Thar Desert Research Articles

A freshwater ecosystem once existed in the Rajasthan desert: evidence from a fossil of the aquatic herb Nelumbo

Nelumbonaceae encompasses aquatic plant lineages that represent major components in the modern tropical wetland ecosystems of India. The group is characterized by its distinctive reproductive receptacle incorporating in situ fruitlets and vegetative organs that are well-represented in the fossil record. Unusually, though, no Nelumbo reproductive fossils have yet been identified from the Cenozoic of India. Here, we report the first such fossil reproductive organ from the aquatic perennial herb Nelumbo, which was recovered in the lower Eocene Palana Formation at the Gurha lignite mine in Rajasthan, western India. The fossil preserves an aggregate fruit with 28 indehiscent, apocarpous and globose to oblong fruitlets embedded within an accrescent receptacle, and a single small central cavity or apical remains of a stigma in each fruitlet. Comparisons with extant and extinct Nelumbo species support attribution to Nelumbo sp. Our unexpected discovery of a fully aquatic plant in the Rajasthan Basin during the early Eocene indicates that a freshwater ecosystem existed there ca 55 ± 10 million years ago; this contrasts starkly with the arid climatic conditions predominant in Rajasthan today. Raman Patel† [ ramanpatel2142@gmail.com ], Department of Geology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, 246174 Uttarakhand, India Ashif Ali† [ aashifli0011@gmail.com ], Palaeobotany, Palynology, and Plant Evolution Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia-723104, India Rajendra Singh Rana [ rajendra.rana1@gmail.com ], Department of Geology, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, 246174 Uttarakhand, India Mahasin Ali Khan* [ khan.mahasinali@gmail.com ], Palaeobotany, Palynology, and Plant Evolution Laboratory, Department of Botany, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Ranchi Road, Purulia-723104, India.

Unlikely Friends in Patriarchal Lands: An Ecofeminist Reading of Rajasthani Folktale “Sonal Bai”

"Sonal Bai" is a popular folktale about a girl told by women in Rajasthani-speaking areas of north India to initiate young girls into adulthood. This paper investigates the metaphorical representation of a girl’s coming of age through her relationship with a Sandalwood tree analysing, "Sonal Bai" as an ecofeminist text. The story renders voice to socially prohibited themes of menstruation and women’s sensual desire as embodied in silent friendship between a sandalwood tree and Sonal (girl with golden hair). The paper highlights how the outwardly simple tale of “Sonal Bai” is in fact an encoded lesson for teenage girls, inverted as a relationship between two highly treasured “belongings”/ “commodities”—sandalwood and a unmarried girl—in a patriarchal society economically dependent on agriculture. The sandalwood tree is highly valuable for farmers; different parts of the tree are used to produce furniture, oil, fragrance and food items. It is also a part of religious rituals where its essence is used as tilak on idols in Hindu traditions. Rajasthani Language is spoken prominently in the desert regions of India (Thar Desert) and the existence of such a tree in a desert is as precious and rare as a girl with golden hair. The paper draws reference from recurrent invocation of olfactory senses of the listeners captured by the images of the sandalwood tree in the story. It also explores use of growth metaphors using ‘rhizome’ like imagery of sandalwood branches reaching the sky which become an escape route for a teenage girl hiding from her family. The temporal and spatial indicators are infused together in the story of Sonal Bai leading to an unlikely friendship between two prized possessions that eventually breaks with the arrival of a patriarchal archetype: a handsome young prince. This study discusses the prevalent katha culture in India where women exercise freedom of voice through singing and narrating tales within all-female groups. This site of independent feminine interaction in a highly patriarchal society is investigated using Bakhtin’s “Chronotope” to highlight culturally encoded lessons in folktales meant for young girls in Indian society as a means of informal education.

