SAU Correspondent
Researchers of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU) discovered a new species of Pufferfish in the rivers and canals surrounding Sundarban mangrove forest.
The researchers expect that the country can earn huge foreign currencies by exporting new Pufferfish as the species is in high demand across the globe.
Studies have been done on the diversity of fish fauna in the Sundarban mangrove forest of Bangladesh by the researchers of SAU.
From this research, they discovered a new species of Pufferfish. The scientific name of this fish is Chelenodontops Bengalensis.
Prof Dr Kaji Ahsan Habib, Dean of Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science of SAU led the joint research team formed with Bangladesh and South Korea researchers. Three researchers of South Korea included in this joint team.
Dr Habib said to the Bangladesh Post, “A new fish has been added to the total fish existing in the world. We started a research in the Dublar Char, Sundarban on May, 2016 and terminated on December, 2017. At first, we collected fish samples.Then identified this new Pufferfish based on Morphology and DNA barcode.”
Chelenodontops Bengalensis is closely related to C. patoca, both species being large puffers with a peculiar, disc-shaped exposed nasal organ. C. Bengalensis has spinules on its lateral sides but not on the caudal peduncle.
The fisherman of Sundarban often catch this fish but never eat it because puffer fish contains toxic compound which is harmful to health. But the people of Japan, South Korea and China eat this fish as a popular delicacy. They remove the toxic compound from puffer fish through a proper processing method.
According to the relevant experts, “This research will surely add new dimension in marine science. By exporting this fish abroad, our country can earn foreign revenue.”