Truly Bizarre Species Discovered

There is a bizarre species of unicorn blind fish found in a cave that lacks scales and pigmentation and has a horn-like structure protruding from its head.

Chinese caves are home to a bizarre fish species that resembles a mythical equine creature remarkably. Researchers discovered the unicorn blind fish weirdos hiding in a pitch-black pool the size of a kitchen table. They have no scales or color, tiny rudimentary eyes that probably cannot see anything, and unusually large horns jutting out of their foreheads, according to the new study.

Researchers conducted a survey of Sinocyclocheilus fish, which are only found in China, and stumbled upon a drab, unicorn-like specimen. While the majority of these species share similar traits such as their reduced vision, lack of scales and colorless features, some do possess horns. Over time, a few have even evolved to the point where they’d lost their eyes completely. On the flip side though, there are also some Sinocyclocheilus that swim in illuminated bodies of water and don’t display any unusually surreal qualities.

Researchers discovered the newfound fish swimming in a small pool measuring 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) wide and 2.6 feet (0.8 m) deep, inside a cave in the mountainous Guizhou province. They collected individuals to take back to the lab and examine, unaware that they were collecting a species that had never been seen before. Upon comparing the fish to other species and analyzing their DNA, scientists realized what they had discovered.

In the new study published on Jan. 17 in the journal ZooKeys, researchers described unicorn blind fish as a species of fish that measure between 4.1 and 5.7 inches (10.5 to 14.6 centimeters) and is equipped with two pairs of whisker-like barbels used to visually detect its environment in low-light settings. Its most unusual trait being an elongated horn-like protrusion whose purpose is yet unknown and rare among its relatives; a name derived from the Latin words “longus” for “long” and “cornu,” meaning “horn of the forehead”.

Sinocyclocheilus species have horn-like structures that differ greatly in length and can be either forked or non-forked, as in S. longicornus. These appendages may be related to living in the dark since light-dwelling species do not have horns, according to the researchers, but it is unclear what their purpose is.

It seems logical that the horns help these fish to sense their environment in the dark, however their barbels already provide sufficient capacity for them to explore around a relatively small area. Furthermore, S. longicornus and other Sinocyclocheilus species possess a well-formed lateral line, which indicates an ability to detect changes in pressure, temperature and salinity; deeming the presence of the horn somewhat redundant in this regard.

Nevertheless, the unusual size of S. longicornus’ horn, and the fact that the new species is not closely related to other long-horned species, suggest that longhorns emerged in the genus two separate times, researchers concluded. Consequently, comparing the environmental conditions of S. longicornus with some of the other long-horned species could finally reveal what the mysterious structures are actually used for.

Sources: Livescience