Kasauli, Nov 5,
In a groundbreaking paleontological discovery, Dr. Ritesh Arya, a noted geologist and founder of the Tethys Fossil Museum, has unearthed a 45-million-year-old Snakehead Fish Skull from the Subathu Formation in Himachal Pradesh — a discovery that experts say sheds new light on the evolutionary journey of freshwater fishes and the geological history of the Tethys Sea.
The fossil was recovered from a small stream cutting through the Subathu Formation — a sedimentary sequence that marks the closing chapter of the Tethys Ocean and the early phase of India’s collision with the Asian landmass during the Eocene epoch. This event preceded the uplift of the Himalayas, when the region was still submerged under shallow marine waters.
“The presence of a freshwater fish fossil in marine sediments confirms that the Subathu Formation represents a transitional environment — from shallow marine to continental conditions,” explained Dr. Arya. “It offers a rare glimpse into the ecosystems that thrived during India’s northward drift after separating from Africa as part of Gondwana.”
The specimen was scientifically identified as a Snakehead Fish (family Channidae) by Prof. Rajeev Patnaik from the Department of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Commenting on the find, Prof. Ashok Sahni, Emeritus Scientist and one of India’s foremost vertebrate paleontologists, termed the discovery a “significant addition to the Subathu fossil record,” noting that it provides “valuable evidence of early freshwater fish evolution in the Himalayan foothills.”
Earlier research has highlighted the Subathu Formation’s importance in chronicling the transition from marine to terrestrial ecosystems during the Himalayan uplift. Dr. Arya’s discovery adds a critical piece to this puzzle, enriching the story of India’s geological and biological evolution.
A passionate geologist and fossil collector since 1988, Dr. Arya’s earlier finds from the Kasauli region include gastropods, bivalves, shark teeth, and whale fossils — some of which gained national attention through popular science TV series such as Turning Point and Surbhi on Doordarshan. These specimens are now preserved at the Tethys Fossil Museum in Dangyari near Kasauli.
Dr. Arya has been actively advocating for Kasauli and its adjoining regions to be declared a Geopark, emphasizing the need to protect the area’s rich fossil heritage while promoting education, research, and geotourism.
The newly discovered Snakehead Fish fossil is currently under detailed study and will soon be showcased at the Tethys Fossil Museum, offering the public an opportunity to witness a piece of India’s 45-million-year-old natural history.
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