Rapid Fire
Cave-Dwelling Fish Discovered in Meghalaya
- 29 May 2025
- 2 min read
A new species of cave-adapted fish, Schistura densiclava, has been discovered in Krem Mawjymbuin cave in Meghalaya (East Khasi Hills).
- About: Schistura densiclava is a troglophile species, meaning it can live in both underground (subterranean) and aboveground (epigean) habitats.
- It belongs to the Nemacheilidae family, and is the 6th cave fish species recorded from Meghalaya.
- Habitat: It is found 60 meters inside Krem Mawjymbuin cave, in a cool, fast-flowing stream (18°C, low oxygen).
- The species' presence is restricted to the cave, indicating it is endemic to this cave system.
- Adaptation: Unlike fully blind cavefish, it retains pigmentation and eyesight.
- Morphology: It has a pale yellow-green body with 14–20 grey-black bars, a thick dorsal stripe (densiclava), and shows sexual dimorphism with slimmer males and sturdier females.
- Krem Mawjymbuin (limestone cave) is carved out of calcareous sandstone and adorned with elegant stalactites and stalagmites formed by mineral-rich calcium carbonate.
- Inside the cave lies Symper Rock, a striking dome-shaped structure characterized by its unusually flat summit.
| Read More: Meghalayan Age |
