Kangaroo lizard species discovered in Western Ghats (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- A group of scientists have discovered a new species of tiny lizards, described as “diminutive dragon” from the southern Western Ghats at Kulamavu in Kerala’s Idukki.
- Agasthyagama edge or northern kangaroo lizard, which belongs to the Agamidae family, is known to have a maximum snout-vent length of 4.3 cm.
- The species is the second one of the Agasthyagama genus after A. beddomii or Indian kangaroo lizard that has been previously reported from the Sivagiri hills in Tamil Nadu.
Characteristic features:
- A reduced fifth toe makes these reptiles poor climbers and hence do not climb trees like other lizards.
- Instead, they are mostly terrestrial and found in areas with dense leaf litter cover.
- While they feed on small insects, this variety of kangaroo lizard runs fast and hides within dry leaves to evade predators.
- The new species has a uniform dull olive-brown body with slightly darker head. It also has a white throat with a broad dark brown stripe on its dewlap with brick yellow scales on the outside.
- It has been named after the Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) programme of the Zoological Society of London that has supported several researchers of the Aranyakam Nature Foundation.
Background:
- The species was first sighted during an expedition in search of another evasive species, the Mahabali frog or the purple frog, around 2015. The frog was spotted by the roadside near a forest stream in Idukki.
- While the sighting was initially assumed to be A. beddomii, herpetologists found evidence that suggested the possibility of a new species.
- Analyses revealed consistent morphological and genetic differences.
MoE AICTE Investor Network launched
(GS Paper 3Economy)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, launched ‘Ministry of Education - AICTE Investor Network’ in New Delhi.
Objective:
- The MoE-AICTE Investor Network is launched with the objective of empowering educational institutions to become innovation hubs, fostering a conducive environment for start-up development, facilitating entrepreneurship by transforming innovative ideas into scalable and sustainable businesses and providing startups with essential resources, mentorship, seed capital, and potential investors.
- This Investor Network further aims to bridge the gap between investors and transformative educational initiatives, fostering collaboration for the advancement of education and technology.
Committee:
- For the effective onboarding of investors, framing the policy and developing a strategic flow of the ‘MoE-AICTE Investor Network’, a 10-member steering committee has also been established under the chairmanship of Dr. Abhay Jere.
- The committee is formed to facilitate the onboarding of 100 investors with diverse profiles, draft and develop policy documents and working guidelines, create funding guidelines and parameters for the investors, prepare the eligibility criteria for startups and innovators seeking funding, monitor and track the progress of funded projects etc.
About MoE - AICTE Investor Network:
- The MoE - AICTE Investor Network is a ground-breaking initiative jointly established by AICTE and the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) with a vision to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the education sector.
- The network aims to provide crucial financial support, mentoring, and strategic guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups.
- Through this unique network, the Ministry of Education seeks to encourage private investment in student- and faculty-led startups.