Modulations in antioxidant defence system and expression of genes involved in antioxidant and apoptosis pathway helps ward-off heat stress incows reared in hot-arid ambience of Thar desert

The present study was designed to assess the seasonal perturbations in key antioxidant parameters: ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) scavenging activity, lipid per oxidation (LPO), uric acid and reduced glutathione (GSH) assay along with expression profile of genes that regulate the antioxidant pathway: manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2), Glutathione Peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and apoptosis pathway: B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) in the two crucial indicine cattle breeds- Sahiwal and Kankrej. The study was carried out in the hot-arid region of Rajasthan across four seasons, wherein, the meteorological parameters were recorded across seasons to calculate the prevailing temperature-humidity index (THI) to assess the extent of heat load on cows. The study revealed huge diurnal variations in the temperature across four seasons, while the THI during summer and hot-humid seasons was well in excess of 80, highlighting significant heat stress on cows. All the key antioxidant parameters, except GSH registered an increase with the incremental THI. The transcriptional profile of SOD2 and GPX1 mRNA expression revealed significantly higher expression during the higher THI months of both summer and hot-humid seasons. The expression pattern of BAX and BCL2 mRNA in PBMCs of Sahiwal cows revealed an initial induction during the month of summer season with significantly higher expression, followed by a decline by the hot-humid season. The findings highlight a crucial role played by antioxidant defence and genes regulating apoptosis pathway in thermotolerance of indicine cattle breeds.

Nitrogen aerosols in New Delhi, India: Speciation, formation, and sources

Delhi, the capital city of India, experiences severe air pollution and suffers from its adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. This pollution is characterized by high levels of pollutants, including atmospheric nitrogen in both the gaseous and particulate phases. However, there is a lack of simultaneous measurement of chemical composition, tracers and 15N data in aerosols to understand the influence of different sources on N aerosols over Delhi. Here, we measured total nitrogen (TN), water-soluble total nitrogen (WSTN), water-soluble inorganic nitrogen (WSIN), and N stable isotope compositions (δ15N) in PM2.5 samples covering the post-monsoon, winter, and summer periods of the year 2018–19. NH4+-N was the major N species, accounting for an average 58% of TN and 68% of WSIN. The temporal variations of TN, WSTN, NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and WSON showed peaks in the post-monsoon and winter seasons, exhibiting seasonality similar to PM2.5 and levoglucosan (a biomass-burning tracer) indicating their co-genetic sources. Based on the correlation analysis between δ15N and N-species, we identified two distinct secondary chemical processes: i) in an NH4+-poor atmosphere, the gas-to-particle (NH3 → NH4+) conversion and subsequent formation of NH4HSO4 was the main process controlling the 15N and nitrogen enrichments in PM2.5; whereas ii) under NH4+-rich conditions, the formation and dissociation of NH4NO3 dominated. The coupled HYSPLIT and PSCF analyses highlighted the transport and contributions of open biomass burning emissions under a northwesterly atmospheric flow during post-monsoon as well as from local biomass combustion (from cooking and heating) during winter in the city and its vicinity. Our results suggested that i) both NH4+-N and NO3−-N were mainly impacted by biomass combustion during post-monsoon and winter seasons, and ii) NO3−-N resulted of dust transport from the Thar Desert in the summer season, but not NH4+-N. Finally, we recommend that future research focuses on the study of the seasonality of atmospheric nitrogen composition using 15N data from their different sources to design tailor-made measures and policies regarding the different potential sources, combining them within a comprehensive framework to ultimately improve air quality and the living environment in Delhi.

Peribacillus frigoritolerans T7-IITJ, a potential biofertilizer, induces plant growth-promoting genes of Arabidopsis thaliana.

This study aimed to isolate plant growth and drought tolerance-promoting bacteria from the nutrient-poor rhizosphere soil of Thar desert plants and unravel their molecular mechanisms of plant growth promotion. Among our rhizobacterial isolates, Enterobacter cloacae C1P-IITJ, Kalamiella piersonii J4-IITJ, and Peribacillus frigoritolerans T7-IITJ, significantly enhanced root and shoot growth (4-5-fold) in Arabidopsis thaliana under PEG-induced drought stress. Whole genome sequencing and biochemical analyses of the non-pathogenic bacterium T7-IITJ revealed its plant growth-promoting traits, viz., solubilization of phosphate (40-73µg/ml), iron (24±0.58mm halo on chrome azurol S media), and nitrate (1.58±0.01µg/ml nitrite), along with production of exopolysaccharides (125±20µg/ml) and auxin-like compounds (42.6±0.05µg/ml). Transcriptome analysis of A. thaliana inoculated with T7-IITJ and exposure to drought revealed the induction of 445 plant genes (log2fold-change>1, FDR<0.05) for photosynthesis, auxin and jasmonate signalling, nutrient uptake, redox homeostasis, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways related to beneficial bacteria-plant interaction, but repression of 503 genes (log2fold-change < -1) including many stress-responsive genes. T7-IITJ enhanced proline 2.5-fold, chlorophyll 2.5-2.8-fold, iron 2-fold, phosphate 1.6-fold, and nitrogen 4-fold, and reduced reactive oxygen species 2-4.7-fold in plant tissues under drought. T7-IITJ also improved the germination and seedling growth of Tephrosia purpurea, Triticum aestivum, and Setaria italica under drought and inhibited the growth of two plant pathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, and Rhizoctonia solani. P. frigoritolerans T7-IITJ is a potent biofertilizer that regulates plant genes to promote growth and drought tolerance.

