Mumbai blind eel

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.