
Thursday 15 February
The World's Favourite Unloved Species 2018 - the Galapagos Racer
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Actinopterygii |
Order | Ophidiiformes |
Family | Bythitidae |
Genus | Typhliasina (1) |
Like many brotulids, this blind, cave-dwelling fish has evolved to exist completely without eyes. This unusual-looking species has a large head with a broad snout, while the scaled body is clear white to pinkish, with long translucent dorsal and anal fins (2).
The dama ciega blanca is believed to feed primarily upon a variety of crustaceans. Females ‘give birth’ to two to eleven live young, depending on the female’s size. Reproduction occurs between December and February, and young are independent from birth (2).
Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN red List 2006 (1).
The main threats to this species are various forms of water pollution caused by humans. In rural areas sewage is rarely treated before being discarded, and industrial and domestic waste is sometimes disposed of in caves. Another threat comes from over-harvesting of fresh-water, which may lead to saline waters creeping into the normally freshwater zone. The human population of the Yucatan peninsula is growing, so a greater and greater strain on water resources can be expected in the future. Another potential threat is the modification and/or the intensive use of this fish’s habitat by humans for recreational or tourism purposes (2).
There are currently no conservation measures targeting this species.
For more information on the dama ciega blanca see:
Image credit
© Dr. Thomas M. Iliffe
Dr. Thomas M. Iliffe
Department of Marine Biology
Texas A&M University at Galveston
5007 Ave. U
Galveston
TX
77551
United States of America
iliffe@cavebiology.com
http://www.cavebiology.com
Link to this photo
Embed this Arkive thumbnail link ("portlet") by copying and pasting the code below.
Terms of Use - The displayed portlet may be used as a link from your website to Arkive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.
Read more about
MyARKive
MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite Arkive images and videos and share them with friends.
Play the Team WILD game:
Team WILD, an elite squadron of science superheroes, needs your help! Your mission: protect and conserve the planet’s species and habitats from destruction.
Thursday 15 February
The World's Favourite Unloved Species 2018 - the Galapagos Racer
Thursday 01 February
Thursday 01 February