A Brief Review on Medicinal and Edible Aspects of Ziziphus nummularia

Abstract: Ziziphus genus, as traditional medicine, plays a major role in treating many different diseases, such as pain, fever, diabetes, inflammation, and GIT disorders. Ziziphus is widely found in tropical regions. In humans, Ziziphus species are generally safe, as well as non-toxic. Ziziphus nummularia is native to Western India’s Thar Desert, South-Eastern Pakistan, as well as the Southern Iran region. The plant has tremendous medicinal potential. It is also used in traditional as well as folklore systems of medicine.

Assessment of groundwater quality with special emphasis on fluoride contamination: a case study in Thar Desert, Pakistan

Assessment of groundwater quality with special emphasis on fluoride contamination: a case study in Thar Desert, Pakistan

Long-Term Time Series Trend Analysis of Climatic Variable for Jaisalmer District in Thar Desert, Western Rajasthan, India, Using Statistical Approaches

Long-Term Time Series Trend Analysis of Climatic Variable for Jaisalmer District in Thar Desert, Western Rajasthan, India, Using Statistical Approaches

Sensitivity of the Land–Atmosphere Coupling to Soil Moisture Anomalies during the Warm Season in China and its Surrounding Areas

Significant temporal and spatial variability in soil moisture (SM) is observed during the warm season in China and its surrounding regions. Because of the existence of two different evapotranspiration regimes, i.e., soil moisture-limited and energy-limited, averaging the land–atmosphere (L–A) coupling strength for all soil wetness scenarios may result in the loss of coupling signals. This study examines the daytime-only L–A interactions under different soil moisture conditions, by using two-legged metrics in the warm season from May to September 1981–2020, partitioning the interactions between SM and latent heat flux (SM–LH, the land leg) from the interactions between latent heat flux and the lifting condensation level (LH–LCL, the atmospheric leg). The statistical results reveal large regional differences in warm-season daytime L–A feedback in China and its surrounding areas. As the soil becomes wetter, the positive SM–LH coupling strength increases in arid regions (e.g., northwest China, Hetao, and the Great Indian Desert) and the positive feedback shifts to the negative one in semi-arid/semi-humid regions (northeast and northern China). The negative LH–LCL coupling is most pronounced in wet soil months in arid regions, while the opposite is true for the Tibetan Plateau. In terms of intraseasonal variation, the large variability of SM in north China, the Tibetan Plateau, and India due to the influence of the summer monsoon leads to the sign change in the land segment coupling index, comparing pre- and post-monsoon periods. To further examine the impact of SM anomalies on L–A coupling and to explore evapotranspiration regimes in the North China Plain, four sets of sensitivity experiments with different soil moisture levels over a period of 10 years were conducted. Under relatively dry soil conditions, evapotranspiration is dominated by the soil moisture-limited regime with positive L–A coupling, regardless of external moisture inflow. The critical soil moisture value separating a soil moisture-limited and an energy-limited regime lies between 0.24 m3/m3 and 0.29 m3/m3. Stronger positive feedback under negative soil moisture anomalies may increase the risk of drought in the North China Plain.

