The Italian needlefish was caught for the first time in the upper part of the Volga.

      On May 11, 2026, at 14:50, Society In the Volga near the village of Barmino in the Lyskovsky district, an Italian needlefish was discovered. This was reported by the chief editor of the medical publication "Statsionar-Press," Alexey Nikonov, on his Max channel. According to him, the find was a surprise for scientists. The marine fish has been officially recorded for the first time so far upstream in freshwater, having crossed the Kuibyshev Reservoir. A fishery inspector transferred the caught specimen to the Zoological Museum of NNGU. The needlefish belongs to the same family as the seahorse, so they are similar in appearance. Interestingly, the male takes care of the offspring in needlefish. The female lays her eggs in a special pouch on his abdomen, where he carries them until the fry emerge. Moreover, needlefish can camouflage: they change color to match the algae and freeze in a vertical position, becoming almost invisible to predators. The body of this fish is covered with hard bony plates – it feels rigid and angular to the touch, resembling a branch. It was previously reported that a new habitat for the rare red-listed mushroom – the globose sarcosoma Sarcosoma globosum – has been recorded in the Nizhny Novgorod region. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on major events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+