A rare red-coloured fish, identified as ‘Snyderina guentheri’, was found by a fisherman off the coast of Veraval in Gujarat. Also known as waspfish, this fish was last seen in Visakhapatnam in 2017.
The fisherman, Ashwin Solanki, made this discovery when he was sorting his catch last week. This particular species is rarely found in the waters near Gujarat.
The College of Fisheries Science at Veraval, affiliated to Kamdhenu University, confirmed the identity of the fish found by Solanki. According to the college, ‘Snyderina guentheri’ is distributed in western Indian ocean, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and east African countries.
College sources said that fishermen often reach out when they encounter unique species. The college preserves the specimens in its museum for research purposes.
Over the past decade, half a dozen rare marine species have been found off Veraval coast. The college attributes the phenomenon to migration due to climate change. Scientists caution that such fish should be subject to toxic analysis before deeming them fit for human consumption.
In December 2021, a red frog crab, known as ‘Ranina ranina’, was found at Veraval fishing harbour. This crab species is typically found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Other rare marine species discovered in recent years along the Veraval coast include ‘Sicyonia parajaponica’ (Rock shrimp), ‘Centriscus scutatus’ (Razor fish), and ‘Liagore rubromaculata’ (Pebble crab).
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