fuller's Caecilian 30. Ichthyophis garoensis (Gymnophiona - Ichthyophiidae) Garo Hills Caecilian 31. Ichthyophis moustakius (Gymnophiona - Ichthyophiidae) Manipur Moustached Caecilian 3

4 32. Nokrek's Caecilian-Ichthyophis nokrekensis (Gymnophiona - Ichthyophiidae) 33. Nagaland Montane Torrent Toad -Duttaphrynus chandai (Anura - Bufonidae) B. ENDEMIC REPTILIAN FAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA The diverse climate, varying vegetation and different types of soil prevailing in northeast India support a rich variety of endemic reptilian fauna. Northeast India also has a high degree of endemism concentrated in eight states which are now considered as Biodiversity Hotspots area like Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma biodiversity Hotspot. The endemic reptilian fauna of Northeast India are given belowb. LIST OF ENDEMIC REPTILIAN SPECIES 1. Orange-lipped Forest Lizard- Calotes aurantolabium (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) 2. Khasi Hills Forest Lizard -Calotes maria (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) 3. Norvill's Flying Lizard -Draco norvillii (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) 4. Abor Hills Agama-Pseudocalotes austeniana (Squamata Sauria - Agamidae) 5. Assamese Day Gecko- Cnemaspis assamensis (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) 6. Sikkim Bent-toed Gecko -Cyrtodactylus gubernatoris (Squamata Sauria - Gekkonidae) 7. Goalpora Grass Lizard-Takydromus haughtonianus (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) 8. Sikkim Grass Lizard -Takydromus sikkimensis (Squamata Sauria - Lacertidae) 9. Sikkim False Wolf Snake -Lycodon gammiei (Squamata Serpentes - Colubridae) 10. Abor Hills Kukri Snake -Oligodon melanozonatus (Squamata Serpentes - Colubridae) 11. Palni Hills Kukri Snake-Oligodon nikhili (Squamata Serpentes - Colubridae) 12. Assam Keelback-Amphiesma pealii (Squamata Serpentes - Natricidae) 13. Cherrapunji Keelback -Amphiesma xenura (Squamata Serpentes - Natricidae) 14. Bamboo Pitviper-Trimeresurus gramineus (Squamata Serpentes - Viperidae) 15. Khasi Earth Snake-Stoliczkia khasiensis (Squamata Serpentes - Xenodermatidae) 2. ENDEMIC AVIAN FAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA In Northeastern parts of India covering Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland and Sikkim have supported altogether 24 endemic avian species belongs to five families and 20 genus. In Assam, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, greatest number of 17 endemic species have been recorded followed by Manipur, 13 species, Nagaland, 12 species, Meghalaya, 8 species and Mizoram has recorded only 3 species. Following are the endemic avian fauna found in Northeast India- ORDER: Galliformes Family Phasianidae 1. MANIPUR BUSH QUAIL- Perdicula manipurensis, Hume, 1881. Manipur Bush Quail is distributed in the duars from West Bengal to Assam north of Brahmaputra River and the hills south of the Brahmaputra from Assam to Manipur (Ripley, 1982). But, the recent distribution records of this species are literally unknown owing to lack of organized study. FAMILY: Phasianidae 2. CHESTNUT- BREASTED PARTRIDGE- Arborophila mandellii Hume, 1874. The Chestnut- breasted Partridge was historically distributed from Sikkim and West Bengal (India) eastward through Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh, India, and into Tibet (China). Family: Phasianidae 3. BLYTH S TRAGOPAN: Tragopan blythii, Jerdon, 1870, Vulnerable: The species found to distribute in Barail range in N.C. Hills district and along the Assam Nagaland interstate border in Laike area (Choudhury, 2000). Habitat loss due to encroachment, Jhum cultivation, felling of trees, hunting including live capture for food and occasionally for pet. Species is protected under Schedule I of WPA. Regarded as Threatened (VU) by Collar et al (1994) and listed in Appendix I of CITES.

