Current Affairs 20th August 2017

Current Affairs 20th August 2017 - Important Points

• Two new species of Earthworm discovered in Kerala by - Scientists
• Who has been appointed as Russia's Ambassador to India? - Nikolay Kudashev

Current Affairs 20th August 2017 - Details

Two new species of Earthworm discovered in Kerala by - Scientists

Scientists have discovered two new species of earthworm in the Western Ghats mountain ranges of Kerala belonging to the primitive family Moniligastridae. Scientists S Prasanth Narayanan, S Sathrumithra, G Christopher made this discovery, they all are affiliated with Kerala's Mahatma Gandhi University. The findings were published in August 2017 in the journal ZooKeys.

Drawida polydiverticulata and Drawida thomasi are the names given to these two new species.
Drawida Polydiverticulata has an organ located in the front of its body called multiple lobes or diverticulums which is unique amongst the other species of earthworms.
Drawida Polydiverticulata was found to be widespread in the protected shola grasslands of the Munnar region including Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Eravikulam National Park and Pampadun
Shola National Park.

Thomasi species is a tribute to Professor A.P. Thomas who started the taxonomical studies on the earthworms after being at a standstill for almost a century in Kerala.

As on date, there are 73 species of the genus Drawida confirmed to be living in the Indian subcontinent. Out of that, the highest concentration (43 species) is found in the Western Ghats.

Who has been appointed as Russia's Ambassador to India? - Nikolay Kudashev

Career diplomat Nikolay Kudashev was appointed on 18th August 2017 as the Russia's Ambassador to India. Russian President Vladimir Putin approved his appointment.

Important Highlights

• Nikolay is a specialist in South East Asia and at present he is serving as the Deputy Director General Secretariat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
• In the period between 2014 and 2015, he was the Russian Ambassador to Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.