Two more species of seer fish identified in Indian waters

KOCHI: Two more species of seer fish have been discovered in Indian waters-Arabian Sparrow and Russell's spotted seer fish. This is the first time that the Arabian Sparrow has been spotted.

Russell's spotted (Scomberomorus leopardus) was discovered much later. With this, there are six varieties of seer fish in India.

The findings were made by researchers from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Kochi. CMFRI Principal Scientist Dr EM Abdusamad's team made the identification through taxonomic and genetic studies collected from different parts of the Indian coast. Russell's spotted seer fish was found in the Bay of Bengal from Nagapatnam to Andaman.

Arabian Sparrow

This name is given because it has a lip similar to a sparrow

The scientific name is Scomberomorus avirostrus

Available from Mangalore to the north in the Arabian Sea

They can be seen up to the Gulf region

Other varieties

North of Nagapatnam on the Bay of Bengal

Andaman Sea and China Sea

1 to 3 kg weight.