Gangaichthys

Gangaichthys
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Division: Teleostei
Order: Synbranchiformes
Family: Chaudhuriidae
Genus: Gangaichthys
Khandekar, Thackeray, He, Mohapatra & Agarwal 2026
Species:
G. indonepalicus
Binomial name
Gangaichthys indonepalicus
Khandekar, Thackeray, He, Mohapatra & Agarwal 2026

Gangaichthys indonepalicus is a species of subterranean fish from Asia that was first described to science in 2026. It is the only species in the genus Gangaichthys. Researchers first became aware of the species because of a video posted to the "social media platform TikTok in 2024 from the India-Nepal border area that showed a tiny, apparently stygobitic fish, with little melanin and reduced eyes, that had emerged from a borewell." This triggered searches in the area that yielded a new genus and species of earthworm eel.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Graham, Daniel (2026-08-18). "Researchers looked inside an Indian well – and found a colourless creature hidden in the darkness". Discover Wildlife. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
  2. ↑ "TikTok video leads to discovery of new underground fish species". Nature India. 2026-08-21. doi:10.1038/d44151-026-00164-z. ISSN 1755-3180.
  3. ↑ Khandekar, Akshay; Thackeray, Tejas; He, You; Mohapatra, Anil; Agarwal, Ishan (2026-08-11). "Gangaichthys indonepalicus, a new genus and species of miniature stygobitic earthworm eel (Synbranchiformes, Chaudhuriidae) from alluvial aquifers in the Indo-Gangetic Plain, Bihar, northern India". ZooKeys (1289): 185–202. doi:10.3897/zookeys.1289.188089. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 13487515. PMID 42621353.
  4. ↑ Edwards, Stephanie. "Caught on TikTok, This Translucent Earthworm Eel Is a New Species Built for Total Darkness". Discover Magazine. Archived from the original on 2026-08-19. Retrieved 2026-08-24.