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New Deep-Sea Skate Species Found!
1 Sep
Summary
- A new deep-sea skate species, the Arabian Skate, was discovered.
- It was found in the southeastern Arabian Sea at depths of 400-600m.
- The species is named after ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee.
A new species of deep-sea skate, named Dipturus dhritiae or the Arabian Skate, has been discovered in the southeastern Arabian Sea. Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), in collaboration with other institutions, identified the species from depths of 400-600 meters off Kerala and the Wadge Bank region. This discovery is notable as the skate had remained unidentified for over forty years, having been previously misidentified as Dipturus springeri.
Dipturus dhritiae, which can grow up to 131.5 cm, is characterized by five distinct rows of thorns along its tail. Genetic analysis confirmed it as a distinct species, genetically divergent from its closest relative, the Travancore Skate. The species is named after ZSI director Dhriti Banerjee, recognizing her contributions to India's biological diversity research. Banerjee highlighted the vulnerability of deep-sea sharks and rays to fishing pressure due to their low reproductive rates.
