A new species of cave-dwelling fish, Schistura densiclava, has been discovered by researchers from Gauhati University, in collaboration with Lady Keane College, Shillong, and the ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow. The discovery was made inside Krem Mawjingbuiñ, a limestone cave located about 15 kilometres from Mawsynram in East Khasi Hills district.

The newly identified species retains its eyesight and body pigmentation, unlike most hypogean fish that adapt to dark environments by losing their vision and colour. It features a pale yellow-green body with 14 to 20 dark vertical bars and a distinctive thick stripe near the dorsal fin, which inspired its name densiclava, meaning “dense stripe” in Latin.

The findings, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, have received national and international attention. Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu congratulated the research team, describing the discovery as a proud moment for Northeast India’s scientific community.

Researchers found the fish in a fast-flowing stream approximately 60 metres inside the cave, where water temperatures are around 18°C and oxygen levels are low. Its diet includes copepods, insect fragments, shrimp, and bat guano. The species also shows clear sexual dimorphism, with males appearing slimmer and females more robust.

“This is the ninth new fish species described from Northeast India and the sixth known cave-associated fish from Meghalaya,” said Professor Dandadhar Sarma, Head of the Zoology Department at Gauhati University.

With over 1,700 caves and cave locations, Meghalaya is regarded as a global hotspot for cave biodiversity. Researchers noted that while Krem Mawjingbuiñ remains largely undisturbed by human activity, such ecological isolation also increases the vulnerability of species like Schistura densiclava to environmental changes.