Arunachal college spots 3 new fish species

What is the News?

Department of Zoology of Dera Natung Government College of Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh has discovered three new species of fish of genus Aborichthys of family Nemachelidae.

What are these three fish species named?

The three fish species discovered have been named as Aborichthys uniobarensis, Aborichthys barapensis and Aborichthys palinensis. 

These fish species are distributed in streams like Senki, Barap and Palin, which are the tributaries of Brahmaputra river system.

What is Aborichthys?

Aborichthys is an elongate and slender-bodied bottom-dwelling freshwater stone loach fish that inhabits the moderate-to-fast flowing water of mountain rivers, streams and drainages of the Brahmaputra river basin. These fishes are endemic to the eastern Himalayas. 

The fishes of this species are characterised by narrow oblique bars on the body, with a black ocellus at the upper extremity of the caudal-fin base and a rounded or truncated caudal fin.

About Arunachal Pradesh and its Rich Biodiversity

Arunachal Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity. It is located in the Eastern Himalaya which is one of the four major biodiversity hotspots of India. The region is endemic to more than 20% of fauna of India, including the fish species.

Source: This post is based on the article “Arunachal college spots 3 new fish species” published in “Down To Earth” on 22nd October 2021.