The species is named in honor of the Akawaio Amerindians that populate the upper Mazaruni. The region is increasingly suffering from freshwater habitat degradation as a consequence of gold-mining in the area. (Image credit: Hernán López-Fernández)
Nathan Lovejoy and his team at the University of Toronto Scarborough analyzed tissue samples collected during a recent expedition led by Hernán López-Fernández at the Royal Ontario Museum. By sequencing its DNA and reconstructing an evolutionary tree, Lovejoy’s team discovered the fish is so distinct it represents a new genus, the taxonomic classification level above species.
The upper Mazaruni River is a hotspot for biological diversity, yet remains largely unexplored because of its remote location.
'Love is like a butterfly: It goes where it pleases and it pleases wherever it goes'. ~Author Unknown
Never has there been such a flutter over butterflies as that which is delighting folks all over Ontario, where millions of Admirals and other rare species are appearing in the droves. I noticed a pair dancing their spiral dance around me afew weeks ago, and was surprised to see that this rare breed was not alone, in fact I observed several more that day.
After a rainy colder week nothing much else seemed to appear, and I'd almost forgotten about the rare sightings that day, when suddenly last weekend on a sunny warm day these same brown and orange super fast flyers were zooming across in front of my car as I drove along the beautiful countryside...lots and lots of them!
According to The Windsor Star:
"The "butterfly highway" is seeing plenty of congestion this year, thanks in part to unusually warm spring weather south of the border.
