Gitchak

Gitchak (lit. 'red') is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Cobitidae (loaches). The genus contains a single species, Gitchak nakana, which is closely related to Lepidocephalichthys and Pangio. Gitchak is endemic to Northeast India, known only from a single dug-out well. As such, it exhibits several unique adaptations to a subterranean lifestyle. These include the lack of functional eyes, the absence of pigmentation, and the presence of well-developed barbels on the face for non-visual...