The blind cave eel (Ophisternon candidum) is a species of cavefish in the family Synbranchidae. It is the longest cavefish in Australia (up to 40 cm (16 in))[2] and one of the only three vertebrates in Australia that is restricted to underground waters, the other being the blind gudgeon (Milyeringa veritas) and the Barrow cave gudgeon (Milyeringa justitia).[3] It is blind, its body is eel-like and elongated, and it has a non-pigmented skin with colours ranging from white to pink.[4]
The blind cave eel is endemic to northwestern Australia, specifically in the Cape Range region, the Pilbara Region, and the Barrow Island region. It is rarely spotted due to its habitat and has only been spotted 36 times from 1959 to 2017.[2] Notably, there is an evolving independent parentage in the Pilbara region showing a significant genetic difference from other blind cave eels.[2]
The blind cave eel lives in a total darkness environment in underground waters disconnecting from the surface seawater.[5] They typically live in caves and burrow into sediments. Their feeding include crustaceans, cave substrate organisms, and sometimes terrestrials washed into the cave system.[6] Little is known about their behaviour except a finding revealing the male blind cave eel takes the responsibility of constructing and guarding their habitation.[5]
The blind cave eel is an aquarium and research fish with no threat to humans. It is listed as vulnerable according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999[7] and listed as endangered according to the IUCN Red List.[1] On 26 March 2008, the Australian Minister signed a piece of conservation advice acknowledging threats from human activities and the volatile environment. It then suggested priority actions for researchers, regional and local communities to assist in recovery.[8] An obstacle to the conservation progress is identified as the inaccessibility of the blind cave eel, the situation is abate by the introduction of environmental DNA species-specific PCR assays in 2020 allows for a better sampling method.[9]
^ abMoore, G. (2019). "Ophisternon candidum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T15386A123378485. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T15386A123378485.en. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
^ abc"DNA traces deliver eel-y breakthrough in hunt for endangered animals". Universities Australia. 6 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
^Larson, Helen K.; Foster, Ralph; Humphreys, William F.; Stevens, Mark I. (2013-02-19). "A new species of the blind cave gudgeon Milyeringa (Pisces: Gobioidei, Eleotridae) from Barrow Island, Western Australia, with a redescription of M. veritas Whitley". Zootaxa. 3616 (2): 135–150. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3616.2.3. hdl:2440/80787. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 24758799.
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