In-Dangered
It has taken many millenia of evolution, an eternity in the dark and a few lifetimes to find them, but they exist. Deep in a single cave in Mexico, called the "little Cave" or La Cueva Chica, near Pujal, lay a small aquatic animal with a unique ability. The Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus, commonly known as the Blind Cave Fish, is a simple little fish. It grows to be about 12cm long and lives within the cold lightless waters deep underground. This creature was given it's name by the fact that as it evolved, living in a low to no light environment, it slowly lost it's eyes. The ones seen today have no eyes what so ever.
Though creepy to some, and fascinating to others this fish doesn't care. It goes about it's daily life simply, guano, dead bats and fleas along with other invertebrates that fall into their waters. This fish are remarkable as they sense their surroundings, instead of seeing.
This is still not a whole lot known about this species of fish, but researchers are going strong and hard at find everything they possibly can. The first expedition to collect the blind fish was documented in 1945 by William Morrow & Co and though it is out of print it will provide so much more information than most other people could give you.
the Astyanax Fasciatus Mexicanus is one fish that shows all others, just how an environment can change ones own body. Perhaps this will also show us to take care of our environment, or eventually we will change as well, and unlike our Blind friend, it may be for the worse.
C. Latimer