The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has identified a new carangid (Vatta) species from the Indian coast. It belongs to the ‘queen fish’ group and is named scomberoides pelagicus’ The fish is locally known as pola vatta.
The CMFRI confirmed it as a new species after detailed taxonomic and genetic analysis. “The new fish is distinct by deep ovate body, concave dorsal head profile and stout and less numerous gill rakers on the first gill arch compared to the closely related species,” said a communication.
