<p>Wildlife researcher and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray&rsquo;s son Tejas Thackeray, along with his team, has discovered a new blind eel in Mumbai. This is the first completely blind subterranean freshwater fish species to be described from Maharashtra and the Northern western Ghats.</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2021/oct/eel-1_e.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="684" /></p>
<p>Speaking to mid day, Tejas Thackeray said, &ldquo;I am happy to introduce, to what I believe is my most remarkable discovery till date, a species we collected a few years ago and worked on throughout the pandemic. A journey full of ups and downs, and today it finally gets to see the light of the day. A new blind hypogean freshwater eel from my hometown &ndash; Rakthamichtys Mumba &ndash; the Mumbai blind eel! This is the first completely blind subterranean freshwater fish species to be described from Maharashtra and the Northern western Ghats.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2021/oct/eel-2_e.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="1024" /></p>
<p>According to Thackeray, the species name 'Mumba' refers to the type locality, the city of Mumbai.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The word 'Mumba' derives its roots from the Marathi language, which honours Mumba Aai, a deity worshipped by the inhabitants of this city. It is used as a noun in apposition. With a genetic distance of 21.6 &ndash; 22.8 per cent from other known species of Rakthamicthys, it is the 5th species from the genus to be described from India.&rdquo;</p>
<p>He also pointed out that Hypogean and Cavernicolus species and their habitat systems are so poorly studied and the data available to formulate conservation strategies is not sufficient.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The level of endemism, distribution pattern and biographic barriers causing speciation are factors which we know virtually nothing about. A surreal species like this is a reminder to always stick to the basics, like the need to conserve the water table beneath the soil and help keep the aquifer clean to help enigmatic beauties like these,&rdquo; Thackeray added.</p><p>
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According to Tejas Thackeray, the species name `Mumba` refers to the type locality, the city of Mumbai

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Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's son Tejas discovers new blind eel species in Mumbai

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Home / Mumbai / Mumbai News / Article / Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's son Tejas discovers new blind eel species in Mumbai

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray's son Tejas discovers new blind eel species in Mumbai

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