Sri Lanka Cabinet decides to name and dedicate a Sanctuary for Bandula Barb (Fish) *The Bandula barb (Pethia bandula) was first discovered as a new species in 1991 by Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda. However, the fish itself was originally collected near Galapitamada, Sri Lanka, in 1987 by Ranjith Bandula, an ornamental fish collector, who provided the specimens used for its identification. Rodney Jonklaas also played a role by receiving the holotype from Bandula* *Discovery of the Bandula Barb* The Bandula barb (Pethia bandula), a critically endangered freshwater fish endemic to Sri Lanka, was scientifically described in 1991 by Rohan Pethiyagoda and Maurice Kottelat. However, the story of its discovery involves several key individuals: Ranjith Bandula, an ornamental fish collector, first discovered the species near Galapitamada, Sri Lanka, in 1987. He collected specimens and provided the holotype (the specimen used for the species' formal scientific description) to Rodney Jonklaas, a renowned Sri Lankan marine biologist126. Rodney Jonklaas recognized the fish as potentially new to science and kept it in his aquarium, where it was later observed by Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda around 1987. Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda was the scientist who formally described and named the species in 1991, honoring Ranjith Bandula by naming the fish after him.