In News:

The Sangon clan of Arunachal Pradesh has launched a community-led initiative to conserve the Transcaspian Marinka (Schizothorax pelzami), a Himalayan ray-finned fish that holds ecological as well as cultural significance. The initiative aims to protect the species while preserving traditional conservation practices.

About Transcaspian Marinka

• The Transcaspian Marinka (Schizothorax pelzami) is a freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the genus Schizothorax under the family Cyprinidae (carps and minnows).
• It is locally known as 'Ngarsing' in the Nyishi language of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The species inhabits freshwater rivers, streams, springs, and qanats (traditional underground water channels), where it occupies a benthopelagic niche, living and feeding close to the riverbed as well as in the water column.
• Although primarily distributed in Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran, populations are also reported from parts of the eastern Himalayas.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC)

About Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii)

• The ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) constitute the largest and most diverse class of fishes, accounting for nearly half of all living vertebrate species.
• Their fins are supported by slender bony rays rather than fleshy lobes, enabling remarkable adaptability across diverse aquatic habitats.
• They inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, including high-altitude lakes and rivers, desert springs, subterranean caves, and coastal waters. Many species undertake long-distance migrations, while others possess specialised sensory systems such as vision, mechanoreception, chemoreception, electroreception, and magnetic reception, allowing them to navigate and respond effectively to their environment.