• 9964432222
  • Mail Us
  • Appointment
  • Locate Us
  • Chat Now
  • Courses
  • Login
  • Register
Manifest IAS
JournalsOfIndia
Manifest Learning Academy
  • Home
  • SNIPPETSfor Prelims
  • ARTICLESfor Mains
  • BROWSEBY SOURCE
  • DOWNLOADS
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • SNIPPETSfor Prelims
  • ARTICLESfor Mains
  • BROWSEBY SOURCE
  • DOWNLOADS
No Result
View All Result
JournalsOfIndia
No Result
View All Result
Home Environment

Vishnuonyx otters

September 22, 2021
in Environment
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Vishnuonyx otters
220
VIEWS
Share on WhatsAppShare on TelegramShare on Facebook
image_pdfMake PDF

In news– A newly found fossils indicate that the Vishnuonyx otter had travelled as far as Germany.

Key updates on recent discovery-

  • Researchers from the Universities of Tübingen and Zaragoza have discovered the fossil of a previously unknown species, which they have named Vishnuonyx neptuni, meaning ‘Neptune’s Vishnu’. 
  • The species was discovered from a 11.4-million-year-old strata in the area of Hammerschmiede, which is a fossil site in Bavaria, Germany that has been studied for about 50 years.
  • This is the first discovery of any member of the Vishnuonyx genus in Europe; it is also its most northern and western record till date.
  • Vishnuonyx depended on water and could not travel long distances over land.
  • However,  its travels over 6,000 km were probably made possible by the geography of 12 million years ago, when the Alps were recently formed. 
  • These Alps and the Iranian Elbrus Mountains were separated by a large ocean basin, which would have made it easier for the otters to cross it.
  • Researchers believe ‘Neptune’s Vishnu’ first reached southern Germany, followed by Ancient Guenz and eventually, the Hammerschmiede.
  • The new species differs from the already known members of the genus in size — intermediate between the African Vishnuonyx angololensis and the Asiatic Vishnuonyx chinjiensis — and morphology.

The dispersal of Vishnuonyx otters from the Indian subcontinent to Africa and Europe about 13 million years ago. 

About Vishnuonyx otters-

  • Vishnuonyx were mid-sized predators that weighed, on average, 10-15 kg. 
  • Before this, the genus was known only in Asia and Africa (recent findings show that Vishnuonyx reached East Africa about 12 million years ago).
  • They lived in the major rivers of southern Asia between 12.5 million and 14 million years ago.
  • Fossils of these now extinct otters were first discovered in sediments found in the foothills of the Himalayas. 

About  otters-

    • Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae.
    • The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic or marine, with diets based on fish and invertebrates. 
    • Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which also includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among other animals.
    • Otters have long, slim bodies and relatively short limbs. 
    • Their most striking anatomical features are the powerful webbed feet used to swim, and their seal-like abilities holding breath underwater. 
    • Most have sharp claws on their feet and all except the sea otter have long, muscular tails.
  • The Asian small-clawed otter is the smallest otter species and the giant otter and sea otter are the largest.
  • They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. 
  • This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry, warm, and somewhat buoyant underwater.
image_pdfMake PDF
Source: The Indian Express
Tags: NewspaperPrelims

Related Posts

Ecological conservation initiatives in Union Budget 2023-24

Ecological conservation initiatives in Union Budget 2023-24

February 4, 2023
Ancient ‘marine crocodile’ fossil discovered

Ancient ‘marine crocodile’ fossil discovered

February 4, 2023
Yaya Tso lake

Yaya Tso lake

February 4, 2023
New genus of wasp named after Soligas

New genus of wasp named after Soligas

January 31, 2023
Oldest known caecilian found

Oldest known caecilian found

January 31, 2023
Swallowtail butterfly

Swallowtail butterfly

January 31, 2023
Mahabali Frog

Mahabali Frog

January 25, 2023
Nature Risk Profile

Nature Risk Profile

January 24, 2023
Liquified Natural Gas

Liquified Natural Gas

January 23, 2023
Spot Bellied Eagle Owl

Spot Bellied Eagle Owl

January 20, 2023
Please login to join discussion

Our Offline Classroom Student

CONGRATULATIONS TO 2021 TOPPERS !!!

Rank 171 Kumar Shivashish
Rank 250 Sahithya
Rank 263 Sumit Kumar Thakur
Rank 311 Deepak Ramachandra Shet
Rank 455 Ravinandan B M

February 2023
MTWTFSS
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728 
« Jan    

Browse by Category

  • Agriculture
  • Disaster Management
  • Economy
  • Environment
  • Ethics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Geography
  • Governance
  • History
  • Law & Policy
  • Opinion
  • People in News
  • Places in News
  • Science & Tech
  • Security
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Browse by Tags

AIR All India Radio BBC Business Line Business Standard dow Down to Earth DownToEarth DTE Economic Times ET FAO Financial Express GS-1 GS-2 GS-3 GS-4 Hindustan Times IE India & the world Indian express Indiatoday India today Kurukshetra Livelihoods portal LiveMint Mains News News Paper Newspaper PIB Prelims PRS India RSTV Science Reporter Survey The Hindu The India Express The Indian Express The Print the wire Times of India TOI TOPPERS Yojana
JournalsOfIndia

Our vision is to orient the readers to grasp the facts objectively and analyse critically. In the rush of reaching first to the readers, the websites miss the balanced opinion, which is the need of the hour. We aim to reach the readers with more crispness, preciseness and relevance. We bring the articles in UPSC way for the civil services aspirants and the Wisest Way for general readers.

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Disaster Management
  • Economy
  • Environment
  • Ethics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Geography
  • Governance
  • History
  • Law & Policy
  • Opinion
  • People in News
  • Places in News
  • Science & Tech
  • Security
  • Society
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Browse by Tag

AIR All India Radio BBC Business Line Business Standard dow Down to Earth DownToEarth DTE Economic Times ET FAO Financial Express GS-1 GS-2 GS-3 GS-4 Hindustan Times IE India & the world Indian express Indiatoday India today Kurukshetra Livelihoods portal LiveMint Mains News News Paper Newspaper PIB Prelims PRS India RSTV Science Reporter Survey The Hindu The India Express The Indian Express The Print the wire Times of India TOI TOPPERS Yojana

Newsletter

The most important UPSC news and events of the day.

Get Journals daily newsletter on your inbox.

© 2020 JournalsOfIndia - A free initiative by Manifest Team.

  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • SNIPPETS
  • ARTICLES
  • BROWSE
  • DOWNLOADS
No Result
View All Result

© 2020 JournalsOfIndia - A free initiative by Manifest Team.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In