THOOTHUKUDI: Marine biologists have discovered a new species of Congrid Eel Genus, Ariosoma Thoothukudiense at Thoothukudi fishing harbour.
Research scholar P Kodeeswaran collected two mature female specimens, gathered from the by-catch of trawling of mechanised fishing vessels docking at the Thoothukudi fishing harbour on September 12, 2021, and sent them for analysis.
As per the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, authored by P Kodeeswaran, A Kathirvel Pandian, Anil Mohapatra and TT Ajith Kumar, the morphology of the unknown eel species is distinguished from its congeners in having pre-anal length; dorsal-fin originating before the pectoral-fin insertion; and the bicoloured body with pale brown dorsally and silvery white ventrally. Moreover, the new species differs from all the congeners of Indian waters in that it has more total vertebrae, except A. Albimaculatum.
The identity of the new species has also been supported by molecular analysis, using the mitochondrial COI gene, which has revealed that the new species is closely related to Ariosoma Maurostigma and Ariosoma Albimaculatum, according to the study published on May 13.
Lead author Kodeeswaran told TNIE that the eels were 40 cm and 42 cm long respectively, and both were female.
He was told by the fishermen that these eels were captured at a depth of 60 metres, off the Thoothukudi coast. The species is expected to be distributed in the Indian Ocean, and the etymology of the species has been coined as Ariosoma Thoothukudiense since they were collected from Thoothukudi, he said.
Efforts to find more specimens proved futile. There are 32 genera in Congrid eels, and 243 different eel species have been recorded globally, he added.
Speaking to TNIE, ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Kochi’s head and principal scientist TT Ajith, also the corresponding author, said that the new eel variety was spotted among the by-catch taken for fish processing units. Researchers are studying its protein profile now, he added.