Rare Himalayan Fish Schizopygopsis waddellii Recorded in India for the First Time, in Tawang
Scientists have recorded Schizopygopsis waddellii, a cold-adapted high-altitude fish of the Cyprinidae family, in India for the first time - from Pangkang Teng Tso Lake in Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh, at about 12,800 feet. Ten specimens collected in July 2026 were confirmed through morphological examination and mitochondrial DNA analysis by ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research (CICFR), Bhimtal, working with the state Department of Fisheries and the Shar-Tso Committee. The species was previously known only from the Tibetan Plateau, including Yamdrok Lake, so the find extends its range and adds a species to India's freshwater fish fauna.
ICAR-Central Institute of Coldwater Fisheries Research is located at Bhimtal, Uttarakhand | Cyprinidae, the carp and minnow family, is the largest family of freshwater fishes | Arunachal Pradesh became a full state on 20 February 1987 and its capital is Itanagar