Channa ornatipinnis

FOLLOWING a year in which 17 new fish species were identified in Myanmar, a fish researcher from the Natural History Museum in London said there might still be as many as 100 more undiscovered species throughout the country.

“There are no precise figures but my guess is that there are probably 400 fish species in Myanmar, of which 100 are still to be discovered,” Dr Ralf Britz, the leading fish researcher at the museum, told The Myanmar Times by email.

The museum released a press statement on February 14 saying that 2007 was a bumper year for fish discoveries in Myanmar with 17 new species discovered, the highest since 1990. Only one new species was found in 2006, six in 2005 and 11 in 2004.

Of the 17 discoveries in 2007, eight were the direct result of research conducted by Dr Britz, the statement said.

“Every year 300 to 400 new fish species are described [globally] and so 17 new species for Myanmar in 2007 seems to be high number initially but it is only 5 percent of all new species described,” Dr Britz said in his email, adding that the identification of the fish was very exciting for scientists interested in Southeast Asia.

He said he has been fascinated by fish since the age of seven and has been in love with Myanmar since he first visited in 1996.

His scientific explorations in the country started in 1998. Since then he has described about 60 new fish species during four visits.

“Once I had started my career as an ichthyologist [fish expert] I wanted to learn more about the fish fauna of Myanmar so I planned my first trip. And since I went to Myanmar for the first time, I have always wanted to go back,” he said.
“I am primarily interested in freshwater fishes because they include species that occur only in Myanmar,” he added.

Dr Britz said that during his visits he has been to rivers in the Yangon area, as well as in Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay Division; Inle Lake in Shan State; Myitkyina, Indawgyi Lake and Putao in Kachin State; and the Rakhine Yoma in Rakhine State.

“My field work has focused on Myanmar but I have also described fishes from Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, India and even from Cameroon in Africa,” he said.

“But Myanmar is especially exciting for me because it has such a variation in climate, landscape and habitats so that the rivers harbour a large variety of fish species. Of course other countries have a similar diversity but I think Myanmar has more scientifically unexplored areas,” he said.

According to the museum statement, Dr Britz and his team were the first researchers to collect scientific specimens in some areas of Myanmar, with one species even found in a particular stream that was less than 8 kilometres (5 miles) long.

Dr Britz said all of his expeditions in Myanmar have been conducted with help from the Department of Fisheries.

“They have been very helpful. In addition to giving me permission for research, they discuss destinations with me and give advice on where to go and how,” he said.

He said he has never had problems visiting Myanmar because the people are “extremely welcoming, warm and helpful”.

“We have had only positive responses from local people. Often they are very proud when they hear that a new species has been discovered in the stream close to their village,” he said. “The only problem can be the logistics – that is, how to get to the area you would like to go.”

Dr Britz said that of the 17 species identified last year, some had been collected during an expedition during the year and others were identified from samples collected in previous expeditions or from other specimen collections.
Among the eight he personally described were two snakeheads, four eel loaches and two spiny eels.

“Among the species that I myself discovered and described, my favourite is Channa ornatipinnis. It was such an exceptional find in an area where I never expected it, that it will always remain very special to me. And in addition it is an extremely beautiful and colourful fish,” he said.

The species, commonly known as the dwarf snakehead, ranges in size from 12 to 120 centimetres and lives in freshwater rivers, streams and lakes. It is also an oral brooder, which means it raises its young in its mouth.

Dr Britz said the small size and pretty colours of the species will make it popular as an ornamental fish.

“There are only 30 species of snakeheads and when I saw the colour pattern of the one in the net, I know straightaway that it was a new species,” he said.
After collecting the fish samples, he took them to the Natural History Museum for more detailed study and to compare them to specimens in the museum’s collection.

He explained that scientists who think they might have found a new species must write up a detailed analysis, including a suggested name for the animal, and send it to a respected scientific journal. Other experts in that scientific field review the manuscript and once they are in agreement, the description can be accepted and published, and the newly named species is created.

Meanwhile, Dr Britz said he was in the process of planning his next trip to Myanmar.

“It will hopefully take place at the end of 2008 or early 2009,” he said. “One of my dream areas to collect fish is the Chindwin basin, from far north down to Monywa in Mandalay Division. I hope this will be possible someday.”

He said he had little doubt that he will return from his next trip to Myanmar having identified even more new fish species.