They discovered a unique species of fish in Misiones and baptized it as an original people | The finding was published in a prestigious international journal

2023-08-01 04:31:12

Scientists from Conicet, the National University of La Plata and the National Parks Administration found a new species of fish in the Puerto Península Defense Nature Reserve in Misiones. Although the discovery was made between 2017 and 2019, the analysis and validation of the results were published just a few days ago in the Zoological Journal, a prestigious international journal in the field. The specimen was baptized as “Argolebias guaraní” in homage to the native people who inhabit this area of ​​northern Argentina.

“The new species that we described was not studied or cataloged by science. From its discovery, we differentiated it from all the species that were known up to now of this group of fish and we defined it with that name”, says Felipe Alonso, Conicet researcher and main author of the work.

In this sense, Alonso portrays some of the particularities of the Guarani Argobias: “The species presents a unique color pattern. Males have small iridescent turquoise spots all over their bodies and a series of small brown dots on the dorsal part of the head and back. In addition, they have a very particular color on the edge of the dorsal fin.

All these characteristics, added to anatomical details and genetic issues, allowed scientists to conclude that it was a species that was not yet known. “It’s not that we found a single specimen that could be a mutant or have a problem, but that we studied many and even from different years, and they all had the same traits,” says the specialist.

The research team not only discovered a new species, but also conducted a study on the evolution of this group of fish and drew a family tree of species known as phylogeny. For the analysis, framed in the evolutionary history, they used genetic, anatomy, morphology, coloration and behavior data.

These fish, also called “rain killifish”, inhabit temporary pools that dry up completely during part of the year. Although there are more than 10 species in Argentina, they are unknown to the majority of the population.

Argolebias guaraní was found in a natural reserve where research and conservation actions are also carried out. Although it seems like a minor detail, protected areas are important because they conserve the ecological diversity found there, and killifish are the most endangered in South America.

“Half of the species of killifish live in these temporary wetlands of very little extension and depth, which fill up with the rains and dry up completely in part of the year. By presenting these characteristics, they are very easy to be modified by humans and they disappear quickly, not only in Argentina but throughout the world”, Alonso emphasizes. In this sense, the advance of the agricultural frontier and of the cities are two of the main causes that motivate the filling of wetlands.

“Protected areas are very important because they can serve to conserve that diversity. So, if these types of environments are present within protected areas, it is very important because the ecosystem is protected”, remarks the Conicet scientist.

Although it is not the case of Argolebias guaraní, there are species that are not found within protected natural reserves. In general terms, these areas are created based on criteria related to terrestrial flora and fauna, and not to aquatic flora and fauna, which has a different logic. “It is important that when designing and creating protected areas, the biological values ​​of aquatic organisms and the particularities of their biology are taken into account,” reflects Alonso.