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First pygmy seahorse in Indian Ocean discovered

Published

6 years ago

2020/08/26

A pygmy seahorse about the size of a grain of rice has been first observed in the Indian oceans by a group of researchers including including Research Associate of Zoology and Entomology at Rhodes University, Professor Louw Claassens, Rhodes University said on its official web site yesterday.

Finding the new species in in the Indian ocean was very rare, the researchers stated.

“It’s like finding a kangaroo in Norway,” says Richard Smith, a marine biologist based in the United Kingdom and co-author of a new study on the species, known as the African or Sodwana Bay pygmy seahorse. The second name refers to the location where it was found, a popular scuba-diving spot close to the Mozambique border.

The finding shocked them because all seven species of pygmy seahorse, except for one in Japan, inhabit the Coral Triangle, a biodiverse region of more than two million square miles in the southwestern Pacific. This one lives 5,000 miles away, the first pygmy seahorse seen in all of the Indian Ocean and the continent of Africa.

The new species looks somewhat similar to other pygmy seahorses, except that it has one set of spines on its back that have sharp, incisor-like points on the tips, says co-author Graham Short, an ichthyologist at the California Academy of Sciences and the Australian Museum in Sydney. In contrast, the other similar pygmy seahorses have flat-tipped spines.

“We really don’t know what these spines are used for,” Short says. “Many species of seahorses in general are spiny, so their presence could be possibly due to sexual selection—the females may prefer spinier males.”

The surprising discovery, described in a study published May 19 in the journal ZooKeys, shows how little we know about the ocean, particularly when it comes to tiny creatures, the authors say—and that there are likely many more pygmy seahorse species to be identified.

Dive instructor Savannah Nalu Olivier first stumbled upon the creature in Sodwana Bay in 2017, while examining bits of algae on the seafloor. The bay is known for having many species of rare fish, sharks, and sea turtles.

She shared photographs of the fish with her colleagues, and in 2018 they made their way to Smith, who, with colleague and Research Associate of Zoology and Entomology at Rhodes University, Louw Claassens, collected several specimens of the animal at depths of 40 to 55 feet.

The researchers have named the new seahorse Hippocampus nalu, after Olivier, whose nickname is appropriately “Fish.” (She’s also a Pisces.) In the South African languages Xhosa and Zulu, “nalu” roughly translates to “here it is.”

“I told her that this was a gift from the sea,” says Louis Olivier, Savannah’s father, who owns a scuba diving outfit called Pisces Diving Sodwana Bay. He adds he’s “super stoked about her discovery.”

Smith sent several specimens of the new species to Short, who analyzed their genetics and body structures using a CT scanner.

His research revealed that, like other pygmy seahorses, the newly found animal has two wing-like structures on its back, rather than one, as in larger seahorses. These “wings” in general serve an unknown purpose for seahorses.

Also like other pygmy seahorses, the African species has only one gill slit on its upper back, instead of two below each side of the head, like larger seahorses—another mystery.

That would be “like having a nose on the back of your neck,” Short says.

But the new seahorse is unique from its tiny kin in that it was found living in turf-like algae, amid boulders and sand. Sodwana Bay has large swells, and the little seahorses appear to be comfortable being swept about, says Smith, who observed a pygmy seahorse get covered in sand and then wriggle its way out.

“They regularly get sand-blasted,” says Smith, who wrote a book about sea creatures called The World Beneath. Other pygmy seahorses, which stick to the calmer waters around coral reefs, “are more dainty. But this [species] is built of sturdier stuff.”

Like other pygmy seahorses, the African version is thought to eat tiny copepods and crustaceans. It also is well camouflaged to match its surroundings.

This finding “demonstrates that there are still many discoveries to be made in the oceans, even in shallow waters near the coast,” says Thomas Trnski, head of natural sciences at the Auckland Museum in New Zealand, who wasn’t involved in the study. Almost all pygmy seahorses have been discovered in just the last 20 years, he adds.

The only pygmy seahorse found outside the Coral Triangle is the Japanese pygmy seahorse, also known as the “Japan pig,” first described in August 2018.

Although populations of regular seahorses have fallen in many areas because of harvesting for use in traditional Chinese medicine and the aquarium trade, that’s not an issue for pygmy seahorses because they are difficult to find, Short says. That being said, some of these species have very low population densities, and there’s not enough data to get a good sense of how many there are, Smith adds.

These fish can spread only very short distances via the current. The study suggests that Hippocampus nalu diverged from the ancestors of all known pygmy seahorses species more than 12 million years ago.

“This means that it is extremely likely that there are many more species of pygmy seahorses yet to be discovered in the western Indian Ocean” and beyond, Short says.

