Latest news with #JournalofFishBiology
Miami Herald
23-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Ghost'-like river creature found lurking in rock crevices. It's a new species
On a riverbank in a remote part of central Brazil, a team of scientists broke open the stones 'with a hammer and pickaxe' in search of aquatic life. The unconventional method worked and exposed a 'ghost'-like river creature. It turned out to be a new species. Researchers visited Javaés River several times in 2017 and 2018 to survey its aquatic life. The river had been surveyed before, but the team had a slightly different approach this time: Instead of focusing on the main water channel, they would investigate the rocky riverbank, according to a study published July 14 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology. To do this, researchers visited 'during the dry season, when water levels are lower and fishes are concentrated,' study co-author C. David de Santana told McClatchy News. Next, they 'used hammers and pickaxes to break apart rocks and expose the crevices where the fish were hidden.' The labor-intensive process eventually led the team to find 15 unfamiliar-looking fish, the study said. Researchers took a closer look at the fish, analyzed their DNA and realized they'd discovered a new species: Porotergus sambaibensis, or the Sambaíba ghost electric knifefish. Sambaíba ghost electric knifefish have 'compressed' bodies reaching about 4 inches in length, the study said. Their eyes are 'small' and 'completely covered by (a) thin membrane.' Photos show the 'dark brown' coloring of the new species. Sambaíba ghost electric knifefish are 'nocturnal,' live 'concealed in rock crevices' and are able to navigate 'tight spaces,' de Santana said via email. They likely 'feed on aquatic insect larvae, and small crustaceans.' Like other ghost knifefish, the new species 'produces weak electric discharges' used for 'navigating complex habitats in total darkness or turbid waters' and 'communication (e.g., spacing, courtship, territorial behavior),' de Santana said. 'The discharges are completely harmless to humans and cannot be felt. They are fundamentally different from the high-voltage shocks produced by electric eels.' Researchers said they named the new species after Sambaíba, 'a rocky bank in the Javaés River,' where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. The site is in central Brazil and a roughly 1,280-mile drive northwest of Rio de Janeiro. 'The discovery of Porotergus sambaibensis underscores the substantial amount of biodiversity that remains undocumented in the Amazon, particularly in specialized microhabitats such as rocky banks and rapids, which are often overlooked in standard survey efforts,' de Santana said. The new species is 'also a symbol of the hidden, irreplaceable diversity of the Amazon and a stark reminder that many species could disappear before we even realize they exist unless proactive efforts in conservation, research, and habitat protection are increased,' he said. The new species was identified by its coloring, fin shape, body shape, teeth, bone structure and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least about 4% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Marina Mendonça, Luiz Peixoto, Carine Chamon, A. Akama and C. David de Santana.
Miami Herald
22-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Creature that releases toxic ‘soap-like mucus' when stressed is new ocean species
Researchers have discovered a new 'cryptic' fish species inhabiting the tropical Gulf of Guinea and west African coast from Mauritania to Angola. Rypticus africanus, or the African soapfish, was misidentified as Rypticus saponaceus, or the greater soapfish, a related species found in both the east and west Atlantic, according to a study published July 21 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology. In 2003, researchers found 'considerable genetic differences' among individuals identified as greater soapfish, 'suggesting that the African population may be a cryptic undescribed species,' the study said. Cryptic species are two or more distinct species that are nearly impossible to distinguish by appearance alone. Fourteen specimens from Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Togo and one from a market in Ghana were collected and tested to verify the fish as a new species, according to the study. Researchers said Rypticus africanus was likely misidentified as Rypticus saponaceus because both species have a conservative morphology, or overall appearance. According to the study, the two species likely diverged millions of years ago. The African soapfish, which can reach up to 8 inches long, is described as having 'a brown to dark-grey body' with pale spots and fins that match its body. Juveniles of the new species have 'a predominantly bluish hue' with a distinct white stripe along the top of its head, according to the study. It's discovery makes it the 11th species in the Rypicus genus, researchers said. Rypticus fish 'secrete substantial amounts of toxic, soap-like mucus as a stress response, earning them the common name soapfishes,' according to the study. The new species is found in clear, shallow waters to depths of up to 100 feet near rhodolith beds and rocky reefs, according to the study. Researchers said the species is 'not generally abundant' but may be more common in certain reef habitats and caves up to 65 feet deep. According to the study, the Gulf of Guinea is 'one of the least understood tropical reef environments' in the world and is the second-most imperiled marine hotspot globally due to human-driven impacts. Researchers said the region 'desperately needs further studies' to document new species and protect those already known to science. The research team included Gabriel Soares Araujo, Cláudio L. S. Sampaio, Luiz A. Rocha and Carlos Eduardo Ferreira Leite.
