The cave catfish[2] (Clarias cavernicola)[3] is a critically endangered species of airbreathing catfish.[1] This cavefish is only known to live in the Aigamas cave, Otjozondjupa region, Namibia.[4][2] It has also been reported from the nearby Dragon's Breath Cave.[5] The golden cave catfish lack pigmentation and are up to 16.1 cm (6.3 in) in standard length.[2] They have very small eyes that are covered with skin, and are probably effectively blind.[2] They feed on detritus and invertebrates that fall into the lake in which they live. The population is estimated at 200–400 individuals.[6] Little is known about its reproduction, and attempts to breed it in captivity have failed.[7] The population is threatened by chance events and water extraction from the cave lake, which has resulted in a drop of the water level.[1]
| Cave catfish | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Clariidae |
| Genus: | Clarias |
| Species: | C. cavernicola
|
| Binomial name | |
| Clarias cavernicola Trewavas, 1936
| |
It is the only known cavefish in mainland Southern Africa.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Bills, R. (2007). "Clarias cavernicola". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2007: e.T63363A12662977. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2007.RLTS.T63363A12662977.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Clarias cavernicola". FishBase. December 2011 version.
- ^ "Clarias cavernicola". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 24 January 2006.
- ^ "Cave catfish (Clarias cavernicola)". ARKive | Images of Life on Earth. Archived from the original on 2005-11-26.
- ^ Proudlove, G.H. (2018–2019). "Clarias cavernicola". cavefishes.org.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ Bruton, M. N. (1995). "Threatened fishes of the world:Clarias cavernicola Trewavas, 1936 (Clariidae)". Environmental Biology of Fishes. 43 (2): 162. Bibcode:1995EnvBF..43..162B. doi:10.1007/BF00002486. S2CID 44350023.
- ^ "Clarias cavernicola". 2005-02-19. Archived from the original on 2005-02-19. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
- ^ Aldemaro, R., ed. (2001). The Biology of Hypogean Fishes. Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes, 21. ISBN 978-1402000768.
External links
edit
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