Rakthamichthys rongsaw

Rakthamichthys rongsaw
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Synbranchiformes
Family:	Synbranchidae
Genus:	Rakthamichthys
Species:	R. rongsaw
Binomial name
	Rakthamichthys rongsaw; (Britz, Sykes, Gower & Kamei, 2018)
Synonyms
	Monopterus rongsaw;

Rakthamichthys rongsaw is a species of swamp eel discovered in the Khasi Hills in northeast India.^[1] The researchers were searching for caecilians, when they uncovered the eel in soil.

Taxonomy

It was formerly classified in the genus Monopterus until a 2020 study found it to group with three other subterranean Monopterus species from the Western Ghats, all of which displayed significant genetic and osteological differences from any other species in Monopterus. Due to this, all species were classified in the new genus Rakthamichthys.^[2]

Description

Only one eel has been identified to date, the specimen was approximately 400 mm (16 in) long.^[3] The eel is also absent from skin pigmentation and has 92 precaudal and 69 caudal vertebra.^[4] The eyes have been described as tiny.^[5]

References

^ "New species of blind eel that burrows through the soil discovered". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
^ "Swamp eel: Blood-red subterranean dweller is newest fish genus discovered". phys.org. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
^ "This Bizarre, Blind Swamp Eel Breathes Through Its Blood-Red Skin". Live Science. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
^ "Monopterus rongsaw, a new species of hypogean swamp eel from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) – Pfeil Verlag". pfeil-verlag.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-10-16.
^ Pskhun (2018-09-18). "Species New to Science: [Ichthyology • 2018] Monopterus rongsaw • A New Species of Hypogean Swamp Eel (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India". Species New to Science. Retrieved 2018-10-16.

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[1] "New species of blind eel that burrows through the soil discovered". www.nhm.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-16.

[2] "Swamp eel: Blood-red subterranean dweller is newest fish genus discovered". phys.org. Retrieved 2021-01-28.

[3] "This Bizarre, Blind Swamp Eel Breathes Through Its Blood-Red Skin". Live Science. Retrieved 2018-10-16.

[4] "Monopterus rongsaw, a new species of hypogean swamp eel from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India (Teleostei: Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) – Pfeil Verlag". pfeil-verlag.de (in German). Retrieved 2018-10-16.

[5] Pskhun (2018-09-18). "Species New to Science: [Ichthyology • 2018] Monopterus rongsaw • A New Species of Hypogean Swamp Eel (Synbranchiformes: Synbranchidae) from the Khasi Hills in Northeast India". Species New to Science. Retrieved 2018-10-16.

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