Evaluation of Agrivoltaic System in Thar Desert of India

The present study examined the performance of the 100 kWp agri-voltaic systems at ICAR-CAZRI, Jodhpur. The average PV generation from the 100 kWp AVS connected to the grid via a bi-directional energy meter or net meter was about 342 kWh day-1. The average yields of mung bean, moth bean, and cluster bean in the inter-row spaces between the modules in the two-row and three-row PV array were 1155, 670, and 2008 kg.ha-1, respectively. Thus, there were 4.6%, 8.6%, and 11.8% reductions in the yield of mung bean, moth bean, and cluster bean, respectively, in inter-row spaces between the panels compared to control. During Rabi (irrigated) 2021-22, the yield of chickpea, cumin, and isabgol (2490, 1000, and 700 kg ha-1, respectively) in interspaces of the AVS was lower than that of the control (2670, 1120, and 760 kg ha-1, respectively). AVS resulted in a yield reduction of 6.6, 10.3, and 7.8% in chickpea, cumin, and isabgol, respectively, compared to the control. The AVS shows the maximum IRR (20.38%), while PV-GM shows the lowest (19.42%) at the prevailing bank loan interest rate of 12%. The PBP estimated 7.47 years for AVS with irrigated crops and 8.11 years for AVS with rainfed crops, while it was 8.61 years for PV-GM. The lower value of the discounted PBP, the faster the repayment of the investment cost. Therefore, the highest LCOE (INR 3.45 kWh-1) is estimated based on the break-even electricity tariff in PV-GM, and the lowest LCOE is calculated in AVS (INR 3.17 kWh-1).

Identification of sources of coarse mode aerosol particles (PM10) using ATR-FTIR and SEM-EDX spectroscopy over the Himalayan Region of India.

This study attempts to examine the morphological, elemental and physical characteristics of PM10 over the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) using FTIR and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis. The study aimed at source identification of PM10 by exploring the inorganic ions, organic functional groups, morphology and elemental characteristics. The pollution load of PM10 was estimated as 63 ± 22 μg m-3; 53 ± 16 μg m-3; 67 ± 26 μg m-3 and 55 ± 11 μg m-3 over Mohal-Kullu, Almora, Nainital and Darjeeling, respectively. ATR-FTIR spectrum analysis revealed the existence of inorganic ions (SiO44-, TiO2, SO42-, SO3-, NO3-, NO2-, CO32-, HCO3-, NH4+) and organic functional groups (C-C, C-H, C=C, C≡C, C=O, N-H, C≡N, C=N, O-H, cyclic rings, aromatic compounds and some heterogeneous groups) in PM10 which may arise from geogenic, biogenic and anthropogenic sources. The morphological and elemental characterization was performed by SEM-EDX, inferring for geogenic origin (Al, Na, K, Ca, Mg and Fe) due to the presence of different morphologies (irregular, spherical, cluster, sheet-like solid deposition and columnar). In contrast, particles having biogenic and anthropogenic origins (K, S and Ba) have primarily spherical with few irregular particles at all the study sites. Also, the statistical analysis ANOVA depicts that among all the detected elements, Na, Al, Si, S and K are site-specific in nature as their mean of aw% significantly varied for all the sites. The trajectory analysis revealed that the Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, the Thar Desert, Himachal Pradesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sikkim, the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) and the Bay of Bengal (BoB) contribute to the increased loading of atmospheric pollutants in various locations within the IHR.

First report of clinically significant bites due to Platyceps ventromaculatus (GRAY, 1834) from Thar Desert region, Rajasthan, India

BackgroundPlatyceps ventromaculatus is a non-front-fanged colubrid snake of unknown medical significance. In this study, we highlight the clinical manifestations and outcomes of P. ventromaculatus bites. We also emphasise the need to create awareness among clinicians and the public for its potential to be confused with serious venomous bites such as Echis carinatus sochureki. MethodsThis series is part of an ongoing observational clinical study from our tertiary care hospital in Jodhpur, India on the profile and outcomes of snakebite envenoming. Data was collected after approval from Institute Ethics Committee. The date and time of the bite, geographical location, type of human-snake conflict, time-to-reach a healthcare facility, antivenom used (dose), and outcomes were recorded. We retrospectively examined our clinical data for images suggestive of P. ventromaculatus and present the clinical details of these patients. The photographs were identified utilising taxonomic keys for species identification. ResultsA total of four images and three patients with bites due to P. ventromaculatus were identified. The clinical effects included mild local erythema, pain, transient local bleeding, and edema. All bites occurred during daylight hours, 2 during agricultural activities, and one at home. Twenty-minute Whole Blood Clotting Test was persistently prolonged for 12 h after the bite in one patient. All patients were treated symptomatically, observed at the emergency department, and discharged within 24 h. None of the patients received antivenom. ConclusionsTo our knowledge, P. ventromaculatus has so far not been reported to result in envenoming or medically significant bites. This study highlights that Platyceps bite can present with clinically significant local and possibly systemic findings that may lead to confusion with saw-scaled viper (Echis) envenoming. Clinicians must receive appropriate training so as to be aware and recognize regional snake species that do not require antivenom so as to avoid unnecessary antivenom administration.

