A recent survey in a nature reserve in Chongzuo, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has uncovered a new candidate species of freshwater shrimp, marking another milestone in the region's biodiversity research.

The survey team identified the shrimp, belonging to the Macrobrachium genus, as a potential new species based on significant differences in both physical appearance and genetic analysis compared to known relatives. The discovery is pending formal validation and naming.

In addition to the shrimp, researchers confirmed two fish species new to the reserve: Cophecheilus bamen and Paranemachilus chongzuo. These are the first documented records of both species in the reserve.

This latest discovery adds to a series of findings in the reserve over the past year. Since June 2025, the protected area has reported a new plant species named Styrax congzuoensis, a new kind of golden-line barbel and a new plant record of Ottelia alismoides. The string of discoveries across multiple organism groups signals a systematic breakthrough in the reserve's biodiversity inventory.

The reserve plans to implement targeted conservation measures for the newly discovered species and their habitats, including population monitoring and habitat restoration. Researchers will continue collaborating with academic institutions to advance taxonomic studies and translate findings into practical conservation applications.