Researchers were able to identify a previously unknown species of subterranean fish thanks to a video posted on the social media platform TikTok. These fish were discovered in water columns located on the border between India and Nepal.
Several years ago, scientists noticed a fish in the video that possessed several distinguishing features: it was very small, had a worm-like shape, lacked eyes and pigmentation. This fish, along with the water, emerged from a column connected to a well that supplied groundwater.
To obtain more detailed information about this unusual fish, specialists traveled to the specified area on the India-Nepal border. There, they manually pumped thousands of liters of water from about fifteen columns. During these operations, they managed to extract three individuals externally similar to those shown in the video.
After analysis, it was determined that these fish belong to a new species, which has been scientifically named Gangaichthys indonepalicus. According to data presented in the journal ZooKeys, it is suggested that G. indonepalicus inhabits exclusively underground reservoirs at depths exceeding ten meters.