A new fish species belonging to a rare genus has been discovered from the Manimala river at Paduthode near Mallappally in Pathanamthitta district. Named Batasio flavus , the species belonging to the Bagridae family was discovered, named and described by Mathews Plamoottil, Assistant Professor in Zoology, Baby John Memorial Government College, Chavara, Kollam.
The finding has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Research in Biology , an international scientific research publication.
The fish is characterised by a slender body, yellow colour, longitudinal groove on the head and a thin brownish black line through the mid lateral line. It inhabits headwater streams and the upper reaches of smaller rivers characterised by shallow stretches and fast flowing water.
‘Flavu’ is a Latin word meaning light yellow. According to Mr. Mathews, Batasio flavus is the second Batasio species discovered from Kerala after a gap of 74 years.
It was in 1941 that two scientists, Hora and Law, discovered Batasio travancoria from Edakadathy near Erumely.
