On June 12, scientists at the Natural History Museum in the UK announced the discovery of a new vegetarian Pacu fish species named “Sauron,” after the villain from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”
The new species is scientifically named Myloplus sauron, characterized by its round body and distinctive black and orange stripes, reminiscent of the infamous fiery eye of “The Dark Lord” Sauron.
A new vegetarian fish species discovered by scientists in the Amazon region of Brazil, named Sauron after the antagonist in “The Lord of the Rings.” (Source: AFP).
This is one of two new fish species named by scientists to gain a better understanding of the diversity of fish in the Amazon River. They possess human-like teeth, adapted to a diet primarily consisting of plant species.
Although closely related to the Piranha, this species is more commonly known as “pacu,” a term used to refer to its vegetarian relatives.
The research was published in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology on June 11, aiming to clarify the Piranha family and its relatives in the Amazon region, which are notoriously difficult to distinguish due to their appearance changing with age.
Dr. Rupert Collins, the lead author and fish curator at the London museum, stated: “As soon as our colleagues suggested the name for this fish, we knew it was perfect. It looks just like Sauron’s Eye, especially with its red fins and orange patches on the body.“
Myloplus sauron is only found in the Xingu River basin, a tributary of the Amazon in Brazil, which is home to over 600 fish species, including more than 70 species not found anywhere else in the world.
It is estimated that 42% of fish species found in the Amazon River are still unknown to science.
