Scientists discover new deep-sea eel species off Kerala coast in Arabian Sea

A conger eel collected from deep waters off Kollam has been formally recognised as a species new to science, bringing the count of Ariosoma eels documented in the region to 13.

The specimen, netted at a depth of about 300 metres in January 2026, has been named Ariosoma cmfriense to mark the 80th anniversary of the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), whose scientists described the discovery.

Morphology and DNA evidence confirm distinct species

Researchers identified the eel as distinct through a combination of morphological characteristics and molecular evidence, according to a communication from the institute. The detailed taxonomic examination distinguished it from the 12 currently recognised Ariosoma species reported from Indian and neighbouring waters.

The discovery was made by a team led by Rekha J. Nair, Principal Scientist at CMFRI, as part of the Deep Ocean Mission of the Ministry of Earth Sciences. The work underscores the biodiversity still being catalogued in the deeper reaches of the Arabian Sea, where systematic sampling remains limited.

Source: The Hindu