Indigenous fisherwoman finds ‘lost’ spinach pipefish, not seen by science in 40 years
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. On the final day of a two-week expedition, where researchers were searching for a “lost” species along Papua New Guinea’s Sepik River, Helen Asu arrived with two small, greenish-brown fish. She had caught them while fishing for prawns […]
In a remarkable discovery during a recent expedition along Papua New Guinea's Sepik River, indigenous fisherwoman Helen Asu found what scientists have been searching for: the elusive spinach pipefish, a species last sighted by researchers 40 years ago. The fish were caught near Imbando village in East Sepik province using Helen's traditional hand net, the umben, while she was fishing for prawns.
The spinach pipefish, scientifically known as Microphis spinachioides, is a freshwater relative of seahorses and seadragons. Growing up to 15 centimeters in length, it utilizes its elongated snout to capture small prey. Its greenish-brown coloration enables it to blend seamlessly with water lilies and other plants along the riverbanks. However, due to the destruction of the original specimen during World War II, much of the fish's biology and ecology remain unknown.
Since its last assessment for the IUCN Red List in 2016, the spinach pipefish has been classified as data deficient. Researchers at Papua New Guinea University's New Guinea Binatang Research Centre described the species as one of the 10 most sought-after species, indicating its significance in the scientific community. The expedition's leader, Jerrica Agebigo, expressed immense excitement upon seeing the fish, stating that the find was truly exceptional.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
