A New Fish Species Discovered In South America’s Amazon Rainforest Was Named After The Main Villain In The Lord Of The Rings
Thousands of new animal species are still being identified each year. The latest discovery is in the form of a never-before-seen fish that is related to piranhas. Researchers have named it after Sauron, the main antagonist in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The species was found in South America’s Amazon Rainforest, specifically in the Xingu River basin of Brazil.
Scientifically, the fish is known as Myloplus sauron, and it is a type of pacu, which is a group of fish in the Serrasalmidae family that includes piranhas.
Although pacus share many similarities in appearance with piranhas, they lack the sharp teeth that are necessary to eat meat. Instead, they have a primarily plant-based diet.
After completing an analysis of serrasalmids in the region, scientists know of two new pacu species. Previously, they believed there was only one—Myloplus schomburgkii. This fish could be easily identified among the serrasalmids due to the vertical black stripe across the middle of its body.
However, the latest study has revealed that the fish thought to be Myloplus schomburgkii may actually represent two new species—M. sauron and Myloplus aylan. The new species also had a dark-colored vertical stripe across their bodies.
Thanks to DNA testing, the scientists found that Myloplus schomburgkii, M. sauron, and M. aylan are all separate species.
They observed subtle differences in certain characteristics of the fish, such as the shape of the stripe, the shape of the females’ back fin, the number of vertebrae, and more. For so long, their close resemblances to each other have prevented experts from making the distinction.
“Our results reveal the existence of hidden species within Myloplus schomburgkii, a species of Serrasalmidae with wide distribution in the Amazon basin,” said Valéria Machado, the lead author of the study from the Federal University of Amazonas in Brazil.
SL-Photography – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
“The three species were considered a single taxon, when in fact they are very distinct species genetically and morphologically as well.”
“This separation of species is important since these fish are highly appreciated in the aquarium market and also for consumption by riverside populations in the Amazon.”
The researchers came up with the name for M. sauron after drawing inspiration from The Lord of the Rings.
The villain depicted in the novel and film adaptations is represented by a “Great Eye.” The pattern of M. sauron is similar to the Eye of Sauron, especially with its orange patches.
Other animals have been named after Sauron as well, including a frog, a dinosaur, and a group of butterflies.
Overall, the Amazon is full of biodiversity that still has not been identified, and M. sauron is a stark reminder of that.
The study was published in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings