Pointy-toothed sea creature — a ‘rare’ catch — turns out to be a new species in India
.png "Scientists identified a new species of “rare in catch” eels off the coast of India, according to a new study.")
A “small” and “stout” creature slithered through the depths of the Bay of Bengal along India’s east coast. That’s when it got tangled in a large net — and pulled to the surface of the water.
Researchers were collecting animals, searching for eels. As they looked through their catches, they identified three unusual specimens, according to a study published Jan. 26 in the journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
The creatures turned out to be a new species of eel: Ariosoma kannani, named in memory of marine biology professor L. Kannan.
The new species was distinguished by its DNA, its vertebrae and other physical features, experts said.
Scientists found two of the eels at Rameshwaram Fish Landing Centre in the Gulf of Mannar on India’s east coast. A third eel was found at Shankarpur Fish Landing Centre in West Bengal.
The new species is “slender” and “small-sized,” researchers said. The eels measured between about 6 inches and 8 inches in total length.
Despite their small size, the creatures have a “moderately large” head and a “stout” body, according to experts. Their snout is short, and it extends beyond their lower jaw. The eels have “small, pointed” teeth on their jaws.
The eels are “pale brownish,” researcher said. The upper half of their underside is “whitish,” and their fins are “clear” and “translucent.”
Scientists think the species is widespread throughout the Indian Ocean along India’s east coast, but the eels are “rare in catch.”
This story was originally published January 30, 2024 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Pointy-toothed sea creature — a ‘rare’ catch — turns out to be a new species in India."
