A new species of freshwater fish has been discovered in the Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles, underlining the need for better protection for marine species, environment officials said Monday.
The group of 120 tiny islands, which promotes itself as the original site of the garden of Eden, is a hotbed of biodiversity with a kaleidoscopic array of wildlife such as the giant turtle and plant species like the sensual coco de mer.
“This new species has never been sampled elsewhere and the species name is unknown,” said Wilma Accouche, assistant conservation officer at the environment and natural resources ministry.
Accouche said the small copper-colored fish had not been given a name yet, as more taxonomic work was required to classify it correctly.
The discovery, made during an inventory of Seychelles freshwater systems, brought the number of native freshwater fish species in Seychelles rivers to three.
Platform for eco-education
Accouche said the discoveries make it all the more important to protect freshwater ecosystems, especially if the species live close to the coast, where there is more interaction with humans.
“This provides us with another platform to educate members of the public on the need to develop a more responsible and protective attitude towards our rivers, as we never know what rare and natural treasures we may be destroying,” she said.
Accouche said that two species of crustacean were also discovered and work is under way to identify them at the Natural History Museum in Paris. They are new to the region, but it is not yet clear if they exist elsewhere.
“We are optimistic of further new finds,” she said.
