Four-year-old Dhanvi from Kozhikode helps discover subterranean eel loach The New Indian Express dated 06th May 2025

CMFRI, Library (2025) Four-year-old Dhanvi from Kozhikode helps discover subterranean eel loach The New Indian Express dated 06th May 2025. The New Indian Express.

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Abstract

In a remarkable blend of childhood curiosity and scientific curiosity, a four-year-old girl has become the unlikely face behind the discovery of a new subterranean fish species from Kerala. Dhanvi Dheera, fondly called Juhu, first noticed the unusual fish while playing with water collected from a well in their house during a visit to Naduvannur in Kozhikode district. Her observation prompted her mother Aswani Lalu to investigate further, which eventually led to a groundbreaking scientific revelation. Aswani, who used to draw water from a dugout perennial well owned by Malol Karthiayani Amma, noticed the tiny eel-like fish and informed local experts. The well, situated at an elevation of 150 m above sea level, receives continuous underground water flow from the hilly terrains of Vallora Mala and drains through a natural subterranean channel, making it an ideal habitat for rare aquatic life.

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