49-403: Synbranchidae Chaudhuriidae Mastacembelidae Indostomidae Synbranchiformes , often called swamp eels , though that name can also refer specifically to Synbranchidae , is an order of ray-finned fishes that are eel -like but have spiny rays, indicating that they belong to the superorder Acanthopterygii . No synbrachiform fossil is known. The Mastacembeloidei were removed from
98-477: A family ( Synbranchidae ) of freshwater eel -like fishes of the tropics and subtropics. Most species are able to breathe air and typically live in marshes, ponds and damp places, sometimes burying themselves in the mud if the water source dries up. They have various adaptations to suit this lifestyle; they are long and slender, they lack pectoral and pelvic fins, and their dorsal and anal fins are vestigial, making them limbless vertebrates . They lack scales and
147-413: A swimbladder , and their gills open on the throat in a slit or pore. Oxygen can be absorbed through the lining of the mouth and pharynx, which is rich in blood vessels and acts as a "lung". Although adult swamp eels have virtually no fins, the larvae have large pectoral fins which they use to fan water over their bodies, thus ensuring gas exchange before their adult breathing apparatus develops. When about
196-478: A cave and having no visible eyes. The blind cave eel is Australia’s longest cavefish and may grow up to 400 mm (16 in). However, common total lengths for mature adults have an average of 340 mm (13 in) and range between 60 and 385 mm (2.4 and 15.2 in) . Its head length accounts for 5.6–6.3%, pre-anus length accounts for 35.8–41.8%, snout length accounts for 0.82–1.11% and gape length accounts for 1.59–2.01% of its total length. Its body
245-708: A coordinate of 21'47'S, 114'10'E. In the Pilbara Region, there are 3 sites including the Exploration bore BC186-155, Borehole JW023, and Borehole JW024. In the Barrow Island Region, there are 3 sites including the Seismic testing site E1918, Anode Well T2, and Anode Well L15. Both the Pilbara Region and the Barrow Island Region were not discovered until 2009, from 1959 to 2009 blind cave eels were assumed to be restricted within 100 km in
294-727: A crescent in shape. The openings of its gills are extensive and horizontal. No scales or fins can be found except for the presence of a slim rayless membrane around the tail. There is an apparent lateral-line system from its head to close to the tip of its tail. Its anus is located in the front half of the body. Moreover, the blind cave eel has a total vertebrae ranging from 151 to 169 where 51–54 of them are pre-anal vertebrae and 97–117 of them are post-anal vertebrae. The blind cave eel colours vary between unpigmented to white or pink. The Blind cave eel has only been spotted 36 times in 20 sites from 1959 to 2017. Observations were made in 3 regions; Cape Range, Pilbara, and Barrow Island, which makes
343-612: A delicacy and prepared as curry or dry fry. It is believed there that these are good source of iron and good for blood deficiency. As of 2021, eleven species were listed by the IUCN as species of special concern: Typhlosynbranchus boueti (Liberian swamp eel), Rakthamichthys indicus (Malabar swamp eel), Rakthamichthys roseni , Rakthamichthys digressus , and Ophichthys hodgarti have been classified as data deficient , meaning that they require more study to determine their conservation status. Ophichthys indicus (Bombay swamp eel)
392-420: A delicacy, usually cooked in stirfries or casseroles. The recipe usually calls for garlic, scallions, bamboo shoots, rice wine, sugar, starch, and soy sauce with prodigious amounts of vegetable oil. It is popular in the region from Shanghai to Nanjing. The Chinese name in pinyin of this dish is chao shan hu . The name of the swamp eel is shan yu or huang shan . In Assam swamp eels are considered
441-528: A fortnight old they shed these fins and assume the adult form. Most species of swamp eel are hermaphrodite , starting life as females and later changing to males, though some individuals start life as males and do not change sex. In the Jiangnan region of China, swamp eels are eaten as a delicacy, usually cooked as part of a stir-fry or casserole . It is known as Kusia (কুচিয়া) in Assam and Bangladesh. It
490-461: A larger sampling population, making the inspection and monitoring of this rare species easier and conservation advice could be implemented more accurately. The new detection method replaced the traditional relatively ineffective sampling method and overcame the obstacle of the blind cave eel being habitually rare. Furthermore, the method also grants an accurate detection of invasive species allowing quick implementation of strategies to mitigate threats in
