‘Dusky rose’ creature bought in Philippines market — and discovered as new species

Irene Wright
·2 min read
9

On the islands of the Philippines, commercial and local fishermen pile into markets to sell their catches.

In an attempt to document the species of fish changing hands, a group of American researchers scoured the markets for previously undiscovered species.

Island to island, the researchers bought fish and compared them to the record of species in the area.

Then, just 6 inches long, a “pinkish” fish stood out from the rest.

It was a new species.

Emmelichthys papillatus, a species of redbait, was discovered in two different island markets, according to a March 22 study published in ZooKeys.

The new species of redbait was named for protrusions on its body, researchers said. Girard, Santos and Bemis via ZooKeys
The new species of redbait was named for protrusions on its body, researchers said. Girard, Santos and Bemis via ZooKeys

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“All three specimens of (E. papillatus) were collected from markets of the Visayas region of the Philippines,” the researchers said.

The three fish ranged in size from 5 to 6 inches long and were identifiable by their “dusky rose” color.

The fish is pink along its top, then fades to “silver-pink” along the sides with some “darker pink” scales, according to the study.

It also has bright red lips, the study said.

The fish earned its name from the feature that sets it apart from other redbait, the researchers said.

The fish have “two prominent fleshy papillae,” or protrusions, from the bony area of the clavicle, along with fewer fins along its sides and fewer gill rakers, or the bones in the flesh of gills. DNA also showed the species was different from other redbait.

Specimens were bought from two different island fish markets, the researchers said. Girard, et. al./ZooKeys
Specimens were bought from two different island fish markets, the researchers said. Girard, et. al./ZooKeys

Along with its English name, papillated redbait, the researchers gave the fish a name in Tagalog, one of the major languages spoken in the Philippines.

They named it rebentador pula, the former meaning “salesman” and the latter meaning “ruby” or “red.”

Redbait are also known as rovers or rubyfishes and stand out from other small fish with bodies “bright red in color” and a mouth that sticks out with almost no teeth, according to the study.

“In the Philippines, species of (redbait) are caught by bagnet, Danish seine, fish corrals, hook and line, otoshi ami, purse seine, ringnet, stationary liftnet and trawl,” to be sold in markets, the researchers said.

Other redbait are sold in markets in the same islands as the new species, Cebu and Panay, as well as the island of Caraga, according to the study.

The two islands are in the center of the Philippines, off the east coast of Vietnam.

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