Guwahati, Dec 17: A quiet hill stream flowing past a village in Ri-Bhoi district has given Meghalaya yet another reason to take pride in its natural heritage. Scientists have formally described a new species of snakehead fish, Channa bhoi, adding to the state’s growing reputation as a hotspot of freshwater biodiversity .
The research has been authored by Jayasimhan Praveenraj, Nallathambi Moulitharan, Aristone M. Ryndongsngi, Tejas Thackeray, Ravi Shanthy Naveen, and Annam Pavan Kumar, and published in the international journal Ichthyology & Herpetology.
What makes the discovery especially compelling for Meghalaya is its deeply local origin. According to lead author J. Praveenraj, the fish first came to his notice in 2019, when it was flagged by Aristone M. Ryndongsngi, a Ri-Bhoi resident and co-author of the study.
“This fish was first brought to my attention by Aristone in 2019—the same person who discovered Channa aristonei,” Praveenraj said. “What fascinated us was that it was found just behind his home in Ri-Bhoi district.”
At the time, the species appeared to be extremely rare. “We could not get additional specimens initially,” Praveenraj recalled. “It was only in 2020 that we managed to collect more samples, which allowed us to confirm that it was indeed a species new to science.”
The fish was found in a small, shallow mountain stream with boulders and riparian vegetation, a habitat typical of Ri-Bhoi’s upland landscapes but one that remains poorly studied. Detailed examination of its colour patterns and genetic makeup showed that Channa bhoi is distinct from all other known snakehead species, including those already recorded from Meghalaya .
Because the species is endemic to Ri-Bhoi district, Praveenraj said the team made a conscious decision while naming it.
“Since the species is endemic to Ri-Bhoi, I took it as an honour to name it after the Bhoi community, who are the original inhabitants of that region,” he said.
Scientists note that Meghalaya, particularly the Khasi and Ri-Bhoi hills, has emerged as a centre of snakehead fish diversity, with several new species described in recent years. The discovery of Channa bhoi once again highlights how Meghalaya’s streams—often flowing past homes and villages—can still hold species unknown to science.
Researchers and conservationists say the finding also underlines the need to protect small hill streams from pollution and unregulated development, as such narrowly distributed species could vanish before they are even documented.
For Ri-Bhoi, the discovery is more than a scientific milestone—it is a reminder that the district’s natural wealth flows quietly through its backyard streams.
