A new species of deepwater fish has been named Branchiostegus sanae, honoring San, the warrior princess known for her fierce spirit in Studio Ghibli's landmark film, Princess Mononoke. Identified by a team of Chinese researchers, this fish stands out due to its distinctive cheek stripes. In the film, San is portrayed as a protector of the forest, depicted through her upbringing among wolves and painted face, mirroring the fish's striking appearance.
The classification was led by experts from various institutions, including the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology and the Chinese Academy of Science, who used genetic analysis to establish the fish as a new species within the Branchiostegidae family. Deepwater tilefish are known to inhabit extreme ocean depths, with some residing as low as 600 meters below sea level.
Haochen Huang, the study's lead author, expressed that the choice of name is meant to reflect the film's message of respect for nature and the intertwined relationship between humans and the environment. He noted the significance of the character San, who symbolizes the fight for ecological balance.
Despite their prevalence in seafood markets around East and Southeast Asia, deepwater tilefish species remain relatively few, with only 31 species recognized under the Branchiostegidae family and just 19 in the Branchiostegus genus. The discovery of Branchiostegus sanae is particularly noteworthy, as only three new species in this genus have been identified in the past three decades. Specimens of this fascinating new fish will be preserved in marine biological collections for future study, contributing valuable knowledge about this little-known family of fish.
Marine biology enthusiasts can delight in both the ecological significance of this discovery and the homage to cinema within this unique naming decision.
