Shillong, Jan 3: 2025 begins with good news for Meghalaya as Neolissochilus pnar, the world’s largest cavefish, has been named India’s first “National Cave Animal of the Year.”
The Speleological Association of India (SAI), an Indian partner of the International Union of Speleology (UIS), made the announcement as part of its newly launched initiative to highlight the country’s unique subterranean fauna. By designating a National Cave Animal annually, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the ecological significance of cave ecosystems and promote their conservation.
The Neolissochilus pnar was discovered in the Krem Um Ladaw and Krem Chympe caves in Meghalaya’s East Jaintia Hills in 2019 and 2020. The fish’s name honours the Pnar, a sub-tribal group of the Khasi people, to recognize their cultural and ecological connection to the region.
“This remarkable species symbolizes the hidden ecological treasures within our caves,” the SAI stated. “Through this initiative, we seek to underscore the ecological importance of cave-dwelling species and ensure their long-term protection.”
The cavefish, a subterranean species, lacks pigmentation and has reduced or absent eyes, adaptations typical of life in complete darkness. Specimens were collected from the vertical entrance caves of Krem Um Ladaw, which feature rocky floors and pools of standing water, and the horizontal river cave Krem Chympe, with deep tunnels and waterfalls.
The species was described by a collaborative team of scientists, including Neelesh Dahanukar (Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence), Remya L. Sundar (Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies), Duwaki Rangad (St. Edmund’s College, Shillong), Graham Proudlove (The Manchester Museum), and Rajeev Raghavan (Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies).
The SAI, a non-profit organization dedicated to cave and karst conservation, plans to use the “Cave Animal of the Year” campaign to encourage scientific exploration and advocacy for India’s subterranean ecosystems, which are often overlooked despite their ecological importance.
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