Five new fish species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Researchers of the Rajiv Gandhi University here have recently discovered five new fish species in various districts of the state.

The scientific names of the newly-discovered fish species are Mystus prabini, found in Sinkin and Dibang rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district and Exostoma kottelati, found in Ranga river in Lower Subansiri district, a release by the university said. Other discovered species are Creteuchiloglanis tawangensis, found in the Tawangchu river in Tawang district, Garra ranganensis, found in Ranga river and Physoschistura harkishorei, found in Dibang and Lohit rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district, it said.

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The team was led by Prof D N Das of the fisheries and aquatic ecology research wing of the Zoology department of the university.

"Majority of the water bodies in remote areas of the state are still not easily accessible to the researchers due to a difficult terrain that includes rain forests, steep hills besides communication problems," Das said.

He, however, said his research team is optimistic that meticulous exploration may result in more discoveries of new fish species from the state in the future. Similarly, earlier in July, a new freshwater fish species has been discovered in Kerala, a state blessed with freshwater resources. The fish belonging to the subterranean snakehead species was found in the well of a house in Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district last year.  The newly discovered fish, a cousin of the well-known 'Varaal' and 'Cher Meen', is characterized by an elongated body, small size, a very large mouth, and most remarkably, the fin rays of the pectoral fin being greatly elongated as filamentous extensions.

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Researchers opined that Kerala is blessed with a variety of freshwater resources which are home to over 300 species of fish, about a third of which are endemic to the region. At the same time an equally varied and wonderful ecosystem exists, unrecognised and out of sight, in the extensive water bodies that lie below the ground, they said. In India, Kerala is an undisputed hotspot of subterranean fish diversity, with nine species known mostly from central Kerala in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.