In a significant contribution to Indian marine fish taxonomy, researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, have recorded a new snapper species, Lutjanus arakan, in Indian waters for the first time at Gopalpur in Ganjam district.
Significance of the Discovery
Anil Mohapatra, a senior scientist at ZSI who led the study, stated, “The finding was significant as the snappers carry high commercial value as food fish and most of the species are reef-associated inhabitants with vibrant body colour.” The details of the new species were published in Zootaxa, an international journal, in its latest edition on May 5.
Field Study and Specimen Collection
During their field study, the researchers collected one specimen of the species from the fish-landing station at Gopalpur-on-Sea on November 8, 2024. They found that the species had been previously discovered off the coast of Bangladesh and was new to India.
Identification and Characteristics
“For accurate species identification, the team conducted integrated taxonomy. Morphologically, the species is distinguished from other snappers by its unique body colouration, featuring a reddish-silver hue with a series of four dark-reddish brown horizontal stripes extending from the head to the posterior,” said Mohapatra, who is also the in-charge of the ZSI’s Estuarine Biology Regional Centre (EBRC), Gopalpur. “While the upper body of the snapper is mostly dark brown to blackish, its median fins are dark reddish brown, and its paired fins appear translucent pinkish. The molecular analysis has revealed that the species is genetically differentiated from closely related species and aligns with Lutjanus arakan,” he added.
Contribution to Biodiversity
The discovery will contribute to the field of biodiversity in the Bay of Bengal and help document marine species found in the southwestern Indo-Pacific region by the EBRC, ZSI.
Research Team
The other team members include Rajesh Kumar Behera, Swarup Ranjan Mohanty, Smrutirekha Acharya, and T K S Thathachari of the EBRC, ZSI; Bhaskar Behera of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore; and Subhrendu Sekhar Mishra, a retired scientist of ZSI. They conducted a thorough study on the species before concluding it was new to the country.
