Researchers stunned after uncovering creature not seen since early 1900s: 'We spent a few hours digging'
Renamed as Ophichthys hodgarti, the animal, while not unknown to locals, hadn't been identified by scientists since an 80-mile British expedition in the early 1900s through what is now the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Researchers more recently followed in the footsteps of that expedition and were able to find live specimens along the treacherous terrain of the Siang Valley. A report of their findings was published in the journal Zootaxa on May 19.
"We spent a few hours digging through the mud and rocks until we found the first one," co-author Nilanjan Mukherjee told McClatchy in May. "The moment we caught it and transferred it to a container, I knew we had found the eel."
Mukherjee was surprised by how much time the eel spent outside of water, including on a wet road some distance from a water source. Many such animals stick to marine environments.
In their publication, the co-authors wrote, "The fact that over a century has elapsed between the description of O. hodgarti and its rediscovery serves to highlight the gaps in our knowledge … and suggests opportunities for researchers to intensify exploratory efforts to fill these gaps."
Supporting research efforts to address such gaps could uncover knowledge about other unknown or lesser-known species, potentially revealing even more eclectic wildlife communities.
Indeed, the region where the elusive eels were found is home to many and varied animals. Rare tigers and fish have previously been spotted in Arunachal Pradesh, perhaps a hotbed for biodiversity, which is an important pillar of thriving ecosystems.
Rich ecosystems can serve all living things, including humans, in unforeseen ways. For example, researchers discovered that a species of Thai bat has been hunting destructive insects that might otherwise wreak havoc on local crops.
In another instance, sea otters have been found to be protective of kelp forests by feeding on urchins that might otherwise decimate kelp. Kelp provides an important habitat for commercial fisheries and makes for a harvestable product itself.
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The more research we dedicate to these relationships, the more we can see the value of intact ecosystems and of protecting them.
"We are more likely to conserve species if we know what we stand to lose and (to conserve) landscapes if we know what inhabits them," Mukherjee told McClatchy News about the importance of studying Ophichthys hodgarti, "and this information can only be gained through exploration and research."
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