Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) identified the new species during a survey of the freshwater fishes of the Mali Hka River drainage in the Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary, Myanmar.
The new species, named Oreoglanis hponkanensis, is distinct with a set of morphological features including its mouthparts and coloration. It belongs to the genus Oreoglanis of 22 currently recognised species. They are characterised with unusual teeth.
In other news, Wageningen University in the Netherlands is planning to further expand its eel research in 2017.
The University announced that it has started a public-private partnership with DUPAN (Stichting Duurzame Palingsector Nederland, the Dutch Sustainable Eel-sector Foundation), the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and private parties to develop methods to achieve a controlled production of eel larvae, to develop good larval feed and, ultimately, to produce glass eels.
This would enable aquaculture to breed eels without having to rely on wild glass eels.
Also this week, Chinese company China Ocean Fishing Holding Ltd and its local partner Khmer Holding Group Co Ltd have floated a proposal for a $100 million aquaculture project in Cambodia that would include fish farms, a feed mill and a fish processing plant.
Kaing Kim, deputy director of the ministry’s Fisheries Administration, said that a proposed initial investment of $30 million would be used to develop a 200-hectare fish farming operation at a location yet to be decided, reported The Phnom Penh Post.
An additional $70 million would be sunk into developing a feed mill and fish processing factory on the site, with production of frozen seafood and fish filets to be exported to China.
