Typhleotris mararybe Sparks & Chakrabarty 2012

Diagnosis: This species is characterized by uniformly dark brown pigmentation throughout the body, and extending onto the fins for 1/3 of their length; only the distal 2/3 of each fin lacks pigment, apart from the dorsal fins, which are dark brown (Ref. 93144). In addition, Typhleotris mararybe can be distinguished from congeners by the presence of prominent and protruding anterior skeletal elements: protruding lateral ethmoid, sphenotic, and pterotic projections, in combination with a strongly sunken and concave orbital region, lend the head a sculpted and angled bony appearance, particularly in dorsal view; a shorter pectoral fin not reaching a vertical through the anus when adpressed; and an elevated vertebral count (Ref. 93144). It is further distinguished from T. madagascariensis by the absence of scales fully covering the head and a longer second predorsal length (64.9-69.0% of standard length vs. 56.2-64.1% of standard length); and from T. pauliani by a shorter prepelvic length (33.0-33.9% of standard length vs. 34.1-40.4% of standard length), a pelvic formula of I,5, and the absence of a single leading spine in both the second dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 93144).Description: A small, elongate and overall thin gobioid (Ref. 93144). Body wide anteriorly and head dorsoventrally compressed, particularly rostrally (Ref. 93144). Head bony, and sculpted in appearance, not fleshy, rounded, and smooth; toothed margins of both upper and lower jaws visible externally when mouth closed; inside mouth white; snout and anterior portion of head elongate and shovellike, with a bony, armored appearance, creating a duck-billed appearance; body becoming progressively laterally compressed posteriorly; caudal peduncle laterally compressed, shallow, and elongate; anterior nostril small, tubular, located near upper lip; posterior nostril short, somewhat slitlike and fleshy, but opening more or less oval (Ref. 93144). Mouth large, and gape wide; oral jaw teeth small, recurved, and conical; teeth numerous and arranged in six or seven closely set and irregular rows anteriorly in both upper and lower jaws; teeth tapering to fewer rows of somewhat smaller teeth posteriorly, as well as medially proximal to synthesis, where tooth rows become noticeably reduced in number and constricted, in both upper and lower jaws; teeth present along full length of premaxillary arcade and dentary; porelike structures present on basihyal (Ref. 93144). Head asquamate, except scales extending anteriorly onto roof of neurocranium and also covering operculum; although scales on top of head do not extend nearly as far forward as in Typhleotris madagascariensis, squamation does extend to anterior margin of neurocranium, but scales do not extend anteriorly onto snout (Ref. 93144). Otherwise, body fully scaled to the caudal fin, including chest region anterior to the pelvic fin and inner margin of pectoral fin; cycloid scales present ventrally on chest and belly; scales cycloid on body, except operculum, which is covered with strongly ctenoid scales; all other scales on body appear to be cycloid; scales arranged in irregular rows, uneven in size, with smallest on roof of head and largest on operculum; fleshy pectoral base covered with ctenoid scales; pectoral-fin axil asquamate (Ref. 93144). Two dorsal fins; first dorsal fin with 5 spines and second dorsal fin with 8 rays; anal fin with 8 rays; pectoral fin with 14-15 rays (Ref. 93144).Colouration: Body uniformly dark brown; all fins dark brown proximal to base, whereas distal 2/3 of caudal, pelvic, pectoral, and anal fins depigmented and white; first and second dorsal fins more or less dark brown (Ref. 93144). In alcohol, the white coloration on the distal portion of the fins becomes an opaque off-white, whereas the dark brown base coloration of the body remains more or less unchanged (Ref. 93144).

Dorsal spines (total): 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 26

The known habitat, Grotte de Vitane, is a karst formation with nearly vertical walls, whose water level at the time of collection was approximately 10-15 m below the rim; the diameter of the sinkhole was approximately 100 m across at its widest, and 70 m at its narrowest, with more or less shear walls; the heigth of the sinkhole walls to the water level was approximately 50 m on its southern end, and much shallower on the northern end (Ref. 93144). The water was relatively clear, deep, and warm, about 7.5-10 m deep on average (Ref. 93144).

Blind, cave-dwelling species; the known habitat, Grotte de Vitane, is a karst formation with nearly vertical walls, whose water level at the time of collection was approximately 10-15 m below the rim; the diameter of the sinkhole was approximately 100 m across at its widest, and 70 m at its narrowest, with more or less shear walls; the heigth of the sinkhole walls to the water level was approximately 50 m on its southern end, and much shallower on the northern end (Ref. 93144). The water was relatively clear, deep, and warm, about 7.5-10 m deep on average; occurs in open water within 1–1.5 m of the surface; upon being chased, all individuals immediately dove toward the bottom (Ref. 93144).

fisheries:

Typhleotris mararybe is a critically endangered species of fish in the family Milyeringidae, the blind cave gobies. It is a troglobitic species endemic to cave habitat in southwestern Madagascar. It is unique among known cave-dwelling fish in that is both blind and darkly pigmented. It has well-developed nonvisual sensory systems and dives to avoid approaching objects. The fish was first collected in 2008 and was described to science as a new species in 2012.