Speolabeo hokhanhi, the new blind cavefish species found in Hang Va Cave in the central province of Quảng Bình. Photo recaptured by Phước Bửu Viet Nam News A fish that was not known about has been discovered in the waters of the Quảng Bình cave. The water down in the cave is so dark that the fish probably has no need to see and therefore has no eyes. It has been named Speolabeo hokhanhi, after Hồ Khanh, a local guide who discovered many caves in Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. Scientists are trying to work out the identity of another, similar fish from Sơn Đoòng Cave. QUẢNG BÌNH – Scientists at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources have announced the discovery of a new fish species endemic to a cave system in the central region’s Quảng Bình Province, which is home to the world’s biggest grotto, Sơn Đoòng. Nguyễn Đình Tạo, a researcher at the institute, announced the discovery of Speolapeo hokhanhi, a blind cavefish in the province’s Hang Va Cave. Tạo and his associates made the announcement through a scientific report on Zootaxa, an international journal for animal taxonomists in September this year. Research on the new species was conducted during field trips in Quảng Bình’s Son River basin starting in 2014. “Speolabeo hokhanhi, a new species, can be distinguished from Speolabeo musaei by having no papillae on the lower lip, no hump immediately behind the head, a duckbilled snout and a shorter caudal peduncle,” said the report. It also added that only six species of subterranean fishes have been reported from karst regions lying… [Read full story]
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