 |
| This handout picture released on May 13, 2011 by Conservation International Indonesia and taken on May 11, 2011 off the resort island of Bali shows a new species of fish named "Parapercis". Scientists from Conservation International have discovered eight new fish and one new coral species off Indonesia's Bali island. Indonesia is a massive archipelago of 17,000 island which are home to rich marine biodiversity. (AFP Photo) |
Relatedarticles
- Costly Flash Flood Sweeps Through Southern Bali 9:13am Nov 11, 2011
- New Wasp Species Discovered in Indonesia Shocks Scientists 1:08pm Sep 1, 2011
- Eight New Reef Fish Found Off Bali 2:38pm May 13, 2011
- Pair of Dolphins Found Dead on Bali Beach 10:57pm Jan 12, 2011
- Road Over the Sea to Ease Bali Traffic 12:22am Dec 1, 2010
Denpasar.Scientists from the US-based Conservation International said they may havediscovered 12 new fish species in the waters off of Bali.
“Right nowthe fish are being identified and classified. Hopefully by December, or at thelatest by January, the names can be listed and formalized [as new species],”the group’s coral fish researcher Mark van Nydeck said on Sunday.
Theunidentified species cover a number of genus and families, including the eels,damsels and coral fishes in the genus of Siphamia, Heteroconger, Apogon,Parapercis, Meiacanthus, Manonichthys, Grallenia and Pseudochromis.
Partneringwith the local maritime and fisheries agency, the Bali Marine Rapid AssessmentProgram began in January with a survey of 33 marine locations around Balicovering depths of 10 meters to 70 meters.
The groupsaid Bali had a high level of marine biodiversity, with more than 1,000 speciesof fish.
In May,Conservation International discovered eight new species of coral fishes and onenew species of coral. The species were believed to be endemic to the area andhad not migrated from other regions.
The studyfound that coral reefs in Bali had been well-preserved and their condition wassignificantly better than that reported in studies 20 years ago.
But somespecies of fish are becoming increasingly hard to find, such as sharks andgroupers. The finding indicates that there has been over-fishing in the area.
More than100 sharks are captured and killed each day in Bali, the group said,particularly the long-finned shark, which is prized for its fins.
Trading inshark fin is legal in Indonesia and can fetch up to Rp 2.5 million ($280) perkilogram.
