You are in a restaurant and the server comes up to take your order. You think about getting grilled steak, but you decide to go with some seafood– or more specifically, fish. Most likely, your meal comes from a “farm” for farming fish (in the water, of course). We are going to talk about a few new fish that were discovered in the past few years.

The first fish in this list is the Giant Freshwater Stingray (Urogymnus Polylepis). This fish was found in the Mekong River, in Southeast Asia in 2020. This fish is humongous at almost 16 feet long! The second fish is the lanternfish (Myctophum selenops). It was also found in 2020 at the Gulf of Mexico. It lives around 500 meters deep and has bioluminescence (the ability to naturally make light). The “Popeye” Fish (Pseudophilautus species) was discovered in 2023 and was named “Popeye” because of its big, bulging eyes. A new species of icefish (Channidae species) was discovered in Antarctica in 2021. Scientists found them in extremely cold temperatures. In 2022, species of jewel cichlids were discovered in the Rio Aripuanã in Brazil, adding to the large diversity of cichlids in the Amazon Basin. These fish are known for their stunning coloration, and are of interest for both scientific study and the aquarium trade.

The discovery of these fish shows how much is in the world and ready to be discovered. To end this article, I would like to ask you to have a look at what is in your backyard or garden (or on your dinner plate). Maybe you will find something new!