Scientists accidentally create new hybrid fish from 2 endangered species

Team Udayavani, Jul 21, 2020, 5:16 PM IST

Scientists accidentally bred a new hybrid of two endangered fish species. Hungarian scientists were trying to breed Russian sturgeon through gynogenesis, a method of asexual reproduction.

It is said that blending of eggs from the Russian sturgeon and American paddlefish sperm led to the accidental discovery of the hybridised fish, nicknamed the “sturddlefish”

The fish was bred by Attila Mozsar from the Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Hungary, in addition to the other scientists. They revealed their findings in a study published in the scientific journal Genes this month.

Both species are referred to as “fossil fish” because of their ancient lineage and slow evolution.