Hoosier cavefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoosier cavefish |
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| A live specimen of A. hoosieri, measuring 60.7 millimetres (2.39 in) long. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Order: |
Percopsiformes
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| Family: |
Amblyopsidae
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| Genus: |
Amblyopsis
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| Species: |
A. hoosieri
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| Binomial name | |
| Amblyopsis hoosieri Niemiller, Prejean & Chakrabarty, 2014
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| Distribution in Indiana. The red dots are A. hoosieri, and the blue dots are A. spelaea | |
The Hoosier cavefish (Amblyopsis hoosieri) is a special kind of blind fish. It lives underground in caves in southern Indiana, USA. Scientists officially described this fish in 2014. It was the first new type of cavefish found in the United States in 40 years!
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Hoosier" comes from the nickname for people who live in Indiana. One of the main scientists who described the fish, Prosanta Chakrabarty, was a big fan of the Indiana Hoosiers college basketball team. This also helped them choose the name.
Discovery of the Hoosier Cavefish
In 2013, scientists were studying another type of cavefish called Amblyopsis spelaea. They found that these fish were actually two different groups. One group lived north of the Ohio River in Indiana. The other group lived south of the river in Kentucky.
The northern group was then described as a brand new species in 2014. This discovery was published in a science journal called ZooKeys. It was exciting because it had been 40 years since a new cavefish species was found in the U.S.
Appearance and Features
The Hoosier cavefish usually grows to be about 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in) long. Its head makes up about one-fourth of its total body length.
Like many cavefish, this species is blind. It doesn't have eyes that can see. Its lower jaw sticks out a bit further than its upper jaw. The body is somewhat flat on top but strong and rounded. Its fins are short and round. A unique feature is that its anus (where waste leaves the body) is located near the front, right behind its gills.
The fish is generally a pinkish-white color. You can see some red around its gills. Its fins are clear, almost like glass.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Hoosier cavefish breed between February and April. This is when the water levels in the caves are usually at their highest. The female fish carries her eggs inside her gill cavity.
After the eggs hatch, the mother takes care of her young for about 4 to 5 months. These fish become old enough to have their own babies when they are 3 to 4 years old. Scientists think they live for about 12 to 15 years. Some might even live as long as 20 years!
What Do They Eat?
The Hoosier cavefish eats small creatures that live in the water. These include amphipods, copepods, isopods, and even small crayfish. Scientists believe this fish is the apex predator in its cave home. This means it's at the top of the food chain in its environment.
Where They Live
The Hoosier cavefish lives underground in 68 different caves and 6 springs. All these places are in Indiana, between the Ohio River and the East Fork of the White River. Their home is limited to caves that were not covered by glaciers during the Pleistocene Ice Age.
You can usually find the Hoosier cavefish in pools within slow-moving cave streams. They live in water that can be deeper than 2 metres (6.5 ft) or as shallow as 10 centimetres (4 in). Other fish from the same genus often prefer larger, deeper pools.
Protecting the Hoosier Cavefish
The Hoosier cavefish faces several threats. These include dirt and mud from farming washing into their habitat. Human activities near their caves also cause problems. Groundwater pollution from chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer is also a big concern.
In the past, too many fish might have been collected for scientific study. Because of these issues, scientists have suggested that the species should be listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This means it's at risk of becoming endangered.
Good news is that the Hoosier cavefish lives in the protected Spring Mill State Park. Also, the state of Indiana has rules in place to help protect species of Amblyopsis cavefish.
