A recently-discovered member of the genus Dario with an interesting history is described from southern India in the journal Zootaxa this week.

This is the first record of the genus in southern India. © Hayath

New species Dario urops is named in reference to the conspicuous ocellus on the caudal peduncle, the presence of which distinguishes it from the other three members of the genus, and it can be further told apart by presence of a horizontal suborbital stripe (vs. absence in congeners), by lacking extended lappets on the dorsal-fin spines (vs. possessing), and unusual vertebral counts (14+14–15= 28–29 vs 11–13+12–14=24–27). Continue reading »