A species of minnow that has eluded scientists for over a century has been found hiding out in West Texas, reports UPI.com. It all occurred thanks to a case of mistaken identity.
Notropis megalops, the West Texas shiner, closely resembles the Texas shiner, Notropis amabilis. But scientists at Texas A&M have examined the minnow’s DNA and confirmed the species distinction.
“I guess you could say we have discovered an 'old-but-new' minnow way out in West Texas where nobody expected to find anything new, especially a fish," said Kevin Conway, a wildlife and fisheries scientist. He added: "Though we can't give this species a new scientific name, we are proposing the common name of West Texas shiner, though the species is also found in adjacent parts of Mexico."
