Lost fish found
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Hi fish fans,
I am going to share an iNaturalist journal post that you really must see. It shows the power and potential of iNaturalist and its community of users.
On October 15, 2020, Damien Brouste uploaded an observation of what was previously thought to be an extinct fish. Damien’s photograph of a Dumbéa River Pipefish in New Caledonia. has meant scientists have re-discovered one of the fishes named in the Search for the Lost Fishes campaign
The journal post you must see is called ‘The Rediscovery of a Lost Fish on iNaturalist’. It discusses the significance of Damien’s observation and explains how the Dumbéa River Pipefish, which was described in 1981, slipped off of the conservation community's radar and was thought to be extinct.
If a species is believed to be extinct then all conservation efforts cease. Knowing the species still exists however allows conservation efforts to kick back into top gear. The rediscovery of the Dumbéa River pipefish will hopefully focus research on the species distribution, and potential threats. This information can help scientists assess the risk of extinction.
The post states that “Damien's sighting of the Dumbéa River pipefish is the perfect example of how iNaturalist can connect people and give their observations a global platform.” I couldn’t agree more.
The Australasian Fishes Project now contains over 126000 observations of more than 2700 species uploaded by nearly 4000 people. Please continue to upload your observations. Together we are building a comprehensive picture of the ichthyofauna of Australia and New Zealand and who knows, we may even rediscover our own ‘extinct fish’.
Comentarios
Great story Mark, and really illustrates the power of not only citizen science but also the network connecting them all over the world. It is nice to know, through our support oi iNat, that we too can play such a significant role in understanding the diversity and distribution of life on Earth.
Love this story, fantastic! Thanks for re-sharing.
Well done!
That's so awesome, thanks Mark
Thanks for your kind comments. I thought it was pretty cool! M :)
I hope more people will go in rivers and share their discoveries :)
Agreed, @damienbr :)
A nice demonstration on way iNat and citizen science is so useful!
Yay, good news story and shows the importance of citizen science, brilliant.
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