Researchers have found that Kavalan rice fish is not the same species as Chinese rice fish, but a Taiwanese indigenous fish species that evolved independently with distinctive traits.
The research was done by the Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute in collaboration with the National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU) and the National Chiayi University (NCYU).
Kavalan rice fish, or Oryzias cabaranensis, is mainly found in northern Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of the New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau
It used to be categorized as Chinese rice fish or Japanese rice fish.
Institute assistant researcher Yeh Ming-fon (葉明峰) collaborated with NTOU marine biology professor Chen I-hsiung (陳義雄) and NCYU aquatic biosciences professor Lai Hung-chih (賴弘智) to conduct a field survey.
They compared samples collected from the Shuanglianpi (雙連埤) wetland area in Yilan County with topotypes of Chinese rice fish sourced from Kunming, China.
The comparison results showed that Kavalan rice fish is a previously undistinguished small freshwater fish species.
The species has a maximum body length of about 3cm and a pale, milky yellow body color.
It has a black dotted longitudinal stripe running along the side of its body and pale blue eyes.
Kavalan rice fish lack the back ridge that Chinese rice fish have, Yeh said.
They have 29 vertebrae, while Chinese rice fish have 31.
The finding revised the taxonomic understanding of different rice fish species distributed in East Asia, the institute said.
The study has significant scientific value for research on Taiwanese native fish biodiversity and conservation of local ecosystems, it said.
The institute said it would advise that Kavalan rice fish be included in the freshwater fish monitoring and protection system, given its habitats in northern Taiwan are facing severe threats.
The research has been published in the journal Zootaxa.
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