In an intriguing turn of events, it appears that Australians have been consuming a fish species previously unknown to science. This newly identified species, a type of grouper, has been given the scientific name Epinephelus fuscomarginatus.
The journey to this discovery began back in 2000 when Jeff Johnson, a fish expert at the Queensland Museum, was shown photographs of an unfamiliar grouper by a fisherman. Although Johnson was presented with more images over the years, he was unable to obtain physical specimens as they were consistently sold for food. It wasn’t until 2017 that Johnson finally managed to acquire five of these mystery fish from a Brisbane fish market. He promptly set about proving they were indeed a new species.
“As soon as I saw them, I thought they were probably a new species, so I purchased all five and began the hard work of formally proving they were a new species,” Johnson stated.
Genetic testing conducted by Dr. Jessica Worthington Wilmer at the Queensland Museum revealed that the fish was indeed a new species. After comparing the DNA of the specimens with other fish in museum collections, there was sufficient evidence to confirm the discovery.
The new species, while not particularly striking in appearance, managed to remain unnoticed for many years. It resembles other groupers within the Epinephelus genus but is distinguished by its lack of body markings and the dark edges on its fins—a feature reflected in its name, fuscomarginatus, which means “dark-edged” in Latin.
This grouper reaches a length of approximately 70 centimeters (27 inches) and inhabits depths of about 220-230 meters (720-755 feet) off the central part of the Great Barrier Reef. The confirmation of this new species comes from extensive DNA analysis and comparison with related fish species. The grouper is now the 92nd member of the genus Epinephelus and is documented in the journal Zootaxa.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first instance of a new species being identified from a creature destined for consumption. In 2011, a new species of shark was discovered at a fish market in Taiwan. Similarly, an elusive shark, not seen for decades, was rediscovered at a Mumbai fish market just last year. Additionally, in 2010, a new monkey species known for sneezing in the rain was identified in Myanmar, only to be consumed shortly after by locals.
These discoveries underscore how our culinary pursuits can sometimes lead to exciting scientific revelations—assuming the specimens aren’t consumed before they’re identified.
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