A fish that is armed with a hidden weapons system is one of the freshwater fish species scientists are celebrating.
The New Species report shows how diverse and remarkable the world's freshwater species are, and suggests there is more life still to be discovered in the world's lakes, rivers and wetlands.
Over 200 new freshwater fish species can be described in a single year.
There are still hundreds and hundreds more freshwater fish out there in the world that scientists don't know about.
The X-Men-inspired name for the species is the hidden weapons system, which has strong curved spikes tucked under the gill covers.
Other species in the same family aren't known to show such behavior. The researchers who described this species ended up with a lot of finger injuries.
Last year, an average of four freshwater fish species were described. The bright red Mumbai blind eel, which has no fins, scales or eyes, was found at the bottom of a well in the grounds of a school for blind children.
New possibilities for scientists to increase their understanding of freshwater species are offered by each of the 212 discoveries.
The male Danionella cerebrum, for example, has got researchers curious about its ability to make a drumming sound, most likely by tapping a thin strip of cartilage on its swim bladder, like a drumstick. The brain of the same species is covered with a thin layer of skin, making it possible for scientists to study brain activity twinned with function without harming the fish.
According to the standard reference book, there are at least 18,700 species of freshwater fish. The freshwater picture is concerning. More than a third of freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction, despite their importance to biodiversity and as a food source to billions of people.
The Batman loach is feared extinct in Turkey.
80 species of freshwater fish have gone extinct in modern times, while there are usually around 150 or more new species discovered in an average year.
The primary causes of their decline are impacts from pollution, overfishing and habitat loss.
There is more work to be done to protect lakes, rivers and other freshwater sources. The freshwater biodiversity crisis we are facing is twice the rate of marine or terrestrial fish, so people realise it.
She said that they will be motivated to support the efforts to conserve.
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