Typhleotris

Typhleotris madagascariensis

Typhleotris is a Madagascar endemic genus of Grundelartigen ( Gobioidei ). They live in limestone caves for a distance of 250 km north and south of the Onilahy River and near the Tsimanampetsotsa Lake on the southwest coast of Madagascar.

Features

The species of the genus have a typical, stocky and Grundelgestalt, 4.4 to 10 cm long. Two of the species are in contrast to all other Malagasy Schläfergrundeln without pigment, the third is brownish in color. All have no eyes. The head is broad and flattened, the mouth like a scoop. Free neuromasts ( through pores with the open water associated sense organs with which the fish can perceive changes in pressure and sound waves ) are numerous on the head and arranged in transverse and longitudinal rows. In the pines, there are many narrow, conical teeth arranged in several rows. The two mandibles are close together and you can almost touch it. The body cover numerous cycloid scales.

Way of life

Typhleotris species are omnivorous and feed on crustaceans, insects and plankton. Their reproductive biology is unknown.

Species

• Typhleotris madagascariensis Petit, 1933
• Typhleotris mararybe Sparks & Chakrabarty, 2012
• Typhleotris pauliani Arnoult, 1959

The species can be distinguished primarily on the basis of head scalation.