BHUBANESWAR: A group of marine researchers has discovered a new species of Rhynchoconger eel (known as conger eel or Samudra Kochia) that completely differs from eight valid species found across the globe.Conger eels have large heads, wide mouths and strong teeth. Most of the deep-water dwelling eel species are gray and can be found at depths of up to 500 feet.
The researchers led by Anil Mohapatra from Gopalpur-based Estuarine Biology Regional Centre of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) spotted the eel from Bay of Bengal region during a study in November last year. “The new species Rhynchoconger randalli was discovered on the basis of two specimens collected from a depth of about 36-40 metre at Paradip fishing harbour. The pentagonal vomerine teeth pattern is unique among all the Rhynchoconger species described so far,” he said.
The eel species is an opportunistic predator that generally eats smaller fish. The dentition consists of numerous, closely packed, sharp teeth that are mainly arranged in one or two rows, although anteriorly and in the roof of the mouth there are many more rows.
The new species named after famous American marine biologist John Ernest Randall, Mohapatra said, differs from another Indian Ocean species Rhynchoconger trewavasae because of its pentagonal pattern of vomerine teeth containing 38-52 teeth arranged in 8-9 rows against the circular pattern of vomerine teeth with 12-16 teeth in trewavasae.
The new species also differs from Rhynchoconger nitens found in the eastern Pacific Ocean for having a shorter preanal length and also different from Rhynchoconger gracilior, which is one of three Atlantic species, for its distinct tooth patch.This was the third discovery of eel species in the Bay of Bengal in the last four years.