First Record of Tibetan Fish Species Schizopygopsis Waddellii in India

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Key takeaways

Scientists have documented the Tibetan fish species Schizopygopsis waddellii for the first time in India at Pangkang Teng Tso Lake in Arunachal Pradesh.
Found at an altitude of 12,800 feet, this discovery expands the known geographical range of trans-Himalayan fish species into the Eastern Himalayas.
The species was confirmed through advanced techniques involving physical body structure examination and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis by ICAR-DCFR scientists.
The fish possesses unique biological features including a hard lip structure for scraping algae and specialized adaptations to survive freezing, low-oxygen waters.

Scientists from the ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research and the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Fisheries have documented the rare Tibetan fish species Schizopygopsis waddellii for the first time in India.

This cold-adapted freshwater fish belongs to the Cyprinidae family, which includes the snowtrout group. Researchers confirmed its discovery by combining body feature studies with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecular analysis.

The species naturally lives in cold, high-altitude waters across the Tibetan and Chinese plateaus, with Yamdok Lake in Tibet recognized as its original home.
In India, researchers found this fish at Pangkang Teng Tso Lake, located at an altitude of 12,800 feet in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

It has a streamlined, cylindrical body that helps it swim smoothly, featuring a dark olive back and a silvery-white belly.
Its mouth has a hard, plate-like lip structure designed specifically to scrape algae and biological layers off underwater rocks.
A deeply split tail fin allows the fish to swim quickly through strong currents, while a clear lateral line system helps it sense movement in the water.
Male and female fish look quite different, as male fish show bright colors and small spines on their bodies, while female fish lack spines and have duller colors.
The fish is biologically adapted to survive freezing water, low oxygen levels, and nutrient-poor mountain lakes.

This discovery officially adds a new fish species to India's freshwater wildlife records and expands the known range of Himalayan aquatic species.
It provides important evidence linking the mountain water ecosystems of the Eastern Himalayas with the vast Tibetan Plateau.