Caecobarbus geertsii
| Congo blind barb | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Genus: |
Caecobarbus Boulenger, 1921 |
| Species: | C. geertsi |
| Binomial name | |
|
Caecobarbus geertsi Boulenger, 1921 |
|
Caecobarbus geertsi, the African blind barb or Congo blind barb (locally known as barbu aveugle or poisson cavernicole d'Afrique), is a ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Caecobarbus. It is George Albert Boulenger who made the discovery of this fish in 1921.
It is found only in Thysville Caves, a part of the lower Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like other cavefish, it has no externally visible eyes and reduced pigmentation. Its maximum length is 11 cm (4.3 in). They may live as long as 15 years.
It is threatened by sedimentation. Collecting for its trade as an aquarium novelty is also a possible threat.
Despite its common name African blind barb, there are other blind cave cyprinids indigenous to Africa, notably the Somalian Barbopsis devecchi and Phreatichthys andruzzii.
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Wikipedia