Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Milyeringidae (Blind cave gudgeons)
Etymology: Typhleotris: Greek, typhlos = blind + the name of a Nile fish, eleotris (Ref. 45335); mararybe: From the Malagasy 'marary' (ill or sick), and 'be' (big), meaning very sick or big sickness; in reference to the strange debilitating viral illness or sinkhole fever members of the expedition team contracted after snorkeling in Grotte de Vitane (Ref. 93144).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical
Africa: known only from Grotte de Vitane, a sinkhole near the town of Itampolo, Madagascar (Ref. 93144).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 93144)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 26. Diagnosis: This species is characterized by uniformly dark brown pigmentation throughout the body, and extending onto the fins for 1/3 of their length; only the distal 2/3 of each fin lacks pigment, apart from the dorsal fins, which are dark brown (Ref. 93144). In addition, Typhleotris mararybe can be distinguished from congeners by the presence of prominent and protruding anterior skeletal elements: protruding lateral ethmoid, sphenotic, and pterotic projections, in combination with a strongly sunken and concave orbital region, lend the head a sculpted and angled bony appearance, particularly in dorsal view; a shorter pectoral fin not reaching a vertical through the anus when adpressed; and an elevated vertebral count (Ref. 93144). It is further distinguished from T. madagascariensis by the absence of scales fully covering the head and a longer second predorsal length (64.9-69.0% of standard length vs. 56.2-64.1% of standard length); and from T. pauliani by a shorter prepelvic length (33.0-33.9% of standard length vs. 34.1-40.4% of standard length), a pelvic formula of I,5, and the absence of a single leading spine in both the second dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 93144).
Blind, cave-dwelling species; the known habitat, Grotte de Vitane, is a karst formation with nearly vertical walls, whose water level at the time of collection was approximately 10-15 m below the rim; the diameter of the sinkhole was approximately 100 m across at its widest, and 70 m at its narrowest, with more or less shear walls; the heigth of the sinkhole walls to the water level was approximately 50 m on its southern end, and much shallower on the northern end (Ref. 93144). The water was relatively clear, deep, and warm, about 7.5-10 m deep on average; occurs in open water within 1–1.5 m of the surface; upon being chased, all individuals immediately dove toward the bottom (Ref. 93144).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Sparks, J.S. and P. Chakrabarty, 2012. Revision of the endemic Malagasy Cavefish genus Typhleotris (Teleostei: Gobiiformes: Milyeringidae), with discussion of its phylogenetic placement and description of a new species. American Museum Novitates 3764:1-28. (Ref. 93144)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
