Assoc. Prof. Aphinan Suwannaraks, a researcher at Maejo University’s Faculty of Fisheries Technology and Aquatic Resources and Director of the university’s Office of Agricultural Resaerch and Extension, announced that a new type of batfish, named Oreoglanis omkoiense Suvarnaraksha, 2020 has been discovered in Omkoi District.
The discovery was published in the Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 2020. The fish is found in cool, rapid flow and clean water, which means that the fish can be used as an indicator of the health of an ecology.
“Oreoglanis omkoiense is in the Oreoglanis family,” said Assoc. Prof. Aphinan, who says that the flat-bottomed fish is found near underwater rocks. It is a fish which requires a very healthy environment in order to thrive with water at a consistent temperature, strength, purity and at the same levels of oxygen year round. With only 30-60 eggs, this fish is very sensitive to chemicals in the water. It is very important to keep the environment clean to maintain habitat.”
