Goby species identified in Taiwan and the Philippines
在台灣和菲律賓發現新的鰕虎品種
| Stiphodon chlorestes, previously documented in 2012, formally recognized
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A new species of goby has been discovered in streams of Taiwan and the Philippines, National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) announced Monday (Nov. 18). The new species was first recorded in northern Taiwan in 2012. It was previously unidentified due to improperly preserved specimens, said doctoral student Chuang Wei-cheng (莊維誠). Recent collections in both countries provided researchers with the necessary specimens to conduct detailed studies. This finally led to the species' official identification and naming. The fish's name, Stiphodon chlorestes, is derived from its striking resemblance to the South American white-chinned sapphire hummingbird. Its rapid fin movements mimic the bird's wing beats, and the male's metallic blue head and olive-green body share a similar color palette. The fish exhibits a diadromous life cycle, migrating between freshwater and saltwater environments. After hatching, the larvae are carried to estuaries or coastal waters, where they mature into juveniles before returning to freshwater to grow and reproduce, said research leader and dean of NSYSU College of Marine Sciences Liao Te-yu (廖德裕). Liao believes that the presence of such species indicates a healthy river ecosystem and can reflect environmental changes. Unlike larger rivers, single-source streams flow directly from mountains to the ocean. As domestic scholars conduct further research into the fish diversity of these streams, an increasing number of new diadromous fish species are being identified. This underscores the unique biodiversity of Taiwan's single-source rivers and emphasizes the importance of their conservation, Liao said. While river restoration projects and water control structures can mitigate soil erosion and stabilize riverbeds, they can also have unintended consequences, such as the concretization of river channels and the alteration of hydrological conditions. These changes can hinder fish migration and negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. Future engineering projects in these areas should be carefully planned to minimize negative impacts on the ecosystem, Liao suggested. This includes optimizing downstream sandbars and implementing protective measures to maintain the health of these unique river systems. |
|
| Charlotte Lee, Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2024-11-18 |
