Peruvian scientists discover rare light-colored Amazon fish
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Peruvian scientists from the Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (IIAP) discovered a nearly white fish in the Ucayali River near Pucallpa, Peru.
The fish is a specimen of Pterodoras granulosus, commonly called cahuara or piro, a species typically dark in color. This marks the first documented case of leucism, a partial loss of pigmentation, in this type of catfish.
The 11.3-centimeter fish stood out due to its pale, creamy white coloration with slight pink tones on its head, abdomen, and fins. Researchers distinguished leucism from albinism because the fish retained normal pigmentation in its eyes. While pigmentary changes have been observed in various animals, scientific records of these occurrences in Amazonian fish remain limited, making this discovery valuable for understanding natural variability in the region’s aquatic ecosystems.
The IIAP team conducted a comparative morphological analysis, examining 24 measurements on the leucistic fish and ten normally colored individuals from the same area. They found no significant structural anomalies or clear morphological differences, suggesting the condition primarily affects color rather than overall anatomy.
Scientists are now considering how this lack of pigmentation might affect the fish's survival, noting the Ucayali River’s murky waters and the species’ nocturnal habits could offer some protection from predators, but further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
