MATTER OF FACTS ! How Blind Cavefish travel in dark?

 Researchers from three Chinese universities, along with one from the U.k. and a team from the U.S, have found how blind cavefish traverse the night habitat. The group describes their anatomical research of several blind cavefish species in their paper that was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, as well as what they found.

By H. Zell - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15270315

Scientific classification

                                                                            Kingdom:           Animalia

Approximate range in red

Phylum:             Chordata

Class:                 Actinopterygii

Order:                fharaciformes

Family:              Characidae

Genus:                Astyanax

species.            A. mexicanus

Prior studies have shown that there are countless fish dwelling in lakes or streams in aquatic caves across the globe and that most of them have lost a portion or all of their vision. Eye loss also is prevalent in such fish. In this new research, the researchers have questioned how fish can traverse their surroundings in a directed manner inside dungeons where it is generally completely dark.

By Clinton & Charles Robertson from RAF Lakenheath, UK & San Marcos, TX, USA & UK - Mexican Tetra (Astyanax mexicanus)Uploaded by Jacopo Werther, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25200548

The scientists analyzed the anatomical landmarks of samples from 26 different species of blind cavefish to find out. Their primary goal was to determine if they all possessed neuromasts, which are typically located beneath their skin along the sides of a fish's body or its head. They are designed to detect variations in water pressure or movement, according to earlier research.

The scientists found that all of the goldfish had more pronounced neuromasts either on the left or right side of their skulls. Furthermore, they found that the difference was more obvious in fish that had totally lost their eyes compared to those who seemed to have some remnant eyesight.

The fish were then tested in well-lit aquariums, allowing for simple observation on the research team's part. They found that the fish traversed the tank by following the walls and, to keep a close distance, delicately brushing the walls with the side of their heads. They also discovered that the fish showed a substantial predilection for the side of their body with the more developed neuromast. The scientists concluded that the fish were using their organs to move all around the walls of their surroundings in a similar way to how humans use their hands.

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