Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

cave fish

 - 2 dictionary results

cave⋅fish

[keyv-fish]
–noun, plural (especially collectively) -fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) -fish⋅es.
any of several fishes that live in cave waters, as species of the genus Amblyopsis, having no body pigment and rudimentary, functionless eyes.

Origin:
1870–75; cave + fish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To cave fish
Encyclopedia

cave fish

any of the pale, blind, cave-dwelling fishes of the genera Amblyopsis and Typhlichthys, family Amblyopsidae. Cave fishes are small, growing to about 10 cm (4 inches) long, and are found in fresh water in dark limestone caves of the United States. There are three species: Typhlichthys subterraneus, Amblyopsis rosae, and A. spelaea. The first two lack pelvic fins; the third, the blind fish of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, possesses these fins. All have small but nonfunctional eyes, and tactile organs that are sensitive to touch; these are arranged over the body, head, and tail and enable the fish to feel what it cannot see. Contrasting with these fishes are the swampfish (Chologaster), which belong to the same family. They are also small but are pigmented and have functional eyes. They live above ground in North American swamps and streams.

Learn more about cave fish with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see cave fish on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: