New Eyeless, Scaleless Cave Fish Discovered in Vietnam

The newly described cave fish Draconectes narinosus. Photo by M Kottelat/Revue suisse de Zoologie

Members of the conservation group Fauna & Flora International have discovered a new cave dwelling fish on a tiny island in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay.

The fish, which lacks both eyes and scales, lives in a freshwater lake in cave on Van Gio Island, hardly 200 meters (650 feet) from the sea.

A type of loach, and only member of a newly described genus, it has been named Draconectes narinosus. With many caves in the region, some with fish that await description, there is a chance that it will not be alone for long.

The full description was published recently in the Revue suisse de Zoologie.

New Eyeless, Scaleless Cave Fish Found [Live Science]