New Species of Blind Eel Discovered in Assam's Goalpara District

Discovery of Rakthamichthys anchi

Imphal, Aug 5: A collaborative research team from India and Germany has unveiled a new species of subterranean blind eel found in wells located in Assam's Goalpara district. This discovery follows the identification of the region's first miniature blind fish earlier this year.

The species, named Rakthamichthys anchi, resembles a red, earthworm-like eel and thrives underground within groundwater aquifers. The findings have been documented in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.

This research was conducted by ichthyologists Ralf Britz and Amanda K. Pinion from Germany's Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, alongside Wimarithy K. Marak and Kangjam Velentina from Assam Don Bosco University, and Yumnam Lokeshwor from Dhanamanjuri University (DMU), Imphal.

Measuring between 25.5 cm and 31.8 cm, Rakthamichthys anchi bears a resemblance to a moderately sized earthworm.

As reported in Zootaxa, this species is distinct from the northeastern Indian Rakthamichthys rongsaw and its Western Ghats relatives, including R. roseni, R. digressus, and R. mumba, primarily due to the absence of lateral-line canal pores in the frontal area.

Genetic studies indicated a 15-20% variation in the standard DNA barcoding gene when compared to its counterparts from the Western Ghats.

Researchers have only located this species in two wells within a single village in Goalpara district. To safeguard it from potential threats, they have chosen not to disclose the exact location.

"Given that this species has been found in limited numbers in just two wells, we opted to keep its precise location confidential until we gain a better understanding of its distribution and any threats to its survival," the researchers stated.

Lokeshwor, who has contributed to the discovery of 25 new fish species, explained that the name anchi translates to "red" in the Garo language, reflecting its unique reddish hue.

"This species is a red, worm-like blind eel with seemingly absent eyes. The term anchi is derived from the Garo dialect, meaning 'red'," Lokeshwor added.

The wells are situated in an area characterized by Middle-Late Pleistocene alluvial deposits, consisting of highly oxidized dark brown to reddish-brown loamy sand, as noted by the Geological Survey of India.

Scientists pointed out that while over 37,500 fish species have been documented globally, only around 300 have adapted to a permanent underground existence, with most residing in limestone cave systems.

This recent discovery follows the earlier identification of Gitchak nakana, the world's first known miniature underground-dwelling blind fish, from the same Goalpara village, which was published in the journal Scientific Reports in February.

The findings of both Gitchak nakana and Rakthamichthys anchi from the same area suggest the presence of a rich yet previously unrecognized subterranean ecosystem within the groundwater aquifers of Northeast India.