KOZHIKODE: In a remarkable blend of childhood curiosity and scientific curiosity, a four-year-old girl has become the unlikely face behind the discovery of a new subterranean fish species from Kerala. Dhanvi Dheera, fondly called Juhu, first noticed the unusual fish while playing with water collected from a well in their house during a visit to Naduvannur in Kozhikode district. Her observation prompted her mother Aswani Lalu to investigate further, which eventually led to a groundbreaking scientific revelation.
Aswani, who used to draw water from a dugout perennial well owned by Malol Karthiayani Amma, noticed the tiny eel-like fish and informed local experts. The well, situated at an elevation of 150 m above sea level, receives continuous underground water flow from the hilly terrains of Vallora Mala and drains through a natural subterranean channel, making it an ideal habitat for rare aquatic life.
Responding to the find, a scientific team led by Dr K R Sreenath, Director General of the Fisheries Survey of India, and Dr B Pradeep of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kozhikode, collected specimens. Detailed morpho-meristic and genetic analysis confirmed that the fish represented an entirely new species. The eel loach was officially named Pangio Juhuae, in honour of little Juhu who first spotted it.
Their research was published in the Indian Journal of Fisheries, under the title ‘Discovery of a new species of troglobitic eel loach from Southern India’. The study was co-authored by scientists Dr K R Aju, Dr Sandhya Sukumaran, Dr Wilson Sebastian, Dr Alvin Anto and Dr Grinson George.
This marks the third discovery of a subterranean eel loach species in Kerala in recent years. Pangio Bhujia was first identified in 2019 from Cherinjal in Kozhikode, followed by Pangio Pathala from Tiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district in 2022. However, Pangio Juhuae stands apart with its distinct dorsal fin and more pronounced eyes, suggesting it has retained more surface-dwelling traits than its cousins.
