UPSC Articles
Mumbai blind eel
Part of: Prelims and GS III – Environment
Context A new species of swamp eel was discovered from a well in Mumbai
Key takeaways
- The eel is called Rakthamichthys Mumba, the Mumbai blind eel.
- It belongs to the genus Rakthamicthys that is endemic to India.
- This is the fifth species from the genus to be described from India.
- Unlike other species of its genus, the mumba lacks eyes, fins and scales, has jaws equal in forward extent, different gill aperture, crescentic-shaped cephalic.
- This is the first completely blind subterranean freshwater fish species to be described from Maharashtra and the Northern western Ghats.
