Researchers from the Central University of Odisha find a new freshwater edible fish from Koraput

The researchers of the Central University of Odisha (CUO), Koraput, and the Zoological
Survey of India (ZSI) have recently found a rare freshwater edible fish from the
Kolab River at Ghatguda, Koraput. The research conducted by Ms. Supriya Surachita,
DST INSPIRE Fellow on the topic “Diversity, distribution of fishes and threats in the
freshwater bodies of Koraput in Eastern Ghats of Odisha” under the supervision of Prof.
Sharat Kumar Palita, Dean of School of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural
Resources of CUO, Koraput during her ichthyological survey found this new cyprinid fish
species from Kolab River, which is one of the important tributaries of Godavari River.
Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of CUO, Prof. Chakradhar Tripathy has congratulated the
research team for this outstanding contribution to the field of science and especially to
biodiversity.
While carefully examining some fishes of genus Garra, researchers of CUO along with
Ms. B. Roy Choudhury of Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata identified the new
species. This cyprinid fish species was named Garra laishrami. The new species is
named after Dr. Laishram Kosygin of the Zoological Survey of India to honour his
remarkable contributions to understanding the taxonomy of Indian freshwater fishes.
The findings of the study have been published recently in the internationally reputed
taxonomy journal “Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters” published from Germany.
Fishes of the genus Garra are elongate, small to medium-sized and bottom-dwelling
fishes and are characterized by the presence of a gular disc developed from tissues of
the gular region and that exhibit variation in the size, shape, and arrangement of the
snout tubercles. These groups of fishes are distributed from Borneo, southern China
and southern Asia through Middle East Asia, Arabian Peninsula and East Africa to West
Africa. However, the new species Garra laishrami is known to date only from the type
locality Kolab River in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, Godavari River drainage. The new
species is a member of the proboscis species group and distinguished from other
members of this group distributed in the Indian subcontinent by the development of
proboscis, degree of tuberculation on the proboscis and transverse lobe on snout and
nostrils, position of transverse groove and morph metric data of the body.
The maximum length of the fish is from 76 mm to 95.5 mm. The species is edible and
local people consume it. The fishes are usually found under rocks and among stones
and boulders of torrential streams and rivers. This finding confirms the biodiversity
richness of Koraput region and equally the biodiversity richness of the river Kolab
(Saberi near Gupteswar). Prof. S.K. Palita, Head of the research team is of the opinion
that Koraput is a rich reservoir of biodiversity with many species of organisms still
unknown to the scientific world. There should be a thorough investigation into this rich
biodiversity and efforts for its conservation are the need of the time. Prof. Palita is
hopeful to find some more new species of fish from this region.