India , a mega diversity country with only 2.4% of the land area of the world accounts for 7-8 % of the recorded species of the world spread over 46000 species of plants and 89000 species of animals that have been documented so far. Over 5650 microbial species have also been documented so far.

India is also one of the eight primary centers of origin of cultivated plants and is an acknowledged center of crop diversity, including over 320 closely related wild species mainly of rice, pulses, millets, vegetables, fruits and fiber plants. About 140 breeds of domesticated animals (such as buffalo, cattle, sheep, goat, camel, horse and poultry are also found here.Â

RECORDED PLANT SPECIES
Taxonomic group	Number of Species		% of world flora
	India	World
Angiosperms	17500	250000	7.0
Gymnosperms	48	650	7.4
Pteridophytes	1200	10000	12.0
Bryophytes	2850	14500	19.7
Lichens	2075	13500	15.0
Fungi	14500	70000	20.7
Algae	6500	40000	16.30
Virus/ Bacteria	850	8050	10.6
TOTAL	45523	406700	11.80

RECORDED ANIMAL SPECIES
Taxonomic group	Number of Species		% of world flora
	India	World
PROTISTA (Protozoa)	2577	31250	8.24
ANIMALIA
Mesozoa	10	71	14.08
Porifera	486	4562	10.65
Cnidaria	842	9916	8.49
Ctenophora	12	100	12.0
Platyhelminthes	1622	17500	9.22
Nemertinea	-	600	-
Rotifera	330	2500	13.20
Gastrotricha	100	3000	3.33
Kinorhyncha	10	100	10.0
Nematoda	2850	30000	9.50
Nematomorpha	-	250	-
Acanthocephala	229	800	28.62
Sipuncula	35	145	24.14
Mollusca	5070	66535	7.62
Echiura	43	127	33.86
Annelida	840	12700	6.61
Onychophora	1	100	1.00
Arthropoda	68389	987949	6.90
Crustacea	2934	35534	8.26
Insecta	59353	867391	6.83
Arachnida	5818	73440	7.90
Pycnogonida	16	600	2.67
Pauropoda	-	360	-
Chilopoda	100	3000	3.33
Diplopoda	162	7500	2.16
Symphyla	4	120	3.33
Merostomata	2	4	50.00
Phoronida	3	11	27.27
Bryozoa	200	4000	5.00
Entoprocta	10	60	16.66
Brachiopoda	3	300	1.00
Pogonophora	-	80	-
Priapulida	-	8	-
Pentastomida	-	70	-
Chaetognatha	30	111	27.02
Tardigrada	30	514	5.83
Echinodermata	765	6223	12.29
Hemichortadata	12	120	10.0
Chordata	4994	48451	10.40
Protochordata	119	2106	5.65
Pisces	2546	21723	11.72
Amphibia	240	5150	4.66
Reptilia	460	5817	7.91
Aves	1232	9026	13.66
Mammalia	397	4629	8.58
TOTAL (ANIMALIA)	86905	1196903	7.25
GRAND TOTAL (PROTISTA+ANIMALIA)	89492	1228153	7.28

WILD RELATIVES OF CROP PLANTS IN INDIA
CROP	NUMBER OF WILD RELATIVES
Cereals and Millets	46
Pulses	81
Fruits	91
Spices and condiments	28
Vegetables	76
Fibre crops	15
Oilseeds	14
Miscellaneous plants	28
TOTAL	379

INDIAN NATIVE BREEDS OF DOMISTICATED ANIMALS
GROUP	NUMBER
Cattle	30
Buffalo	10
Sheep	42
Goat	20
Camel	9
Horse	6
Donkey	2
Poultry	18
TOTAL	137