Researchers have identified a new species of fish—one that is closely related to piranhas—and have named it after Sauron, the main antagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings.
The fish, Myloplus sauron, lives in South America's Amazon Rainforest region, although the species appears to be restricted to the Xingu River basin of Brazil. It has a primarily plant-based diet and is a type of pacu, a group of fish in the Serrasalmidae family, which also includes piranhas.
M. sauron is one of two new pacu species described by scientists in a study published in the journal Neotropical Ichthyology. Both of the new descriptions are based on a review of serrasalmids in the region. This review led to a re-description of the species, Myloplus schomburgkii—the most easily recognized fish among the serrasalmids thanks to the vertical black bar visible in the middle of its body.
The latest study, however, has revealed that fish specimens that may previously have been identified as M. schomburgkii actually represent two new species—M. sauron and Myloplus aylan. The new species also share a dark vertical bar on their flank.
M. schomburgkii, M. sauron, and M. aylan were revealed to be separate species thanks to DNA analysis, which identified distinctive genetic profiles, as well as a close examination of the bodies of several specimens. Researchers observed subtle differences in the shape of the vertical bar, the shape of the females' anal fin and the number of total vertebrae, among other characteristics.
It seems that the existence of the two new species had long been obscured by the similar appearances of these three fish, particularly the presence of the black bar.
"Our results reveal the existence of hidden species within Myloplus schomburgkii, a species of Serrasalmidae with wide distribution in the Amazon basin," Valéria Machado, lead author of the study with the Federal University of Amazonas in Brazil, told Newsweek.
"The three species were considered a single taxon, when in fact they are very distinct species genetically and morphologically as well," Machado said. "This separation of species is important since these fish are highly appreciated in the aquarium market and also for consumption by riverside populations in the Amazon."
The particular appearance of M. sauron led to it being named after the villain from The Lord of the Rings, who is symbolized in the novel and film adaptations by a "Great Eye."
"As soon as one of my colleagues came up with the name for this fish, we knew it was perfect for it," Rupert Collins, senior curator of fishes with the Natural History Museum in London and an author of the study, said in a press release. "Its pattern looks a lot like the Eye of Sauron, especially with the orange patches on its body."
"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."
This new species is not the only animal to have been named after Sauron; other examples include a dinosaur, a frog, and even a group of butterflies.
While pacus look similar to piranhas and are closely related, they lack the distinctive sharp teeth that enable the latter to eat meat. Instead, pacus consume plants and fruits.
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