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Photo credit: © Philip Willink from the Conservation International press release, "An Armored Catfish, a 'Cowboy Frog,' and a Rainbow of Colorful Critters discovered in Southwest Suriname" |
Photo credit: © Kenneth Wang Tong You from the Conservation International press release, "An Armored Catfish, a 'Cowboy Frog,' and a Rainbow of Colorful Critters discovered in Southwest Suriname" |
Conservation International today announced the discovery of 46 new species during a three-week survey of southwest Suriname. The survey, which was an initiative of the organization's Rapid Assessment Program, found several new fish species during its expedition, including two catfish, one which has armored skin and another that is two inches in length.
The armored catfish, Pseudacanthicus sp. has external bony plates that are draped in spines presumably to act as a defense from the piranhas that are found in the same waters. It was about to be eaten by one of the local guides when scientists noticed the unique armor on the fish and decided to preserve it. This catfish marks the first discovery of the fish in the Sipaliwini district of Suriname.
The other catfish, Imparfinis aff. is a potential new species that is two inches in length and appears white in color with dark tiny spots on its body with relatively few spots on its belly. This fish was caught in a small and sandy stream in a rainforest.
The survey, which took place in September 2010, was conducted by a team of 53 scientists, indigenous Trio people, and students in order to document the area's biodiversity and develop sustainable ecotourism plans for the local people. Areas explored included the Kutari and Sipaliwini River systems near the village of Kwamalasumutu.
"Our team was privileged to explore one of the last remaining areas of vast, unroaded wilderness in the world," Conservation International scientist and Rapid Assessment Program Director Dr. Trond Larsen said in a statement released today by Conservation International. "As a scientist, it is thrilling to study these remote forests where countless new discoveries await, especially since we believe that protecting these landscapes while they remain pristine provides perhaps the greatest opportunity for maintaining globally important biodiversity and the ecosystems people depend upon for generations to come."