New fish species discovered in South China Sea

HANGZHOU -- A Chinese research team has discovered a new fish species, named Mononoke tilefish (Branchiostegus sanae), in South China Sea.

The findings were published Wednesday in the international taxonomic journal Zookeys.

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Zhejiang University, and Ocean University of China identified the new species in the continental slope area between Hainan Island and Xisha Qundao at a depth of about 200 meters.

Huang Haochen, first author of the study, said that the new species, like other deepwater tilefish, is an economically significant species. Despite their culinary value, limited scientific research has been conducted on these deep-dwelling fish.

Known locally as "ghost horsehead fish" due to its distinctive head shape, this new species has long been recognized by fishermen along the South China Sea coast. Researchers collected specimens in 2023, enabling detailed study.

Mononoke tilefish exhibits significant morphological and genetic differences from other tilefish species. While all known specimens were collected between Hainan's Lingshui Li autonomous county and Xisha Qundao, the new species is believed to inhabit the northwestern slope regions of the South China Sea, according to Chen Jingxuan, second author of the study.

With this discovery, the number of known tilefish species in Chinese waters has risen to six. The Mononoke tilefish, which can exceed 40 centimeters in length, represents a rare find of a medium-to-large fish species in recent years. Further research into its biology and evolutionary history is expected to contribute to the conservation of local biodiversity and sustainable fisheries.