Miami Herald
11-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Thick'-lipped creature found in ‘swiftly flowing' river. It's a new species
In a clear river of Switzerland, a 'thick'-lipped creature swam through the 'swiftly flowing' waters and tucked itself under a stone on the riverbed. Suddenly something zapped it and caused it to float to the surface. Scientists scooped up their catch — and realized they'd discovered a new species. A team of scientists spent two years visiting rivers and lakes in Switzerland as part of an aquatic biodiversity project. They suspected some of the fish living in these waterways might be misidentified, according to a study published July 2 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology. Researchers collected dozens of fish through electrofishing and searched archive collections for older specimens, the study said. Once they'd accumulated enough, the team analyzed the DNA of the fish and compared their appearances. A pattern eventually emerged: Some of the river-dwelling fish were subtly but consistently different from other known species, the study said. Researchers realized they'd discovered a new species: Barbatula fluvicola, or the North-Prealpine stone loach. North-Prealpine stone loaches are considered 'robust' and 'elongate,' reaching over 3.5 inches in length, the study said. They have 'deep' heads with 'small' nostrils and 'wide' mouths with 'thick' upper lips. Photos show the 'yellowish' coloring and 'dark-brown pattern' of the new species. Some fish had 'very densely mottled' heads, while others had 'almost plain brown' heads, researchers said. North-Prealpine stone loaches were found in 'small to medium size rivers' with 'clear' and 'swiftly flowing water,' the study said. The fish primarily eat insects and typically live 'at the bottom of rivers under stones and among pebbles' but were 'sometimes close to larger rocks when in more rapid deeper waters.' Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin word for 'inhabitant of rivers' because of its natural habitat. The North-Prealpine stone loach 'seems to be abundant' and has been found in several rivers of Switzerland and neighboring regions of Austria and Germany, the study said. The new species was identified by its body proportions, head shape, internal anatomy and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 2% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Bárbara Calegari, Jörg Freyhof, Conor Waldock, Bernhard Wegscheider, Dario Josi, Lukas Rüber and Ole Seehausen. The team also discovered a second new species in Switzerland: the lake stone loach.
Miami Herald
10-07-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Robust' creature with ‘slim' lips found in Switzerland lake. It's a new species
In a mid-sized lake of Switzerland, a 'robust' creature with 'slim' bumpy lips swam through the shallow water, or it tried to, at least. But something zapped it and caused it to float to the surface. Scientists scooped up their catch — and realized they'd discovered a new species. A team of researchers spent two years visiting lakes and rivers of Switzerland as part of a biodiversity project. They suspected that some of the fish living in these waterways were being misidentified, according to a study published July 2 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology. To investigate, researchers collected dozens of new specimens through electrofishing and combed archive collections for older specimens, the study said. Next, the team analyzed the DNA of the fish and studied their appearances. A pattern emerged: Some of the lake-dwelling fish were genetically distinct and had subtle but consistent physical differences from known species, the study said. Researchers realized they found a new species: Barbatula ommata, or the lake stone loach. Lake stone loaches have 'robust and elongate' bodies, reaching over 3 inches in length, the study said. They have 'small' nostrils and 'wide' mouths with 'slim,' bumpy lips. Photos show the yellowy coloring and pattern of the new species. The fish vary in hue but generally have 'irregular roundish blotches, randomly distributed' on their bodies, researchers said. Some fish have a 'gold iridescent coloration.' Lake stone loaches were found in shallow lake water from the shores to depths of about 4 feet, the study said. The fish were 'most abundantly found in small pebbles substrate, and among middle-sized stones' and primarily eat insects. Researchers said they named the new species after the Greek word for 'eyes' because of the 'great diameter of its eyes.' The new species' common name refers to its natural habitat. So far, lake stone loaches have been found in seven lakes in Switzerland, the study said. Historic records suggest the fish used to live in two more lakes 'but that its population has since declined drastically, likely potentially approaching local extinction,' the study said. Researchers considered the new species to be endangered because of its limited distribution, decreasing population and the human-induced 'habitat degradation, primarily from urbanisation, pollution' and construction along lake shores. The new species was identified by its coloring, lip shape, body proportions, internal anatomy and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 2% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Bárbara Calegari, Jörg Freyhof, Conor Waldock, Bernhard Wegscheider, Dario Josi, Lukas Rüber and Ole Seehausen. The team also discovered a second new species: the North-Prealpine stone loach.
Miami Herald
13-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
New species with light blue spots, black ‘mask' discovered in Fiji fish market
In Fiji, a ray with light blue spots and a mask-like pattern on its face began appearing in the country's fish markets. It closely resembled other species, but displayed several key differences that caught the attention of researchers. Some experts identified it as Neotrygon kuhlii, or the blue-spotted stingray, while others said it was a different species called Neotrygon trigonoides, also known as the Caledonian maskray. However, researchers said 'no attempts' had ever been made to verify the identity of the unique-looking creature, according to a study published June 9 in the Journal of Fish Biology. DNA testing revealed it was likely a new cryptic maskray species, or one that closely resembles a known species but is genetically distinct, according to the study. Additional analysis of nine specimens acquired from local fishermen and Fiji fish markets confirmed they belonged to a new species, which researchers named Neotrygon romeoi, or the Fiji maskray, according to the study. The species has also appeared in iNaturalist records, according to a June 10 Fish in the News Facebook post. The new species is described as being large and having a 'broadly angled snout' and 'thornlets' down its back, according to the study. It is brownish with a 'dark mask-like marking covering across and between the eyes,' researchers said. It also has 'numerous black pepper-like spots mainly concentrated in masked area' and small, dark-edged pale blue to whitish spots, according to the study. The Fiji maskray can be found nearshore or at depths of at least 75 feet in seagrass beds, sandy bottom areas and around coral reefs, researchers said. The species is 'mostly solitary,' but can occasionally be found in pairs or groups of up to five, the study said. Researchers said the new species is known only from the Fiji Islands and may 'warrant inclusion in Fiji's Endangered and Protected Species Act.' It 'appears to be widespread' across the archipelago, researchers said. The specimens were collected from Fiji's Viti Levu Island. The research team included Kerstin Glaus, William T. White, Helen L. O'Neill, Sarah Thurnheer and Sharon A. Appleyard.