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Promoting Local Industries is a key priority of the Government – PM

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/14

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that promoting the local industrial sector is one of the key priorities of the Government.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the official opening ceremony of the INCO 2026 Industrial Exhibition on 13 th of March, which is being held for the 20th consecutive year at the BMICH Exhibition Center.

The INCO 2026 Industrial Exhibition, organized by the Institution of Incorporated Engineers, Sri Lanka (IIESL), will be held from March 13 to 15.

Addressing at the event, Prime Minister stated:

“The engineering sector is a key driving force in addressing practical challenges faced by a country while enhancing efficiency and safety. In particular, the contribution extended by exhibitions of this nature encourages the student community to engage in innovation.

The Government has implemented several measures to accelerate the country’s industrial development. Notably, the National Industry Information System (NIIS) has established a centralized digital platform to collect data related to the country’s economic and industrial activities. The Government is also taking steps to provide necessary financial support to industrialists through Revolving Funds.

It is also noteworthy that this year’s exhibition has attracted international participation, creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs to explore new markets and gain exposure to international technologies. With the participation of engineers, students, and entrepreneurs, this exhibition marks an important step toward the country’s industrial future”.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the National Paper Company Limited Upali Rathnayake, President of the Institution of Incorporated Engineers, Sri Lanka Engineer Ananda Gunawardena, along with local and foreign investors, entrepreneurs, and industrialists.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Crypto loopholes funnel Lankan funds abroad

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

Chief Magistrate draws CB attention to massive drain in foreign exchange through cryptocurrency deals

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama yesterday observed that loopholes in actions carried out by State financial institutions, under the Foreign Exchange Act, had enabled funds in Sri Lanka to be transferred overseas, through cryptocurrency transactions.

The Magistrate said immediate steps should be taken to curb such activities and to educate the public, and directed that the matter be brought to the attention of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

He noted that cryptocurrency transactions carried out, using modern technology without approval from the Central Bank, had taken place without adequate public awareness, adding that incidents of the nature were increasingly being reported before courts.

The Magistrate observed that investigations into such incidents appeared to be confined to court proceedings alone and emphasised that the Central Bank, as the country’s principal financial regulator, together with other relevant institutions, should take appropriate measures and raise public awareness in the interest of the public and the country.

He also said the Criminal Investigation Department and the Central Bank should take steps to educate the public on such financial frauds and introduce a proper mechanism to address the issue.

The court further observed that many individuals had exploited loopholes in the Foreign Exchange Act and related procedures to commit financial fraud, and stressed that the Central Bank should take necessary action upon being apprised of such matters.

The Magistrate made these observations when a case relating to an alleged Rs. 290 million fraud at a well-known private bank was taken up before court yesterday. The suspects are alleged to have fraudulently obtained public funds through cryptocurrency transactions using accounts on Binance.

The Magistrate also directed the Criminal Investigation Department to expedite investigations into the disappearance of Rs. 290 million and report progress to court.Observing that the incident was not an ordinary case, the Magistrate instructed the CID to take prompt action to prevent similar frauds carried out through Binance platforms.

Making further observations, the Magistrate noted that the suspects had been produced before court, over the past three months, in connection with the incident, and stressed that investigations should be completed promptly by gathering all relevant information.

He earlier observed that the case did not involve a minor offence, such as ordinary theft, but a serious matter concerning the fraudulent misappropriation of public funds, through Binance accounts, and emphasised the need for swift action to prevent such crimes.

Nineteen suspects, connected to the incident, had earlier been remanded and subsequently released on bail.

The case was fixed to be called again on 15 May .

News

SLCERT urges Lankans not to get gypped by internet scams in run-up to festive period

Published

13 hours ago

2026/03/14

Thilina Walpola

The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has issued a public advisory urging internet users to exercise caution when engaging with online advertisements in the run-up to the festive season.

Senior Information Security Engineer at SLCERT, Charuka Damunupola, said that several incidents of online scams had already been reported to the organisation during the first two months of this year.

He warned that with the approaching Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the risk of fraudulent advertisements and malicious links, appearing online, was likely to increase, often disguised as discount offers, cash prizes, or special promotional deals.

Damunupola noted that such links frequently redirect users to fraudulent websites designed to harvest personal information and other sensitive data.

He further cautioned that during the Vesak and Poson festive periods, scammers may attempt to collect user data through deceptive schemes promoted under various guises, including campaigns such as ‘Poson Maha Data Dansala.’

SLCERT has, therefore, urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution when clicking on unsolicited links or advertisements encountered online.