Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus
Chinese scientists recently found a blind and transparent fish of a rare species in the ancient Alu cave in southwestern Yunnan province.
The fish, called Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus, is a beautiful creature, unique to the area and on the edge of extinction, said the researchers from Kunming Institutes of Zoology (KIZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
It is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family. It only lives in the cave and prefers living and breeding in underground rivers. Long been living in the dark, it has no externally visible eyes, no pigment nor scales. Two translucent golden-lines run along both sides of its body.
An ancient book, titled "Alu Cave Notes" recorded the "blind fish" some 500 years ago. Yet it was not until 1991 that KIZ researchers caught 2 heads of Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus, identified and confirmed that it was a new species. It was then formally listed in the China Fish Index and given the name Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus.
As a typical blind fish, Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus is the unique creation of long time evolution of cave ecosystem. Yet the booming tourism brought light and noise to the once dark and quiet caves, posing a big threat to the cave ecosystem and its food chain. The newly-captured fish proves that Sinocyclocheilus hyalinus is not extinct. It remains a very vulnerable species.
Researchers are still not clear about the status quo of this rare species, or how tourism is affecting its life. Its growth rate, its blindness still puzzles researchers. But they said they will try to carry out research on it while making efforts to preserve it.