539-539: A major threat to populations of crayfish and some other small species. Ophisternon candidum Anommatophasma candidum Mees, 1962 The blind cave eel ( Ophisternon candidum ) is a species of cavefish in the family Synbranchidae . It is the longest cavefish in Australia (up to 40 cm (16 in)) and one of the only three vertebrates in Australia that is restricted to underground waters,
SECTION 10
#1732793718172588-502: A piece of conservation advice on 26 March 2008, reacting to the vulnerability of the blind cave eel under s266B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . In this conservation advice, priorities for researchers and priorities actions for regional and local are given to expand the knowledge of the blind cave eel and assist its recovery. The conservation advice suggested further exploration of
637-789: A sister clade to the Ovalentaria which has been called the "Carangimorpharia" but in the 5th Edition of Fishes of the World this clade remained unnamed and unranked. There are a total of about 99 species divided over 15 genera in three families. There are two suborders: Synbranchoidei and Mastacembeloidei , or Opisthomi. The Synbranchoidei has one family, the Synbranchidae ; four genera; and 17 species. The Mastacembeloidei has two families: Chaudhuriidae , with four genera and five species, and Mastacembelidae , with three genera and about 26 species. Modern studies have placed Indostomus ,
686-840: A somewhat different distribution: The Synbranchidae are found in Mexico , Central and South America , West Africa ( Liberia ), Asia, Hawaii, and the Indo-Australian Archipelago. The Mastacembelidae are found in Africa and through Syria to Maritime Southeast Asia , China , and Korea . The Chaudhuriidae are found in northeastern India through Thailand to Korea (including parts of Malaysia and Borneo ). All except three species occur in fresh water . They usually are found in swamps, caves, and sluggish fresh and brackish waters. When found in pools, they typically are associated with leaf litter and mats of fine tree roots along
735-434: A sudden change of hydrology or water flows disruption which might lead to unstable water table levels and a magnification of run-off and pollution. The second aspect is to identify the competitors and predators in the groundwater ecosystem near the blind cave eel. This includes diseases, parasites and fish species that threaten the blind cave eel and managerial actions should be implemented to exclude them. The third aspect
784-431: Is abate by the introduction of environmental DNA species-specific PCR assays in 2020 allows for a better sampling method. In 1962, the species had an original description of Anommatophasma candidum with the word " Anommatophasma " representing a new genus. Subsequently, it is synonymised to " Ophisternon candidum " in 1976 by Rosen and Greenwood. The etymology of the scientific name Ophisternon candidum comes from
833-474: Is classified as vulnerable . Ophichthys fossorius (Malabar swampeel), Ophisternon infernale (blind swamp eel), Ophisternon candidum (the blind cave eel), and Ophisternon afrum (Guinea swamp eel) are classified as endangered . Ophichthys desilvai (Desilvai's blind eel) is classified as critically endangered . On the other side of the endangerment issue, invasive swamp eels in Florida are
882-508: Is considered a delicacy and cooked with curry as part of Assamese cuisine . The marbled swamp eel , Synbranchus marmoratus , has been recorded at up to 150 cm (59 in) in length, while the Bombay swamp eel , Monopterus indicus , reaches no more than 8.5 cm (3.3 in). Swamp eels are almost entirely finless; the pectoral and pelvic fins are absent, the dorsal and anal fins are vestigial, reduced to rayless ridges, and
931-536: Is divided into six genera as follows: In Indonesia swamp eel is called belut , and are commonly harvested from water ponds of rice paddies and become the protein source for rural population in Indonesia. Swamp eel is usually stir fried served with sambal hot chili sauce as belut penyet , curried, or deep fried to achieve crispy texture as kripik belut . In the Jiangnan region of China, swamp eels are
980-575: Is rarely spotted due to its habitat and has only been spotted 36 times from 1959 to 2017. Notably, there is an evolving independent parentage in the Pilbara region showing a significant genetic difference from other blind cave eels. The blind cave eel lives in a total darkness environment in underground waters disconnecting from the surface seawater. They typically live in caves and burrow into sediments . Their feeding include crustaceans , cave substrate organisms, and sometimes terrestrials washed into
