Kryptoglanis shajii is a species of subterranean catfish found in subsurface waters in the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. This cavefish grows to a length of 5.9 centimetres (2.3 in) SL.[2][4] It is currently the only known member of its genus and family.[3] Although first discovered from underground waters, it has also been seen in dense vegetation in paddy fields and was found to be common in this habitat in the Chalakudy.[5] The species strongly avoids light and feeds on small invertebrates.[5]
| Kryptoglanis shajii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Kryptoglanidae Britz, Kakkassery & Raghavan, 2014[3] |
| Genus: | Kryptoglanis Vincent & J. Thomas, 2011[2] |
| Species: | K. shajii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Kryptoglanis shajii | |
This genus and Horaglanis, both from the Western Ghats, are the only known underground-living catfish in India.[3][6]
Morphological characteristics
editThe morphology of K. shajii differs from all other known species of catfish and includes such features as the absence of dorsal fin; the presence of four pairs of barbels; an upwardly directed mouth, with a distinctly projecting lower jaw with 4 set of teeth; subcutaneous eyes; anal fin completely confluent with the caudal fin; anal and caudal fins together carry 70–74 fin rays; and no spines in any of the fins. These differences have led to its being assigned to its own family.[3]
References
edit- ^ Dahanukar, N. (2023). "Kryptoglanis shajii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T201980A2731657. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T201980A2731657.en. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- ^ a b c Vincent, Moncey & Thomas, John (April 2011). "Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) from Kerala, India". Ichthyological Research. 58 (2): 161–165. Bibcode:2011IchtR..58..161V. doi:10.1007/s10228-011-0206-6. S2CID 39313203.
- ^ a b c d Britz, Ralf; Kakkassery, Francy & Raghavan, Rajeev (6 April 2014). "Osteology of Kryptoglanis shajii, a stygobitic catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Peninsular India with a diagnosis of the new family Kryptoglanidae" (PDF). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 24 (3): 193–207.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Kryptoglanis shajii". FishBase. February 2014 version.
- ^ a b Binoy, V. V.; Roshan, K. S. & Rakesh, V. B. (2012). "Occurrence of Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) in the channels of paddy fields". Current Science. 102 (2): 161 – via ResearchGate.
- ^ Babu, K.K.S. (2012). "Horaglanis abdulkalami, a new hypogean blind catfish (Siluriformes: Clariidae) from Kerala, India". Samagra CRIKSC Journal. 8: 51–56.
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