Zacco tiaoxiensis
Society
By Jin Yingying
The Tiaoxi Creek, referred to as the mother river of Yuhang district, has become the birthplace of a brand new fish species called Zacco tiaoxiensis.
This species belongs to the Chelsia genus of the Cyprinidae family and is found in clear and shallow streams with gentle currents and small pebbles or gravel substrates. Zacco tiaoxiensis is exclusively spotted in the Tiaoxi Creek basin, which spans across Hangzhou's Yuhang district and Huzhou's Deqing county.
This discovery is a significant milestone in Yuhang's wildlife background survey and is the first species to be named after the Tiaoxi Creek. The fish has a tiny body with a metallic blue luster interspersed with lemon-yellow accents, shimmering like jewels in the water, dreamy and dazzling.
The Tiaoxi Creek is one of the eight major water systems in the Zhejiang province and serves as the primary source of water for the Taihu Lake. It derives its name from the reeds growing along the river, called "camps(苕tiáo in Chinese)", and the numerous camps on the banks of the river that flutter every day in autumn. The watershed covers the eastern part of Lin'an district and Yuhang district in Hangzhou, as well as Deqing, Anji, and Changxing counties in Huzhou.
Currently, in the two watersheds in Yuhang district, the Tiaoxi Creek and the Grand Canal, over 80 species of fish have been discovered. The number of fish species is expected to increase further in subsequent surveys.