Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Kryptoglanis shajii

Kryptoglanis shajii is a species of subterranean catfish found in subsurface waters in the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. This cavefish grows to a length of 5.9 centimetres (2.3 in) SL. It is currently the only known member of its genus and family. Although first discovered from underground waters, it has also been seen in dense vegetation in paddy fields and was found to be common in this habitat in the Chalakudy. The species strongly avoids light and feeds on small invertebrates.

Last revised
Jun 12, 2026
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Kryptoglanis shajii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Kryptoglanidae
Britz, Kakkassery & Raghavan, 20143
Genus: Kryptoglanis
Vincent & J. Thomas, 20112
Species:
K. shajii
Binomial name
Kryptoglanis shajii
Vincent & J. Thomas, 20112

Kryptoglanis shajii is a species of subterranean catfish found in subsurface waters in the Western Ghats in Kerala, India. This cavefish grows to a length of 5.9 centimetres (2.3 in) SL.24 It is currently the only known member of its genus and family.3 Although first discovered from underground waters, it has also been seen in dense vegetation in paddy fields and was found to be common in this habitat in the Chalakudy.5 The species strongly avoids light and feeds on small invertebrates.5

This genus and Horaglanis, both from the Western Ghats, are the only known underground-living catfish in India.36

Morphological characteristics

The morphology of K. shajii differs from all other known species of catfish and includes such features as the absence of dorsal fin; the presence of four pairs of barbels; an upwardly directed mouth, with a distinctly projecting lower jaw with 4 set of teeth; subcutaneous eyes; anal fin completely confluent with the caudal fin; anal and caudal fins together carry 70–74 fin rays; and no spines in any of the fins. These differences have led to its being assigned to its own family.3

References

References

  1. Dahanukar, N. (2023). "Kryptoglanis shajii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023 e.T201980A2731657. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T201980A2731657.en. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  2. Vincent, Moncey & Thomas, John (April 2011). "Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) from Kerala, India". Ichthyological Research. 58 (2): 161–165. Bibcode:2011IchtR..58..161V. doi:10.1007/s10228-011-0206-6. S2CID 39313203.
  3. Britz, Ralf; Kakkassery, Francy & Raghavan, Rajeev (6 April 2014). "Osteology of Kryptoglanis shajii, a stygobitic catfish (Teleostei: Siluriformes) from Peninsular India with a diagnosis of the new family Kryptoglanidae" (PDF). Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters. 24 (3): 193–207.
  4. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Kryptoglanis shajii". FishBase. February 2014 version.
  5. Binoy, V. V.; Roshan, K. S. & Rakesh, V. B. (2012). "Occurrence of Kryptoglanis shajii, an enigmatic subterranean-spring catfish (Siluriformes, Incertae sedis) in the channels of paddy fields". Current Science. 102 (2): 161 – via ResearchGate.
  6. Babu, K.K.S. (2012). "Horaglanis abdulkalami, a new hypogean blind catfish (Siluriformes: Clariidae) from Kerala, India". Samagra CRIKSC Journal. 8: 51–56.