New signal fish discovered off Kerala coast

News:Scientists have discovered a new species of signal fish named Pteropsaron indicum off Kerala coast.

Facts:

About the species:

• The Pteropsaron indicum species was collected by trawlers at a depth of 70 metres during a marine biodiversity survey.
• This is the first species of the genus signal fish to be discovered in the Indian waters.Pteropsaron indicum is one of the distinctly larger species of signal fish.
• The species has a unique colour pattern and an interesting behaviour that allows it to communicate with others of the same species by flipping its highly specialised dorsal fins.
• The species sports three distinct bright yellow bands on a pale greyish pink background.The body and head are criss-crossed with dark margins of large-scale pockets.
• It is also characterized by three extended dorsal fin spines, a high number of vertebrae and a relatively large body size.

Additional information:

About Signal fish:

• Signal fish are tiny and fragile and are often found in waters below 50 metres.
• The signal fishes are poorly studied group of benthic species found in deep sandy habitats usually close to coral reefs.They are known to flip up their extended dorsal fins to signal each other.
• The discovery of this new signal species indicates the presence of patchy corals off the Kerala coast and therefore with a lot of conservation value.