New Species Discovery – Apterichtus kanniyakumari

New Species Discovery – Apterichtus kanniyakumari

• Discovered by: National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR), Kochi (ICAR).
• Location: Off the Colachel coast, Kanniyakumari district, Tamil Nadu.
• Published in: Zootaxa (international peer-reviewed journal).
• Genus: Apterichtus (finless snake eels).
• Specimens: Collected at ~100 m depth during deep-sea trawling.

Key Features

• Head length: 9.6–9.7% of total length (TL).
• Tail length: 1.8–1.9% of TL.
• Body depth at gill openings: 42.1–54.8% of TL.
• Distinct golden-yellow body, pale white ventral head with yellow lines.
• 3 black blotches: behind eye, at rictus, behind origin of rictus.
• Teeth: conical, uniserial (on jaws & vomer).
• Pores: 3 preopercular + 9 supratemporal.
• Mean vertebral formula: 52–131.

Genetic Insight

• Molecular analysis (mitochondrial CO1 gene).
• Forms a distinct clade with Apterichtus nanjilnaduensis (sympatric species).

Significance

• 16th new species discovered from Indian coast by NBFGR.
• Named “kanniyakumari” to honour the district’s cultural, historical & geographical heritage.
• Highlights the hidden biodiversity of Arabian Sea (Colachel region).
• Reinforces the need for systematic surveys, taxonomy, & marine resource management.
  
  
  Updated - September 24, 2025 07:01 pm | The Hindu