New fish species discovered in South America after review of old samples
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Junior Chuctaya Vásquez, a researcher at the Peruvian Institute of Amazonian Research (IIAP), led a study that identified Odontostilbe britskii, a new species of fish in South America.
The discovery came from reviewing existing specimens of Odontostilbe paraguayensis held in scientific collections. Researchers found differences in the body structure, scales, and bones that proved some samples belonged to a distinct species. The study also included a detailed description of O. paraguayensis itself, clarifying its identity and where it lives.
Scientists created a guide to help identify different Odontostilbe species within the Paraná-Paraguay river basins. Odontostilbe britskii currently is known only from small pools along the Corumbataí River, part of the upper Paraná River system in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Researchers named the new species after Heraldo A. Britski, a Brazilian fish expert, to acknowledge his contributions to understanding neotropical fishes.
Britski actually collected some of the fish specimens used in the study, including the primary sample, back in February 1963. The team emphasizes that scientific collections are valuable resources for tracking biodiversity and re-examining past identifications.
