Blind cave eel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Blind cave eel | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Synbranchiformes |
| Family: | Synbranchidae |
| Genus: | Ophisternon |
| Species: | O. candidum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ophisternon candidum (Mees, 1962) | |
The blind cave eel (Ophisternon candidum) is a species of fish in the Synbranchidae family. It is endemic to subterranean waters in the Cape Range, Australia. Like other cave adapted animals such as Milyeringa (the only other vertebrates restricted to subterranean waters in Australia), the blind cave eel is entirely blind and lacks pigmentation. It is listed as vulnerable under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Reaching a length of 40 cm (16 in), it is the longest known cavefish.
Sources
- Wager, R. 1996. Ophisternon candidum. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded 4 August 2007.
- Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008). Ophisternon candidum in Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, Canberra. Ophisternon candidum — Blind Cave Eel Downloaded 3 January 2008.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.