Lamprologus lethops

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Lamprologus lethops

Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cichliformes
Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Lamprologus
Species:
L. lethops
Binomial name
Lamprologus lethops
T. R. Roberts & , 1976

Lamprologus lethops is a species of cichlid fish from areas with fast current in the Congo River in Central Africa, where it is believed to live in depths as great as 160 m (520 ft)[2] to 200 m (660 ft)[3] below the surface. It reaches about 10 cm (4 in) in length with males growing somewhat larger than females, is all whitish in color (non-pigmented), and essentially blind as adult, as their eyes are covered in a thick layer of skin (only retain a slight sensibility to light).[4][5] The eyes of juveniles are rudimentary and not covered by skin.[5]

Living L. lethops were seen for the first time in 2011 when local fishermen managed to bring up a few specimens alive from the depths. Otherwise they rapidly die due to changes in pressure.[5][6] They have subsequently been kept in aquaria.[6] Based on these individuals its behavior is essentially similar to that of its "normal-looking" relatives, like L. congoensis.[5][6]

Among other fish species with similar adaptations (reduced eyes and non-pigmented) found in similar habitats in the Congo River are an elephantfish (), a clariid catfish (Gymnallabes nops), a mochokid catfish (Chiloglanis sp.), two claroteid catfish ( and Platyallabes tihoni), and four spiny eels (, , and ).[7][8]

References[]

  1. ^ Moelants, T. (2010). "Lamprologus lethops". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T182930A8005445. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T182930A8005445.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ Norlander, Britt (April 20, 2009). Rough waters: one of the world's most turbulent rivers is home to a wide array of fish species. Now, large dams are threatening their future. Archived 2013-10-17 at archive.today Science World
  3. ^ Weisberger, Mindy (12 January 2020). "Dying Fish Revealed Congo Is World's Deepest River". livescience.com. LiveScience. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  4. ^ Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). "Lamprologus lethops" in FishBase. February 2013 version.
  5. ^ a b c d Lucanus, Oliver (March–April 2014). "Aquatic Travel: Blind fishes from the Congo river". Amazonas Magazine. 3 (2).
  6. ^ a b c Lucanus, Oliver (2013). "First Notes on the Husbandry of the Blind Cichlid Lamprologus lethops from the Congo River". Cichlid News. 22 (1): 6–11.
  7. ^ Lucanus, Oliver (17 May 2012). "The Mexican Blind Cave Fish Isn't the Only Troglodytic Fish Available to Fishkeepers". Fish Channel. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  8. ^ Elizabeth Alter, S.; Brown, B.; Stiassny, M.L.J. (2015). "Molecular phylogenetics reveals convergent evolution in lower Congo River spiny eels". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 15 (1): 224. doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0507-x. PMC 4608218. PMID 26472465.
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