Found a ‘zombie’ fish that has been extinct for 20 years

A “zombie fish” which had been declared extinct more than 20 years ago surprised scientists after a colony with 66 of these animals It was found in a lake in Victoria, Australia. This goby comes from the southeast of the country declared extinct in 1998but they appear to have returned “from the afterlife” to continue their kind.

In 2019, scientists found two small, colorful fish in Middle Reedy Lake in Kerang, Victoria, Australia. Then, two years later, several dozen “mystery” fish were discovered thanks to the hard work of a group of experts.

Initially, what they did was form an advisory group called the Southern Purple Spotted Gudgeon Advisory Group, named after the fish. This group included representatives and experts from the Department of the Environment, Land, Water and Planning and other local environmental institutions.

“It was a great group because we had to do a great job,” group director Adrian Martins, of the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, said in a statement from North Central CMA. “We were given the afternoon to come up with a plan that would work for the long-term survival of the species while also allowing Third Reedy Lake to be reintroduced to a more natural state.”

As they began working to complete their plan, the group became more and more surprised. It was there that a third zombie fish was discovered in Third Reedy Lake, while another was found in Kangaroo Lake and eight more in the Racecourse.

Surprisingly, experts found a colony of 66 of these types of fish in Middle Reedy Lake, right next to where the first of them was found in 2019.

“We couldn’t believe it when we started finding so many in Middle Reedy,” Martins said. “Most of our team have worked their entire lives dealing with the decline of threatened or endangered species, so to have the opportunity to witness the opposite is something special“He added.

As explained in the statement, an environmental DNA sample will help find out if another copy of this “zombie fish” exists in Victoria. Also, as explained by Martins, they are starting a breeding and breeding program by their department to ensure the protection of the species.

The “zombie fish” has a rounded head, a relatively small mouth, and a rounded tail. They are usually dark chocolate colored dorsally, becoming pale ventrally, with a variety of markings. These include black to gray spots on the sides, which are surrounded by numerous white and red spots that light up during breeding. The fins are yellow, darkening towards the ends.

During the breeding season, which generally runs from November to March, the female lays more eggs. The eggs are laid on underwater objects and plants. Once the eggs have been laid, the male fish protects and fans them with his fins. The young fish hatch after 3-9 days.