1029-548: Is round, elongated and eel-like. Its head is very short comparatively without visible external eyes. There are multiple indistinct pairs of slimy pores on its head. It has a large mouth and thick interior lips. It has several rows of strong teeth and a well-evolved tongue. There are two pairs of nostrils, the smaller pair being on top of the upper lip at the snout and the larger pair between the snout and its forehead. Several longitudinal cutaneous folds can be found around its throat. The blind cave eel has four pairs of evolved gills with
SECTION 20
#17327937181721078-418: Is to spread conservation information and educate the local community to raise awareness of the blind cave eel. The conservation advice put forward that the blind cave eel is restricted to subterranean waters thus the general public is unlikely to access areas around the habitat of the blind cave eel, restraining their understanding of it. In 2020, environmental DNA species-specific PCR assays are introduced for
1127-533: The IUCN Red List . On 26 March 2008, the Australian Minister signed a piece of conservation advice acknowledging threats from human activities and the volatile environment. It then suggested priority actions for researchers, regional and local communities to assist in recovery. An obstacle to the conservation progress is identified as the inaccessibility of the blind cave eel, the situation
1176-493: The caudal fin ranges from small to absent, depending on species. Almost all of the species lack scales . The eyes are small, and in some cave-dwelling species, they are beneath the skin, so the fish is blind. The gill membranes are fused, and the gill opening is either a slit or pore underneath the throat. The swim bladder and ribs are also absent. These are all believed to be adaptations for burrowing into soft mud during periods of drought, and swamp eels are often found in
1225-704: The Barrow Island Region in 2015. The two blind cave eels stayed alive in the aquarium and were kept in source water for several days. The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 assessed the blind cave eel as vulnerable, and the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 also assessed it as vulnerable. In the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 in Western Australia and Wildlife Conservation Notice 2006(2) specially for protected fauna,
1274-618: The Cape Range region, the Pilbara Region and the Barrow Island region. It also states the importance of protecting the groundwater ecosystem and the necessity of keeping sediments and point source pollution away from the groundwater ecosystem, such as petrochemicals, leachates and sewage. Moreover, the conservation advice proposed continuous monitoring of the 3 known regions and updating their management actions accordingly to analyze their recovery progress and effectiveness. This includes
1323-466: The Cape Range subterranean. Recovery of a specimen from the mineral exploration bore BC186-155 in the Pilbara region near Bungaroo Creek in 2009, extending the known distribution range to 200 km. Notably, the blind cave eel near Bungaroo shows a genetic difference from those from other locations, possibly due to sufficient isolation resulting in an evolving independent parentage. The preferred habitat consists of underground waters and caves, in which
1372-567: The Greek word ophis which means “serpent”, the Greek word sternon which means “chest” and the Latin word Candidus which means “white” referencing its skin colour. The vernacular name of Ophisternon candidum is blind cave eel in Australia and United Kingdom, whereas its name is blind freshwater eel in the United States. The vernacular name suggests its eel-like body, living in
1421-643: The Perciformes and added to the Synbranchiformes after a phylogenetic analysis by Johnson and Patterson. These authors consider the Synbranchiformes to be part of a monophyletic group called Smegmamorpha , also containing Mugilimorpha , Atherinomorpha , Gasterosteiformes , and Elassomatidae . Later authors have proposed that the Synbranchiformes along with the Anabantiformes , Carangiformes , Istiophoriformes and Pleuronectiformes form
1470-430: The areas of the blind cave eel samples collected and therefore potentially threaten it. In the region Pilbara, it is heavily impacted by substantial water extraction and mining activities due to none of those areas being protected nor conserved. Given the differentiation of genetics in Pilbara, the urge for conservation management and legislation to minimize human activities are noteworthy. The Australian Minister approved
