New catfish species found in Arunachal   

Itanagar, Sept. 22: Three ichthyologists from the Govind Ballav Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Northeast unit, have fished out a new species of catfish from Senkhi lake here.

The three researchers, Lakpa Tamang, Shivaji Chaudhry and Dhrupad Choudhury, told The Telegraph that the species was hitherto unknown to ichthyology, a branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish. The species is scientifically called erethistoides senkhiensis.

Maurice Kottelat and Heok Hee from Ichthyological Exploration of Fresh Water, a Germany-based international organisation for recognition of fresh water fish species across the world, confirmed the discovery of the new species of catfish.

“Erethistoides senkhiensis was netted with a 3-meter-diameter cast net with 8mm meshes, in low depth (15-35cm), moderately clear but turbid running water with pebbles, cobbles, concrete of variable colours and sand particles by the three of us about a fortnight back,” Shivaji Chaudhry, also a faculty member at the institute, said.

“As part of our research work on fishes of Arunachal Pradesh, we conducted an extensive search in the rivers across the state with special emphasis on rivers and streams of Papum Pare and West Kameng. All three of us zeroed in on the confluence of Senkhi lake and Chimpu stream, where we found the grey-headed brown fish.

“After a detailed study of the literature on fish available with us, we sent the fish sample to Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta, for procuring the specimen type. They gave us a specimen number to enable us to send the sample to the Icthylogical Exploration of Freshwaters for approval. The Germany-based organisation confirmed the discovery last week,” he added.

The research team deposited 18 types of specimens at the Zoological Survey of India. The genus included six species: Erethistoides montana, Erethistoides pipri, Erethistoides sicula, Erethistoides cavatura, Erethistoides ascita and Erethistoides infuscatus.

The fishes are spotted in the rivers of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.

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