Ecologists found a new species of fish called Pethia striata in Western Ghats, Karnataka

Ecologists on 20 May 2015 found a new species of fish called Pethia striata in Tunga River in the Kudremukh National Park, Karnataka.

The discovery of the new species was published in the journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists by researchers from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE).

The male of the species measures 3-4cm in length and is red in colour, while the female is grey with a striking pattern of scales.

The species was distinct in several ways, but the most striking characteristics were the pattern of scales which form oblique bars and the black blotch just before the tail.

The fish from Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, is currently known to be found only in the two streams of Mudba and Turad, a region populated by wet evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

Pethia striata is found in small groups of 3-4 individuals in shallow pools and would be an addition to the largest family of fish, scientifically called Cyprinidae, which includes common carp, goldfish, and zebrafish.

Some of the recently discovered new species in the Western Ghats include a little jumping spider in the Southern Ghats, a new frog species in Central Ghats.

In 2014, 14 new dancing frog species were discovered in the forests of Western Ghats.

Now get latest Current Affairs on mobile, Download # 1  Current Affairs App