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New Species of fish found in Western Ghats

By
SenDhil
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New species of fish called Pethia Striata have been found by ecologists in Tunga river of Kudremukh National Park.Karnataka. The discovery of these fishes has been published in the journal of American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists by researchers from Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Enviroment ATREE.

  • The male species are reddish in colour and 3 to 4 cm in length where as female species are grey in colour with striking pattern of scales.
  • Ecologist VM.Atkore, chose Kudremukh National park for sample collecting  because no one  had studied it before.
  • In 2010-2011,pilot  surveys had been done.
  • Measurements and pictures of male and female species were taken.
  • Species was distinct in many ways but the most striking is the presence of scales that form oblique bars and black blotch just before the tail.
  • The fish belonging to western ghats that is considered as biodiversity hotspot is found only in two streams of Mudba and Turad.
  • Pethia Striata is found in small groups of 3 to 4 individuals in  shallow waters.
  • These fishes would be addition to the family Cyprinidae,the largest family of fishes.
  • As per Mr Atkore, fresh water biodiversity is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world more so in India.
  • Mr Madhav Gadgill, who was chairman of  Western Ghats Ecology Experts Panel said that there is progressive loss of fresh water biodiversity in India and they are badly protected.
  • Other new species found recently in Western Ghats are little  jumping spiders in Southern Ghats, new frog species in Central Ghats etc.
  • In 2014, 14 new dancing frog species were discovered in the Western Ghats forests.

Western Ghats- some details

  • Western Ghats are mountain ranges that runs parallel to western coast of Indian penninsula.
  • It is UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the 8 hottest hot spots of biodiversity of the world.
  • These western ghats begin  near the border of Gujarat and Maharastra  and runs 1600 kms through Goa,Karnataka,Kerala, and Tamilnadu
  • Highest peak is Anaimudi at elevation of 2695mts.
  • Its also place for atleast 325 globally threatened species of the world.