The Spinach Pipefish (Microphis spinachioides) – a rare freshwater fish that scientists had not recorded since the 1980s – has been caught again in the Sepik River system in Papua New Guinea, reports Discover Wildlife.
The Sepik is one of the region's largest river systems, stretching over 1,100 kilometers and including numerous tributaries, lakes, forests, and wetlands. For local residents, the river is the primary mode of transportation, and traveling between villages often requires several hours by boat and canoe.
Researchers Jerricoh Ageba and Roger Maika spent two weeks studying the Sepik and speaking with local communities. It turned out that residents of some villages knew this rare fish and could recognize it from photographs.
Local fisherwoman Helen Asu played an important role in its rediscovery. She catches freshwater prawns with a traditional hand net called "umben" and told scientists that she had encountered the Spinach Pipefish several times.
The next morning, Helen went to the river and caught two such fish. The researchers showed photos of the find to Australian ichthyologist Gerald Allen, who had confirmed the existence of this species in the Sepik back in the 1980s. He was also able to identify the caught fish as the Spinach Pipefish.
Scientists noted that without the knowledge and help of local residents, the rediscovery of the rare species might not have happened. Researchers emphasize that in such remote regions, scientific work largely depends on cooperation with local communities.
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