Locally known “Nupedro” fish confirmed as a new species
A team of researchers from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, and the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified a new species of sisorid catfish from the Likimro River in Kiphire district, Nagaland, adding to the known freshwater biodiversity of Northeast India.
The species, named Pseudecheneis likimroensis, was scientifically described following taxonomic studies of specimens collected from the fast-flowing tributary of the Tizu River under the Chindwin basin. Although the fish was already familiar to local communities – where it is known by names such as “Nupedro,” “Jetfighter,” or “aeroplane” – researchers have now confirmed it as a distinct species previously undocumented in scientific literature.
The discovery was made by a team from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, led by Prof Limatemjen, who is also Dean of Academics along with research scholar Shekhumcha Y, in collaboration with scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kolkata.
The discovery was made by a team led by Prof Limatemjen, Dean of Academics, and his research scholar Shekhumcha Y from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, in collaboration with Dr L Kosygin Singh, Scientist-F and Officer-in-Charge of the Freshwater Fish Section, and his postdoctoral student Dr Pratima Singh from the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
Pseudecheneis likimroensis belongs to a group of rheophilic freshwater catfishes adapted to fast-flowing hill streams. It is identified by a thoracic adhesive apparatus consisting of transverse ridges separated by grooves, enabling it to cling to rocks in strong currents. The finding represents the sixth known species of the genus Pseudecheneis reported from the Chindwin-Irrawaddy drainage.
The new species was collected from a rocky, boulder-filled stretch of the Likimro River. It has been named after its type locality, where it is presently known only from this specific habitat. Researchers said the finding highlights the rich yet still underexplored biodiversity of Nagaland’s hill streams and the ecological significance of river systems in the region.
The research findings have been published in the Journal of Ichthyology, an internationally peer-reviewed journal. Specimens examined during the study have been deposited at the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, and the Manipur University Museum of Fishes (MUMF), Imphal, for future scientific reference and study.
The identification of Pseudecheneis likimroensis adds to the documented aquatic biodiversity of the region and contributes to the growing scientific understanding of freshwater ecosystems in the Eastern Himalaya and Indo-Myanmar region.