Preservation of plant‐wax biomarkers in deserts: implications for Quaternary environment and human evolutionary studies

ABSTRACTAnalysis of plant‐wax biomarkers from sedimentary sequences can enable past environmental and hydrological reconstruction and provide insights into past hominin adaptations. However, biomarker preservation in desert contexts has been considered unlikely given the sparse nature of the vegetation within the landscape. Here we evaluate the preservation of n‐alkanes and fatty acids collected from four depositional sequences associated with archaeological contexts in the Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia, and the Thar Desert, India. Pleistocene and Holocene samples were selected to understand the effects of age on preservation. The results of molecular distribution patterns and indices, particularly the high carbon preference index and average chain length, show the preservation of plant‐wax biomarkers in both the Holocene and Pleistocene desert sequences, while δ13C values and organic content provide insights into the vegetation contributing to the plant‐wax organic pool. This study provides a baseline for understanding human–environment interactions and for reconstructing changes in arid land habitats of relevance to hominins during the Quaternary.

Effect of Herbal Additives Amla (Emblica officinalis) and Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) on Carcass Traits of Magra Lambs in the Semi Intensive Management System under the Arid Zone of Western Rajasthan

Aim: It was the objective of this study to determine whether the highly nutritious herbal feed additives Amla (Emblica officinalis) and Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) impacted carcass traits of Magra lambs in the semi intensive system of management.&#x0D; Study and Design: The experiment involved 28 lean lambs between the ages of three and four months under a semi intensive system, distributed at random into four experimental groups of seven lambs each, according to the randomized block design.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The campus is located at 236 meters above mean sea level in the heart of the Thar Desert at 28° 18' 0" N (28.3° N) latitude, 73° 30' 0" E (73.5° E) longitude and 28° 18' 0" N (28.3° N) latitude. The duration of experimental study was thirteen weeks.&#x0D; Methodology: In a semi-intensive management system, groups T1 and T2 received an oral/feed supplement consisting of 1.5g/kg body weight of Amla (Emblica officinalis) fruit powder with seed and Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) stem powder, respectively, along with concentrate, excluding the control group and T3. Group T3 group received an oral/feed supplement comprising a combination of Amla (Emblica officinalis) fruit powder and Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia) stem powder at a dosage of 0.75g/kg body weight, along with concentrate.&#x0D; Results: At the end of experiment, no significant changes were found in carcass traits except hot and cold carcass weight though; they were within normal range.&#x0D; Conclusion: At the end of experiment it appears that incorporation of 1.5g/kg body weight Giloy stem powder can be used as a part of the strategy as it is effective to alleviate stress in lambs in the semi-intensive system of arid zone of Rajasthan.

Plants with potential medicinal values from thar desert: Phytochemical constituents and therapeutic activities

Plants with potential medicinal values from thar desert: Phytochemical constituents and therapeutic activities

Palygorskite in Indian tropical soils: a clay mineral of pedogenic, geogenic, or climate-induced origin – a mechanistic review

