A new type of snake eel is found in Odisha by scientists.

In Berhampur, a team of scientists from the Zoological Survey of India's regional center in Gopalpur, Odisha's Ganjam district, have made a remarkable discovery. According to an official, they have found a new species of snake eel thriving in various estuarine ecosystems throughout the state.

The species has been named 'Ophichthus Suryai' in honor of Surya Kumar Mohanty, a former joint director of the state fishery department. This new discovery was made possible by the collection of six specimens from different locations, including the Subarnarekha river in Balasore district, Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district, and Bahuda river near Sunapur in Ganjam district, throughout last year.

"After conducting thorough studies and various tests, including DNA analysis at the ZSI laboratory, we can confirm that this is indeed a new species," stated Anil Mohapatra, a senior scientist at the Estuarine Biology Regional Centre of ZSI in Gopalpur. He led the team that made this exciting discovery.

According to Mohapatra, this new species can be distinguished from its closely related counterparts, such as Ophichthus alleni, Ophichthus zophistius, and Ophichthus altipennis, by its unique features. These include the dorsal fin origin just above or slightly anterior to the gill opening, a distinct vertebral count, and teeth patterns consisting of multiple rows on both the maxilla and mandible.

Further examination of the specimens revealed that they belong to the genus Ophichthus. However, upon analyzing their morphological, meristic, and molecular characteristics, it was confirmed that they are indeed a new species. These findings have been published in the Bulletin of Marine Science, a prestigious international journal, in its latest edition on June 13 of this year.

The research paper published in the journal had multiple co-authors, including Rajesh Kumar Behera, Subhendu Kumar Mishra, Smrutirekha Acharya, and Mohapatra himself. Their detailed study of this new species, Ophichthus Suryai, has shed light on its unique characteristics and behavior.

This groundbreaking discovery has not only expanded our knowledge of marine life, but it also highlights the importance of conservation efforts to protect these diverse ecosystems. The team at ZSI continues to conduct extensive research to uncover more hidden gems in our natural world.

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