In a remarkable exhibition of achievement, Zootaxa, a peer-reviewed scientific mega journal for Animal Taxonomists published by Magnolia Press (Auckland, New Zealand) in their latest edition featured an incredible discovery of a new species of Labeonine fish – Garra Nambashiensis.
Dr BD Shangningam Anal and her team of research scholars made the discovery in the Taretlok River (a tributary of the Chindwin River), near Nambashi valley in Kasom Khullen, Kamjong Dsitrict, Manipur, India.
This new species is distinguished from its congeners in having a quadrate-shaped unilobed proboscis with a row of 7-8 medium to large-sized conical acanthoid tubercles on anterolateral margin; a prominent transverse lobe bearing 21-23 medium to large-sized, conical acanthoid tubercles; 34-35 lateral-line scales, a black spot on each side of opercle, immediately anterior to upper angle of gil opening; dorsal fin last branched ray extending beyond anal-fin origin; dorsal-fin base with 8-11 scales; and presence of six distinct narrow black stripes extending to posterior margin of the hypural plate.
This is the 36th new fish discovery and naming for Dr BD Shangningam Anal who hails from Chakpikarong village in Chandel District. A prominent figure in the field of Freshwater Fish Systematics, Molecular Biology and Conservation, Biodiversity, Wetlands and Climate Change, Dr Shangningam is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology in Dhanamanjuri University, Imphal.
Previously affiliated as a Scientist in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi, Dr Shangningam earned her Ph.D from Manipur University and was a Post Doctoral Fellow from Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata.
Dr Shangningam has a research experience of over thirteen years in Fish Systematics and has published Two books and two book chapters and 53 research articles, all peer reviewed.
