Widemouth blindcat

Taxobox
name = Widemouth blindcat
status = VU | status_system = IUCN2.3
status_ref = IUCN2006|assessors=Gimenez Dixon, M.|year=1996|title=Satan eurystomus|id=19917|downloaded=27 July 2007]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Siluriformes
familia = Ictaluridae
genus = "Satan"
genus_authority = Hubbs & Bailey, 1947
species = "S. eurystomus"
binomial = "Satan eurystomus"
binomial_authority = Hubbs & Bailey, 1947

The widemouth blindcat, "Satan eurystomus" is a species of catfish (order Siluriformes) of the family Ictaluridae.

The widemouth blindcat's closest relative is the flathead catfish, "Pylodictis olivaris".cite journal|title=Morphological Adaptations of the Texas Blind Catfishes "Trogloglanis pattersoni" and "Satan eurystomus" (Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) to Their Underground Environment|first=Thomas G.|last=Langecker|coauthors=Longley, Glenn|journal=Copeia|year=1993|pages=976–986|doi=10.2307/1447075|volume=1993]

It was first discovered inhabiting a well, and is adapted for a lightless underground environment. This species is distributed in five artesian wells penetrating the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer in and near San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, in the USA. These fish have been found with crustacean exoskeletons in their stomachs and may be the top carnivore in its habitat.

The widemouth blindcat lacks pigmentation and has no externally visible eyes. The eye remnants are extremely reduced in size with very little or no trace of a retina, lens; the optic tract is present but always regresses before reaching the brain. The swim bladder in these fish is reduced. The skull of this species is mostly cartilaginous and not well-ossified, unlike the adults of most larger ictalurids. The lateral line is fragmentary and never reaches past the anterior part of the anal fin. This species also has a few paedomorphic traits (indicated by small size, kidney morphology, and weak ossification of the skeleton). This species grows to about 13.7 centimetres (5.4 in) TL.FishBase species|genus=Satan|species=eurystomus|year=2007|month=July]

The widemouth blindcat is a vulnerable species. It is threatened due to groundwater pollution.

References