Typhliasina pearsei
No common name
Collection Details
Event Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Ophidiiformes (Pearlfishes and others)
Bythitidae (Viviparous Brotulas)
Typhliasina
Typhliasina pearsei
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (Carpenter, K.E. (ed.) 2002. The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. This species is distinguished by the following characters: anterior nostril placed low on snout; tip of opercular spine free; 2 pairs of psedoclaspers, inner one positioned in front of outer one; eyes not visible (eyes minute black dots in specimens less than 20 mm SL); head naked; otolith with fused colliculi; 3 lower preopercular pores; maxillary strongly vertically expanded posteriorly, knob at rear corner; 5-7 prolonged rakers on anterior gill arch; anterior anal fin pterygiophore elongated; pseudobranchial filaments absent (Ref. 55786).
Distribution
Freshwater caves in Yucatan.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. depth range 0-70 m.
Biology
To 10 cm.
Uncommon species found in caves and sinkholes (Ref. 34024). Associated with the blind synbranchid fish Ophisternon infernale (Hubbs, 1938) and several blind crustacean species. In only one cave, it was found with the catfish Rhamdia guatemalensis (Günther, 1864). This species does not react to flashlights, but darted away at the slightest vibration; it seems to feed on troglobitic shrimps and mysids. Newly-born juveniles are light yellow and about 20 mm long (Ref. 55786).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: internal (oviduct); bearers (internal live bearers). Viviparous.
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT), assessed 2018-10-05. Resilience: Low (Assuming Fec < 100).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Nelson, J.S. (1984) Fishes of the world. 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. 523 p.
Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and C.R. Robins (1999) Ophidiiform fishes of the world (Order Ophidiiformes). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of pearlfishes, cusk-eels, brotulas and other ophidiiform fishes known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(18):178p. Rome: FAO.
Møller, P.R., W. Schwarzhans and J.G. Nielsen (2004) Review of the American Dinematichthyini (Teleostei, Bythitidae). Part I. Dinematichthys, Gunterichthys, Typhliasina and two new genera. aqua, J. Ichthyol. Aquat. Biol. 8(4):141-192.
Comments On Typhliasina pearsei