Discovery of New Snake Eel Species: Ophichthus Suryai

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India's Gopalpur regional centre have discovered a new species of snake eel named 'Ophichthus Suryai' in Odisha. The species has been confirmed through DNA tests and distinguished by unique characteristics. It is named to honor Surya Kumar Mohanty, former state fishery department director.

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India's (ZSI) regional centre at Gopalpur in Odisha have identified a new species of snake eel from various estuarine ecosystems in the state, officials confirmed.

The newly discovered species, Ophichthus Suryai, is named in honor of Surya Kumar Mohanty, a former joint director of the state fishery department. The discovery is based on the collection of at least six specimens from different locations in Odisha, including Subarnarekha river at Talasara, Paradip in Jagatsinghpur, and Bahuda river near Sunapur in Ganjam district.

Senior scientist Anil Mohapatra from the Estuarine Biology Regional Centre (EBRC) led the in-depth studies and various tests, including DNA analysis at the ZSI's laboratory, which confirmed Ophichthus Suryai as a distinct species. This discovery has been detailed in the Bulletin of Marine Science, an international journal. Mohapatra, along with co-authors Rajesh Kumar Behera, Subhendu Kumar Mishra, and Smrutirekha Acharya, outlined the unique features that set this species apart from its closely related congeners, including its dorsal fin origin, vertebral count, and teeth patterns.

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