New Freshwater Catfish Species discovered in Northern Western Ghats

A new species of freshwater catfish, Amblyceps vayavy, has been discovered in the northern Western Ghats across Maharashtra and Goa.

• The species is believed to be endemic to west-flowing rivers of the northern Western Ghats.
• Amblyceps is a genus comprising 24 known species found in moderate to fast-flowing rivers across South and Southeast Asia.
• The name “vayavy” means “northwest” in Marathi and Konkani, reflecting the species’ distribution in the northern Western Ghats.
• The species was first reported in 2020 when Mumbai-based citizen scientist Neil Soares discovered a specimen in the Kundalika River at Kolad, ....