UAE-Based Scientist Finds New Fish Species In Oman

May 27, 2009

Release from: Emmanuelle Landais
Gulf News

Dubai: A new species of Arabian freshwater fish has been discovered by a UAE-based researcher and conservation officer at Emirates Wildlife Society - World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF).

The small wadi fish was found in the Dhofra region of Oman near a village called Hasik near Salalah. To date there were only sixteen recorded species of primary freshwater fish throughout the Arabian Peninsula

The freshwater fish, called Garra Smarti after its discoverer Emma Smart, was located in a geographically isolated pool of water in a Southern Oman wadi.

"I don't know how widespread the species is yet as these were found in one wadi. Initially three fish were in one pool. I left these alone as I didn't know at this stage if there were more. The following day there was heavy rain which caused flash floods, and more fish appeared," said Smart.

After studying a number of subtle parameters on the fish, Smart was able to show the Garra Smarti is different from UAE freshwater fish Garra barremiae.

"They have [a] similar body shape but I look at things that do not change at all. For instance the number of scales along the lateral line, and the variations of the dorsal fin for instance," Smart said.

Smart is involved in EWS-WWF's Wadi Wuraya project studying the ecology of the Garra barremiae, endemic to the UAE mountains.

"So little has been studied regarding freshwater ecosystems of the UAE and Arabian Peninsula as a whole and I hope to learn a great deal about the ecology of these fascinating habitats and their wildlife."