American scientists began searching for the elusive “fish of Satan”
MOSCOW, Nov 2 — RIA Novosti. Specialists of the University of Texas in Austin announced the start of finding a rare North American freshwater catfish which is found in the underground waters of the state, according to the TV station KSAT.
Fish is the only representative of the genus Satan eurystomus (lat. shirokorodyuk Satan), was opened in the middle of the last century
however, the last time scientists saw this species in 1984.
Biologists conducted searches from 2006 to 2010, but they were unsuccessful. Now researchers are looking for funding to conduct new field work to help determine what environmental factors led to the decline or disappearance of this species.
“The fish-Satan” is distinguished by the absence of eyes, transparent skin, reduced swim bladder and predominantly cartilaginous skull, in contrast to bone her immediate family.
Mysterious ‘Satan fish’ lurks deep below San Antonio, researchers say https://t.co/tjG5w7yo5g #KSATnews pic.twitter.com/rdZBgfce9t
— KSAT 12 (@ksatnews) August 30, 2017
It reaches 13 inches in length and is found in the artesian wells of Texas. Being, according to scientists, the best predators in their habitat, these fish have much to tell researchers about the state of the whole ecosystem underground waters of the region.
“Fish-Satan is really an outstanding creation. Most of the residents of San Antonio don’t know that they live under them. I intended this research to find out what is happening there, and to raise people’s awareness about biodiversity of the state,” explained Dan Hendrickson, curator of ichthyology research at the University of Austin.