1519-714: The banks. Swamp eels are capable of overland excursions, and some can live out of water for extended periods of time. Some species are burrowers. Four species are found exclusively in caves: Rakthamichthys eapeni and R. roseni from India, Ophisternon candidum from Australia, and O. infernale from Mexico. One species, O. bengalense , commonly occurs in coastal areas of southeastern Asia. Some species are considered air-breathing fishes because of their ability to breathe by highly vascularized buccopharyngeal pouches (pharynx modified for breathing air). They usually are active only at night. They feed on benthic invertebrates , especially larvae , and fishes. At least some of
Synbranchiformes - Misplaced Pages Continue
1568-564: The blind cave eel endemic to north-western Australia. In the Cape Range region, there are 14 sites in total as recorded by the Western Australian Museum , making the region the most common place to spot a blind cave eel. Sites include Tantabiddi Well , Milyering Well , Ned's Well, Dozer Cave , Pilgramunna Well, Kubura Well cave , South of Yardie Creek , Mowbowra Well, Kudumurra Well, Wobiri Rock Hole, New Mowbowra Well, Tidal Cave, Kudamurra Well and an unnamed site with
1617-428: The blind cave eel is accessed as rare. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species accessed the blind cave eel as endangered. Threats identified by the blind cave eel approved conservation advice covers a range of human activities incorporating mining, urban development, construction, dumping and landfill. Diffuse pollution, point source pollution , and sedimentation are
1666-502: The blind cave eel’s genetic variation pattern. It also suggested a further investigation of the distribution of population size, ecological requisite and relative threatening processes’ influence. The conservation advice suggested three aspects to assist recovery of the blind cave eel. The first aspect is to protect the blind cave eel habitat and abate disturbance around the area. It suggested seeking formal covenants and conservation agreements to restrict human activities and land use near
1715-452: The breast, and restricted to the lower half of the body. Oxygen is absorbed through the membranes of the throat or intestine. The dorsal and anal fins are low and continuous around the tail tip. Pelvic fins are absent. Scales are either absent or very small. They lack a swim bladder. These fishes are distributed in tropical America , tropical Africa , southeastern and eastern Asia , East Indies , and Australia . The three families each have
1764-485: The cave system. Little is known about their behaviour except a finding revealing the male blind cave eel takes the responsibility of constructing and guarding their habitation. The blind cave eel is an aquarium and research fish with no threat to humans. It is listed as vulnerable according to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and listed as endangered according to
1813-478: The cave system. In the gut contents examined by the Western Australia Museum, Halosbaena tulki , Stygiocaris , Philosciidae , and larvae are found. Despite being restricted to subterranean waters adapting a characteristic of faecal ooze, it is sometimes observed in shallow water lying on rock surfaces on its own or in pairs. Little is known about the blind cave eel's life cycle due to
1862-408: The fins. At the age of about two weeks, the larva suddenly sheds the pectoral fins, and takes on the adult form. Most species are protogynous hermaphrodites, that is, most individuals begin life as females, but later change into males. This typically occurs around four years of age, although a small number of individuals are born male and remain so throughout their lives. The family Synbranchidae
1911-476: The inaccessibility of voucher specimens. For mating behaviour, the male blind cave eel tends to take the responsibility of building a nest or burrow and guarding over it. The blind cave eel has no threat to humans. It is not consumable, and fisheries have no interest in it. The blind cave eel is mainly for research uses and scarcely in an aquarium. There is only one occasion where two voucher specimens WAM P.34487-001 (1) and (2) were collected from Anode Well L15 in
1960-508: The land animals evolved during the Devonian period. Although the adults are virtually finless, the larvae are born with greatly enlarged pectoral fins. The fins are used to propel streams of oxygenated water from the surface along the larva's body. The skin of the larva is thin and vascularised, allowing it to extract oxygen from this stream of water. As the fish grows, the adult air-breathing organ begins to develop, and it no longer requires
