Rare Himalayan fish Schizopygopsis waddellii recorded in India for first time

Scientists have recorded the rare Himalayan fish species Schizopygopsis waddellii in India for the first time. The discovery was made in Pangkang Teng Tso Lake, located at an elevation of 12,800 feet in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Researchers from the ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research, in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Fisheries and the Shar-Tso Committee of Tawang, identified the species using an integrative taxonomic approach. This method combined morphological examination with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecular analysis to confirm the record.

Previously, the species was primarily associated with the high-altitude freshwater systems of the Tibetan and Chinese plateaus. This finding represents a significant extension of its known geographic range into the Eastern Himalayas. The fish is a cold-adapted member of the Cyprinidae family, characterized by a streamlined body, a specialized feeding structure for scraping algae, and physiological adaptations to survive freezing temperatures and low oxygen levels.