Rock Climbing Catfish

People were shocked to find the fish with “hands” – and now scientists are even more shocked to find a fish that happens to be a skilled rock climber. It would seem the march of evolution is indeed inexorable. The newfound catfish, Lithogenes wahari, shares traits with two different families of fish — Loricariidae (armoured catfishes) and Astroblepidae (climbing catfishes). It has bony armour that protects its head and tail, and a grasping pelvic fin that helps it to climb vertical surfaces such as rocks.