Family: Phasianidae 4. SCLATER S OR MISHIMI MONAL PHEASANT: Lophophorus sclateri, Jerdon, 1870 It is resident birds species found to distributed in Arunachal Pradesh east of c. the 92nd- 93 rd meridians, through Kameng, Subansiri, Siang, and Luhit frontier Divisions between c.3000 and 4000m altitude. ORDER: Passeriformes 5. RUSTY- BELLIED SHORTWING: Brachypteryx hyperythra (Jerdon & Blyth, 1861). The Rusty- Bellied Shortwing is endemic to the eastern Himalayas where it has been found in India from West Bengal to extreme Western Arunachal Pradesh. 6. MARSH BABBLER: Pellorneum palustre Gould, 1872 The Marsh Babbler is restricted to the floodplain of the Brahmaputra river and its associated tributaries in north eastern India and adjacent Bangladesh. 2. 7. Tawny- Breasted Wren- Babbler: Spelaeornis longicaudatus (Moore, 1854) The Tawny- Breasted Wren Babbler is endemic to India, occupying a restricted range in the northeastern states where it has been recorded in the hills of Meghalaya, Assam and northwest Manipur (Ali and Ripley 1968-1998, Grimmett et l., 1998). 8. Snowy-Throated Babbler: Stachyris oglei Godwin- Austen, 1877 The Snowy Throated Babbler occupies an extremely restricted range in the forested hills of northeastern India and extreme northern Myanmar. 9. Black-Breasted Parrotbill: Paradoxornis flavirostris, Gould, 1836 The Black-breasted Parrotbill has been recorded in the north eastern plains and neighboring foothills of India, from West Bengal, through Assam, to Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Order: Passeriformes 10. Rusty- Throated Wren Babbler: Spelaeornis badeigularis, Ripley, 1948 The Rusty Throated Wren Babbler is known only from the type specimen taken in the Mishimi Hills, northeast India, although it probably occurs over a large area in the region (Ali and Ripley, 1968-1998). Order: Passeriformes Grey Sibia: Heterophasia gracilis, McClelland, 1839 It is a common resident. Assam in the Khasi and Cachar hills, the Patkai Range, Dibrugarh, Nagaland and Manipur, from 1200m to the highest summits (1400 to 2800 m on Mt. Victoria 11. Beautiful Sibia: Heterophasia pulchella (Godwin-Austen, 1874) Resident, subject to vertical movements. Arunachal Pradesh from the Dafla to the Mishimi hills, Nagaland and Assam in the Cachar and Khasi hills, from 1200 to 2700 m in winter, breeding mostly above 2100 m and up to 3000m. 12. White-napped Yuhina: Yuhina bakeri Rothschild, 1926 Common resident, subject to vertical movements (Ali and Ripley, 1987). From eastern Nepal east through Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, Sikkim, Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the Mishimi Hills, Nagaland, Manipur, Assam in the Cachar and Khasi hills, and east Pakistan in the northeastern highlands (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 5

; Subfamily: Sylviiane 13. Yellow vented or Yellowfaced Leaf Warbler: Phylloscopus cantator Tickell, 1833 Little recorded. Known to breed in North Cachar between 1200 and 1800 m (Baker, 1906) and probably Manipur (Hume, 1874a). Collected in Sikkim at c. 1000m in March and at c. 2000 m in June (Ali, 1962). More widespread in winter when recorded in all parts of eastern Bengal (Rashid), Assam, Jalpaiguri duars, Bhutan foothills. Order: Passeriformes Common resident, subject to some vertical movements (Ali and Ripley, 1987). Arunachal Pradesh from Dafla hills to the Mishimi hills, from c.2400 to 3300 m in summer, is descending to c. 1500 m in winter. 2. 15. Chestnutbacked Laughing Thrush: Garrulax chinensis Godwin-Austen, 1876 Resident, locally common. From the Mishimi hills south through East Lakhimpur, the Patkai range, Nagaland, east Manipur, from the base of the hills to c. 900m (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 16. Striped Laughing Thrush: Garrulax virgatus Godwin-Austen 1874 Resident, locally common. Assam hills in Cachar, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizo hills; from c. 900 to 2400m (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 17. Browncapped Laughing Thrush: Garrulax austeni Godwin-Austen 1870 Scarce resident. Assam in the Khasi, Cachar and Mizo hills, Nagaland and Manipur; from 1800 to 2700 m, less often down to 1500m, rarely 1200m (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 2. 18. Wedgebilled Wren Babbler: Sphenocichea humei Godwin-Austen & Walden 1875. Rare resident. Nagaland, Manipur and Assam in the Cachar hills and in Margherita area, from 1500 to 2300 m and probably higher, descending to 900 m in winter (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 19. Giant Babax: Babax waddelli Dresser 1905 Common resident. Extreme northeastern Sikkim in Tibetan facies, north of the main ranges, from 2800 to 4500m (Ali and Ripley, 1987). 21. Broadbilled Flycatcher- Warbler: Tickellia hodsoni Koelz, 1954 Resident, possibly subject to some vertical movements, uncommon. Nepal, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur. Order: Trogoniformes Family: Trogonidae 22. Ward s Trogon: Harpactus wardii Kinnear, 1927 Resident at fairly high elevations in the eastern Himalayas between c. 1500 to 3000m, from the Mishimi hills westward through Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan (Ali and Ripley, 1987). Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae 23. Dark-Rumped Swift- Apus acuticauda Jerdon, 1864 The Dark -rumped Swift breeds in a few colonies in the eastern Himalayas of Bhutan, possibly Nepal, and hills of Meghalaya, northeast India, apparently dispersing southward during the winter. 24. Bugun Liocichla- Liocichla bugunorum, New Bird Species Recorded in Eagle nest Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh 3. ENDEMIC MAMMALIAN FAUNA OF NORTHEAST INDIA 6

