Toothless blindcat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toothless blindcat |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Trogloglanis
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| Species: |
pattersoni
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The toothless blindcat (Trogloglanis pattersoni) is a special kind of North American freshwater catfish. It lives only in Texas, United States. This fish is unique because it lives deep underground and has adapted to its dark home.
What Does It Look Like?
The toothless blindcat has no color, which is called pigmentation. It also has no eyes that you can see from the outside. Its eyes are very tiny and hidden. They have almost no retina (the part that senses light) or lens (the part that focuses light).
As the fish grows, its eyes become even more hidden under its skin. The head of this fish is about as long as it is wide. It has a long, rounded adipose fin that connects to its tail fin, called the caudal fin.
Its dorsal fin (on its back) and pectoral fins (on its sides) have spines. The fish's swim bladder, which helps it float, is very small. Its stomach is also small and surrounded by fat, which helps it store energy.
The skull of the toothless blindcat is mostly soft cartilage. It is not as hard as the bones of most adult catfish. This fish also has a lateral line, which helps it sense movement in the water. This line is broken up and reaches to its adipose fin.
The toothless blindcat shows some "paedomorphic" traits. This means it keeps some features from its younger stages into adulthood. These traits include its small size, which can be from 16 to 89 millimeters (about 0.6 to 3.5 inches). It can grow to be about 10.4 centimeters (4.1 inches) long in total.
What Does It Eat?
The toothless blindcat has a mouth that looks like a sucker and has no teeth. This suggests it might be a detritivore. A detritivore is an animal that eats detritus, which is dead plant and animal matter. So, it likely feeds on tiny bits of decaying material in its underground home.
Where Does It Live?
This unique fish lives in subterranean habitats, which means underground places. It shares its home with another related fish called the widemouth blindcat (Satan eurystomus). Both species live in five natural wells that go deep into the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer. This area is in and near San Antonio, Texas.
Is It in Danger?
The toothless blindcat is facing a threat because too much groundwater is being taken from the Edwards Aquifer. This can lower the water levels where the fish lives. In 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggested that this fish should be listed as endangered. This means it would get special protection under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The widemouth blindcat, which lives in the same area, was also proposed for protection.
