| One fish, two fish: New goby species described from the Philippines | |
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Scientists recently described two new-to-science species of freshwater fish from the Philippine island of Palawan: Rhinogobius estrellae and Rhinogobius tandikan.
The tiny, blue-spotted fish are endemic to Palawan and each is confined to freshwater pools and streams in a single location.
The fish were collected during surveys to document freshwater fish diversity on the island; both species belong to a genus previously only known from temperate and subtropical parts of Asia, with the new discovery extending its range south into the tropics.
Due to their restricted range, the fish are deemed highly threatened and their habitats in need of safeguards against mining, road construction and invasive species. |
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Serendipity underlies some of the greatest scientific discoveries. And it was certainly at play in 2015 when a team of biologists stopped off to relax at a popular waterfall on the Philippine island of Palawan after spending a long day surveying nearby streams to document the island’s freshwater fish diversity. Out of curiosity, they investigated what lived in the cool waters beneath the scenic falls, only to find a species of fish unmistakably new to science. |
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