Bhubaneswar: Researchers of Zoology Department of the Berhampur University have discovered a new species of fish in Mahanadi river in Odisha's Sonepur district.

The species has been named as 'Awaous motla'.

Joint research in connection with the discovery was conducted by Assistant Professor Jaya Kishor Seth, Sanmitra Roy, Sameer Sura and Dilraj Puvala of Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Berhampur University, and Subhrendu Sekhar Mishra and Anil Mohapatra of Estuarine Biology Regional Centre, Ganjam.

An article in this regard has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Fish Biology. As per the article, "This species is distinct from its congeners by a combination of characteristics: relatively small eyes, its diameter 6.6–8.4 in head length; robust and long snout, 2.0–2.6 in head length; eye diameter 2.7–4.1 in snout length; cephalic sensory pore system interrupted with eight pores; predorsal scales 13–15; longitudinal scale series 55–58; gill rakers 2 + 1 + (6–7) on first gill arch; teeth small, conical and in a single row on the upper jaw and multiserial (2–3) on the lower jaw."

"The new species holds high commercial value in its locality and needs special conservation attention for sustainable utilisation," the article added.

Professor Seth said there is need of more research regarding the species, which will result in collection of better data.