‘Fast’ river creature with ‘fleshy’ lips found in India cave. It’s a new species
In a hard-to-reach cave of northeastern India, a “slender” river creature with “fleshy” lips tucked itself under a rock. A flash of bright light startled it. It swam away “fast” — but not fast enough.
Scientists looked at their striped catch. It turned out to be a new species.
A team of researchers decided to visit Krem Mawjymbuin, a remote cave in Meghalaya, several times between 2022 and 2024 to survey subterranean aquatic life, according to a study published May 23 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Fish Biology.
Krem Mawjymbuin has “many rift entrances and passages” but generally follows an “almost horizontal underground stream,” the study said. Because of its location and terrain, the cavern “can be accessed only during (the) winter” dry season when water levels are low.
Once at the cave entrance, researchers followed a stream for roughly 260 feet. Along the way, they found lots of bat guano, very little plant life and some fish.
Intrigued, the team used a net to catch some of the fish and, after taking a closer look, realized they’d discovered a new species: Schistura densiclava, or the thick-striped loach.
Thick-striped loaches have an “elongated” and “slender” body, reaching about 3 inches in length, the study said. Their “pointed” and “triangular” heads have “prominent” black eyes and “thick, fleshy, pleated lips.”
Photos show the brown, black and cream coloring of the new species. Researchers said they named the new species after the Latin words for “thick” and “stripe” because of its “unique colour pattern.”
Thick-striped loaches were found in “a small pool in fast-flowing water,” the study said. The fish mostly stayed near the bottom of the stream, “usually hiding under” rocks, but were also seen “digging” and “foraging.”
Researchers described the new species as “a fast swimmer” and “an opportunistic feeder.” When exposed to “flashlights and noise,” the fish reacted “with increased swimming activity.”
Thick-striped loaches seem “to have an extremely limited distribution,” the study said. So far, the new species has only been found in Krem Mawjymbuin “despite targeted efforts in nearby streams.”
Krem Mawjymbuin is near the town of Mawsynram in Meghalaya, a state of northeastern India that borders Bangladesh.
“Subterranean aquatic biodiversity is generally considered to be the most fragile and extremely sensitive to environmental disturbances,” but researchers identified “no immediate threats” to the survival of thick-striped loaches.
The new species was identified by its coloring, eyes, head shape, fin shape and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 4% genetic divergence from other related species.
The research team included D. Khlur Baiaineh Mukhim, Kangkan Sarma, Hrishikesh Choudhury, Rajdeep Das, Rejani Chandran, Rajeev Singh, Deisakee Warbah, Wandalin Lyngdoh, Uttam Kumar Sarkar and Dandadhar Sarma.
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 2:58 PM with the headline "‘Fast’ river creature with ‘fleshy’ lips found in India cave. It’s a new species."
