A researcher from Kerala has reported the discovery of a new species of edible freshwater catfish, establishing the diversity of the species in the inland waterbodies in the State.
Scientifically named Mystus catapogon , the medium sized-fish was collected from a small stream at Mavelikara in Alappuzha district by Mathews Plamoottil, Head of the Department of Zoology, Baby John Memorial Government College, Chavara, Kollam, who also named and described the species. The article describing this new fish has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Research in Biology .
According to the description published in the journal, the fish is characterised by yellowish body without any stripes, short snout, four pairs of unusually elongated barbells (whisker-like sensory organ located near the mouth), a groove on the head and an elongated rayed dorsal fin higher then the body. The species was found to inhabit shallow and clear waterbodies.
Register number
The species name `catapogon’, meaning `long-bearded’ in Greek, refers to the long barbels. The new fish has received the Zoo bank Register number from the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, the official authority for scientifically naming animals. Samples of the new species have been deposited at the Government National Museum of India at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Even though the Mystus genera represents the most common freshwater catfish in Kerala, taxonomic studies on it have been rare in the State. As many as four new Mystus species were discovered from central Kerala over the last two years.
Dr. Mathews is the recipient of the best researcher award instituted the Kerala State Biodiversity Board for the year 2015-16.