Abstract Most clay minerals are characterized by a platy morphology. By contrast, palygorskite has a fibrous morphology and is structurally distinct from the typical 1:1 and 2:1 layer structures. Diverse opinions exist on the origin of palygorskite in soils. Many authors suggest that palygorskite forms after smectite. Others favor its authigenesis during pedogenic processes or its inheritance from the parent material. This review provides a critical synthesis on the origin of palygorskite in the semi-arid-tropical (SAT) Vertisols and arid calcic soils of the Thar Desert of India. It also highlights the specific genetic pathway for the presence of palygorskite in the soils. The ubiquitous association of smectite with palygorskite is inadequate to explain the formation at the expense of smectite, because at pH 8.2 and above the smectite structure is subjected to dissolution to create soluble Si and Al, and the recrystallization of the soluble Si and Al to form palygorskite may not be possible in the Vertisols of the Indian SAT environment. Thus, mildly to moderate alkaline pedochemcial environments of the SAT Vertisols do not favor authigenic precipitation of the palygorskite in such soils. This review shows that the presence of palygorskite in the SAT Vertisols is due to its inheritance from the exhumed inter-trappean beds, infra-trappean beds, and bole beds. This view on the genesis of the palygorskite is also justified by its presence in weakly developed calcic soils of the Thar Desert as detrital flux from the adjoining marine sedimentary rocks.

Phog: A nutraceutical shrub of Thar desert

Phog: A nutraceutical shrub of Thar desert

Physico-chemical characteristic of “Gajner Lake” in Arid Region of Rajasthan

The arid region of Rajasthan, constituting the Rajasthan desert, has very limited water resources, particularly lakes. Water, an indispensable component of an ecosystem, is a necessary resource for the sustainability of life on the earth. The freshwater bodies all over the arid region of Rajasthan are getting polluted, thus decreasing the suitability of potable water. Bikaner forms an important part of the arid region of Rajasthan. Ponds present in and around Bikaner city and a few lakes of the district were the primary sources of drinking water in the past.“Gajner Lake” is an artificial lake situated in the Gajner village Bikaner at a distance of 32 km south-west of Bikaner city. The analysis of water quality provides important data about the various changes caused by various biotic and abiotic factors during different seasons. The Present study deals with determining some physicochemical characteristics of water, viz. BOD, COD, DO, nitrate, sulphate and fluoride during the year 2016-2017. Significant variations were observed during different seasons in these parameters.

Tracing the provenance of mineral dust over the northern and southern Indian Oceans during the GEOTRACES-India (GI-01, GI-02) expeditions

Aeolian transport of mineral dust is an important carrier of nutrients and trace metals to the surface ocean and, hence, affects the biogeochemical cycles of C and N therein. Studies focusing on the provenances of dust across the latitudinal gradients over the open ocean waters are essential for better constraining the biogeochemical effects of dust deposition. Here, we analyzed the radiogenic isotope composition of Sr (87Sr/86Sr) and Nd (εNd(0)) in the silicate fraction of mineral aerosols collected over the pelagic northern and southern Indian ocean waters during the GEOTRACES-India research expeditions (GI-01: March-April 2014 and GI-02: April-May 2014). Both tracers, 87Sr/86Sr and εNd(0), exhibited marked spatial variability for dust deposition to different basins, including the Bay of Bengal (BoB), Arabian Sea (AS), equatorial Indian Ocean (EIO), and the southern sector of the Indian Ocean (SIO). The dust deposited in the AS showed a narrow spread in both 87Sr/86Sr (0.71520–0.71642) and εNd(0) (−10.9 to −10.1), along with the air mass back trajectories, indicating transport from the Arabian Peninsula. Likewise, the dust collected over the BoB was mainly sourced from the Thar Desert (87Sr/86Sr > 0.72, −16 < εNd(0) 〈−13), whereas the EIO received mineral dust from the Thar Desert and sand dunes in northern Australia (87Sr/86Sr: 0.72, εNd(0): −11) and Indonesian Archipelago. In contrast, the SIO appeared to receive dust deposition from three different source regions, including dust from Antarctica, western Australia (87Sr/86Sr: 0.712, −20 < εNd(0) <−16, and South Africa/South America (87Sr/86Sr: 0.708–0.710; −24.5 < εNd(0) >−8.4). These results have important implications for modelling the dust transport to pelagic Indian and southern Indian Ocean waters.

A new species of Oecobius Lucas, 1846 from the Thar Desert, India (Araneae: Oecobiidae).

We describe a new species of Oecobius Lucas, 1846 from the Thar Desert ecoregion in India, based on both sexes: Oecobius thar sp. nov.. We also provide photographs of the new species in vivo and the general habitat of its type locality.