Fish discovered in Fiordland could uncover new ecosystem
An University of Otago researcher has landed what could be a significant scientific catch.
Using a two-kilometre line and some Marmite, what is believed to be a new species of fish was lured from the depths of Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau last month.
The fish, which looks vaguely like whitebait, is being DNA tested. If confirmed as a new species, it could reveal the secrets of a whole new ecosystem deep, deep in the lakes.
Zoology researcher Dr Roe Stuart discovered the odd fish.
“When I designed this project, everyone was quite sceptical that I’d actually find anything down there,” they told Checkpoint on Friday.
“Prior to my work, the deepest we’d ever found fish in New Zealand lakes was 90 metres, so finding them at 460m was quite remarkable.”
Also remarkable is its appearance.
“Each fish is slightly different, but all of them have really huge, quite bulbous-looking eyes, really large holes in their snout that we think are used for sensing things in the system.
“And the fish that we found in Wanaka is so transparent that you can actually see its brain through the top of its head.”
A potentially new species of fish.
University of Otago / supplied
The light levels that deep are so low, the fish’s skin doesn’t need pigment, she said, adding that it was “pretty cool”.
“I think they’re cute, but maybe that’s just me.”
The Marmite trick they said was a common technique.
“It’s got lots of salts and minerals and things in it, and it dissolves quite well into the water. So presumably it creates quite a plume that’s a very attractive scent to the fish to lure them into your traps.”
They said the find was very exciting, “opening up this whole realm of possibilities”.
“This ecosystem we didn’t know was there, these species or potential species that we didn’t know were there, and all of these connections and kind of various ways that these systems are interacting that we hadn’t actually considered before.
Dr Roe Stuart.
University of Otago / supplied
“I’m really excited to get some cameras down there and see if I can see some bigger fish.”
As for a name, if it’s approved as a new species she wants to call it “Galaxis googly eye”.
“I definitely get to at least suggest a name.”