Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Species
Why in News?
Recently, researchers reported the discovery of a new freshwater catfish species, Pseudolaguvia khairii, in the Budhabalanga River, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.
Taxonomy
- Scientific Name – Pseudolaguvia khairii
- Genus – Pseudolaguvia (small hillstream catfishes).
- Order – Siluriformes (catfish group).
- Distribution – Genus found in fast‑flowing rivers of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar.
- Species Count – Adds to the diversity of Indian hillstream catfishes.
Features
- Size – Only a few centimetres long.
- Unique Trait – Fleshy protuberance at the base of dorsal fin (not recorded earlier in genus).
- Adaptation – Suited to fast‑flowing freshwater rivers.
- Nomenclature – Khairi - Tigress rescued from Similipal forests in 1970s, raised by conservationist Saroj Raj Choudhury and Nihar Nalini Swain.
- Role of Catfishes – Indicators of healthy river ecosystems.
- Hillstream Species – Adapted to strong currents, important for ecological balance.
Reference
New Indian Express | Pseudolaguviya Khairii
