New glass fish species Parambassis waikhomi described from Loktak Lake, Manipur

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According to a research paper published in the Journal of threatened Taxa, researchers with the ICAR have found and described a glass fish species previously unknown to science from the Chindwin basin of the Loktak Lake in the North Eastern state of Manipur in India.

Parambassis waikhomi, the new glass fish species
 found in Loktak Lake, Manipur

The newly identified fish belongs to the family Ambassidae which has small to medium sized transparent fishes which are usually called freshwater glass perches. According to the researchers, the new fish belongs to Parambassis genus of glass fishes which differ from others in the number of scales in the lateral series and in the number of dorsal and anal fin rays.

The new comer now makes the sixth species of glass fishes in the Parambassis genus found in India. Totally 12 species are so far reported from the genus from the Asian continent.

Unique morphology of P. waikhomi

According to the research paper, the newly identified fish differs from other closely related species in the family with the presence of 58 to 60 lateral line scales, two predorsal bones and a set of other body characters. The newly described fish reportedly has a humeral spot, which also makes it different from six other closely related species of the same genus.

Loktak Lake
Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Similarly, it does not have the pre-dorsal scales present in many other species in the same genus. The number of gill rakes, scales in the lateral series also makes it different from closest relatives. The live specimens of the fish, according to the researchers, were semi-transparent with yellowish or silver coloration.

Named after Indian Icthyologist

The new species was named as Parambassis waikhomi, in honour of Prof. Waikhom Viswanatah who has made extensive contributions to the study of fishes in North Eastern India. He is presently at the Department of Life Sciences, Manipur University.

The fish, as per present knowledge, is restricted to the Chindwin Basin of Loktak Lake in Manipur. According to the paper, though glass fishes are found widespread in India, there is a need to take up detailed study to taxonomically describe them, since the supposedly widespread species may be actually species complexes. 

Indian paramilitary hovercrafts raises threat to bird migration at the Ramsar site, Loktak lake

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The insurgency operations of the Indian paramilitary forces at the Loktak lake in the Indian state of Manipur using hovercrafts making big sounds is raising serious threat to the bird migration in this crucial Ramsar site, says a recent study done on the bird migration pattern in the lake.

Loktak Lake
Image courtesy Wikimedia commons

The study conducted by the Centre for Conservation of Nature and Cultivation of Science at Imphal found that the rate of migration has declined this year and that the bird population around the lake has fallen drastically since the inception of paramilitary operations using hovercrafts, which is a special craft which can travel both on water and land.

Sound Pollution by hovercrafts at Loktak
The study points out to the severe sound pollution caused by hovercrafts while operating as a major threat to the bird migration.  According to PTI reports, ornithologists has pointed out that 80 decibel sound itself can harm the ecology and health of birds. The hovercrafts used in Loktak Lake produce sound to the tune of 104 decibels to 120 decibels.

Indian paramilitary forces are using 3 imported hovercrafts from the US in the Loktak Lake to check insurgent operations in the areas. Manipur has been crushed by internal insurgency and draconian military laws for decades and now the conflict is taking a toll at the ecology of Loktak Lake and the avian fauna here.

Loktak, being the largest lake in the northeast India, is a major point in the migratory route of thousands of winged visitors like Lanius cristatus from the northern hemisphere. According to experts, Siberian cranes, wild ducks, herons, pink-headed ducks also annually visit Loktak Lake. The lake is also home to endangered Brow-antlered deer or Sangai (Cervus eldi eldi), which is the state animal of Manipur.