New fish discovered in Bhutan

A new species of fish has been discovered in Bhutan during a joint research project of the College of Natural Resources (CNR), Bhutan and Saint Louis University, USA conducted last year.

The torrent catfish was discovered in Khalingchhu area in eastern Bhutan. It is an endemic species to Bhutan and found nowhere else. The fish was named Parachiloglanis “bhutanesnis” as it was first recorded in Bhutan. The fish was commonly known as Khaling torrent catfish.

R.J Thoni, a PhD student along a professor with CNR, Dr D.B Gurung, first conducted the scientific scrutiny.

The fish has flat body with broad, blunt and rounded head, rising at roughly a 45-degree angle from snout to point vertical with eye. It has thick and leathery fin, flat from snout to vent while from vent to posterior edge of anal-fin, angle raises equivalent to downward slope of dorsal surface at the same point on the body. The body angle is known to rise gradually upwards from posterior edge of anal fin to caudal-fin base.