2009-831: The length of representative individuals within a population suggests that they are a short-lived species that matures during the first year, with few individuals surviving to the second breeding season. In some parts of Asia, swamp eels and one species of spiny eel, Mastacembelus erythrotaenia , are valued as food and sometimes are kept in ponds or rice fields. Except for a few mastacembelids, they are rarely seen in home aquaria . The fish have numerous sharp dorsal spines and belly thorns which, together with its sliminess make them extremely difficult to handle. The spines must be cut off with scissors before consumption. Synbranchidae Macrotrema Ophisternon Synbranchus Monopterus Rakthamichthys Typhlosynbranchus The swamp eels (also written "swamp-eels") are
Synbranchiformes - Misplaced Pages Continue
2058-409: The mud underneath a dried-up pond. Most of the species can breathe air, allowing them to survive in low-oxygenated water, and to migrate overland between ponds on wet nights. The linings of the mouth and pharynx are highly vascularised, acting as primitive but efficient lungs. Although swamp eels are not themselves related to amphibians , this lifestyle may well resemble those of the fish from which
2107-635: The other being the blind gudgeon ( Milyeringa veritas ) and the Barrow cave gudgeon ( Milyeringa justitia ). It is blind , its body is eel-like and elongated, and it has a non-pigmented skin with colours ranging from white to pink. The blind cave eel is endemic to northwestern Australia , specifically in the Cape Range region , the Pilbara Region , and the Barrow Island region . It
2156-562: The other being the Blind gudgeon ( Milyeringa veritas ). The underground waters where the blind cave eel lives are a lightless subterranean system, indicating the adaptiveness of a total darkness environment. The blind cave eel likes to live in pastoral wells, dark caverns, fissures, under coastal limestone or burrow into sediments with a soft bottom. Due to the blind cave eel’s habit, it is very difficult for people to access underground waters and its sites are usually too small. Therefore, most of
2205-468: The recorded sightings are by observation rather than voucher specimens because it is unlikely to trap or net the blind cave eel. Moreover, the recorded sightings lack the lower part of the anchialine system and there are no more than three blind cave eels spotted on a single occasion. The blind cave eel feeds primarily based on crustaceans in subterranean and other cave substrate organisms, but have also been documented to feed on terrestrials washed into
2254-573: The results of such activities. Moreover, feral fish particularly guppy might also invade the territory of blind cave fish in open sites. In the region Cape Range, while the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area secured the west and north coast, in other parts several collection sites have diminished by marina developments and water extraction. In the region Barrow Island, while it is a nature reserve rated as A-class, gas field nearby exercise mining processes which cover
2303-418: The sole genus within the family Indostomidae, within the Synbranchiformes. These eel-like fishes range in size from 8–48 inches (20–150 cm ). Although they are eel-like, they are not related to true eels ( Anguilliformes ). The premaxillae are present as distinct bones and are nonprotrusible. The gills are poorly developed, and their openings are usually single, small, confluent across
2352-524: The species of the family Synbranchidae, that is, O. infernale , are sexually dimorphic. Adult males grow a head hump, and males are larger than females. These fishes lay about 40 spherical eggs per clutch. The eggs measure between 0.05 and 0.06 in (1.2–1.5 mm) in diameter and have a pair of long filaments for adhesion to the substrate. Reproduction takes place during the wet season, which lasts for several months, during which females probably spawn more than once. Data acquired from studying juvenile growth and
2401-493: The waters have a very high salinity level and are stratified markedly from the surface freshwater. The underground waters have a pH value of 7–8, salinity level of 1–8%, hardness ( CaCO 3 ) of 220–1500 mg and conductivity of 115–1250 mS. Although it is altered by marine tides, there is a deficiency of surface connection with the surface freshwater. The blind cave eel is restricted to underground waters, in which only two vertebrate animals in Australia share such habitat,
#171828