Meet Sauron piranha, new Amazon fish species named after Lord of the Rings villain
A newly discovered piranha-like fish species in the Brazilian Amazon has been named Sauron, after Lord Sauron from the Lord of the Rings. According to scientists, the new species was named Myloplus sauron because its round body and distinctive orange and black markings closely resemble the infamous evil eye of author J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional character.
Looks like Sauron¡¯s eye
¡°Me and the coauthors thought the name would be a nice idea ¡ª it really looks like Sauron¡¯s eye,¡± said study coauthor Victš®ria Pereira, a graduate student in biology at the University of Paulista in S?o Paulo, Brazil.
Also read:?New Species Of Fish Discovered In Kerala Named 'Gollum' As Tribute To 'The Lord Of The Rings'
"As soon as my colleagues suggested the name for this fish, we knew it was perfect for it," said Dr. Rupert Collins, the British Natural History Museum¡¯s senior curator of fishes.
¡°It looks just like the Eye of Sauron, especially with the red fins and orange patches on its body,¡± he added.
Vegetarian piranha
But unlike its namesake, Myloplus sauron is not bloodthirsty and is, in fact, a vegetarian. It even has human-like teeth to suit its plant-based diet.
Although closely related to piranhas, Myloplus sauron is a "pacu" - the common name usually used for the piranha's vegetarian relatives.
Also read:?Man Running Away From A Swarm Of Bees Falls In The Lake, Gets Eaten By Piranhas
Where was Myloplus sauron found?
Myloplus sauron are found only in the Xingu River Basin, a Brazilian tributary of the Amazon containing more than 600 fish species, including over 70 found nowhere else in the world.
According to Dr. Collins, the discovery of the new species is yet another indication of how little we know about the biodiversity in the Amazon.
¡°With so much undescribed biodiversity in the Amazon and surrounding rivers, its name is also a good reminder to keep an eye out for undescribed species in South America,¡± he said.
It is thought that 42 percent of the fish in the Amazon River and its tributaries have not yet been described by science.
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