Isolated in the highlands, found in the museum: A new species of Characidium (Crenuchidae) from a Bolivian National Park, with a CT scan revealing features

Researchers have uncovered a new species of Characidium fish within the isolated highland rivers of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia. This discovery, documented through computed tomography (CT) scans, reveals distinctive features such as a broad dark midlateral stripe and unique osteological traits in the Weberian apparatus, previously undocumented in the genus. The species' isolation on the Huanchaca Meseta is linked to geomorphological processes that shaped its habitat. This finding underscores the hidden biodiversity of poorly explored Neotropical protected areas.

Oliveira‐Silva, L., Or, K., Zanata, A., & Schaefer, S. A. (2026). Isolated in the highlands, found in the museum: A new species of Characidium (Crenuchidae) from a Bolivian National Park, with a CT scan revealing features. Journal of Fish Biology, 109(1), 371–383. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.70426