7 Northeastern region within India are richest in mammalian fauna. The mammalian fauna of Northeast India is Indo-Chinese and Indo Malayan rather than Palaeoarctic in origin. Out of 300 species of mammalian fauna in Northeast India above 10 species are endemic to Northeastern India (Alfred and Chakraborty, 2002; Molur et al., 2003). The List of Endemic mammalian species are given below- 1. Assam Mole Shrew-Anourosorex assamensis (Soricomorpha - Soricidae) 2. Namdapha Flying Squirrel-Biswamoyopterus biswasi (Rodentia ;Sciuridae) 3. Jungle Striped Squirrel -Funambulus tristriatus (Rodentia - Sciuridae) 4. Hume's Manipur Bush Rat -Hadromys humei (Rodentia - Muridae) 5. Arunachal Macaque-Macaca munzala 6. Khasian Leaf-nosed Bat-Hipposideros khasiana (Chiroptera - Hipposideridae) 7. Arunachal Macaca-Macaca munzala, (Primates - Cercopithecidae), Aruanchal Macaque was discovered by Singha et al. (2005) in Zemithang area of Western Arunachal Pradesh. It has a compact built with a very dark face. Morphologically the adult Aruanchal Macaque is resembles that of M. Assamensis. It is a Clade of M. thibetana. The species has been categorized as Endangered species as per IUCN Red List. 8. Namdapha Flying Squirrel- Biswamoyopterus biswasi Saha, 1981, (Rodentia - Sciuridae). It was recorded in Namdhapa NP, in Tirap District, Arunachal Pradesh. It is a large sized Flying Squirrel. It is an inhabitat in hill slopes of tropical rain forest Namdhapha NP, Tirap district, Arunachal Pradesh. It was declared as Critically Endangered species because of very small population. 9. Buff-bellied Langur- Trachypithecus pileatus brahma (Wroughton, 1916). Known from only in dafla hills, North of Brahmaputra. 10. Gee s Golden Langur- Trachypithecus geei (Ali and Santapau, 1956). Exists in Black mountain NP, Phipsoo WLS, Royal Manas NP, Trumshingla NP of Bhutan and Chakrasila WLS, Manas Biosphere Reserve of Assam. In recent times, environmental degradation especially by the anthropogenic impact has brought about series of changes in the physical and biological aspects in almost every habitat conditions and leading to habitat degradation. Thus, the survivability of the endemic species in the natural habitats becomes highly critical owing to specialized habitat used by the endemic animals. Endemics can easily become endangered or extinct if their restricted habitat undergoes degradation or fragmentation, especially by the human-induced activities, including the introduction of new organisms to the native natural ecosystems/ habitats. The major causes for habitat degradation and changes in an ecosystem are: modern agricultural practices, rapid urbanization, opencast mining and oil drilling, extraction of metals and minerals, indiscriminate destruction of forests, jhum cultivation etc., all of which are promoted in the name of development for the well-being of the fast expanding human population (Venkataraman et al., 2013 ). Thus, the endemic animals having poor resilience require special, urgent and stringent conservation measures for ensuring their sustainability. Ecological significance of every endemic species needs to be assessed properly towards formulation of effective strategies for providing umbrella protection to the fragile ecosystems containing the endemics. It is important therefore to document the endemic faunal varieties of a region like Northeast India so as to implement different conservation practices in the endemic-rich areas. Present article emphasized the report of the existence of endemic vertebrate fauna in Northeast India for the future conservation initiation, because once the endemic species has been extinct that will be gone forever form our globe.

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