AKP Phnom Penh, July 17, 2026—

Marine Conservation Cambodia (MCC) has announced on Thursday the first official recording of a new fish species, the blackspot razorfish (Iniistius evides), within Cambodia’s marine territory.

The breakthrough documentation is expected to significantly enhance public awareness of the species and deepen the scientific understanding of the country's marine biodiversity.

The discovery was published under an ongoing collaborative framework between MCC and the Royal University of Agriculture. The partnership integrates field research, fish taxonomy, and student training to advance knowledge of Cambodia's marine ecosystems.

The research paper was spearheaded by student and lead author Ke Pheara, marking his first peer-reviewed publication.

MCC expressed its deep gratitude to supervisor Chhouy Sam Ol and Dean Ngor Peng Bun for their continued support and academic collaboration with MCC researcher Sebastián Muñoz-Duque on the project.

By K. Rithy Reak