Kingdom Animalia Class Actinopterygii Family Cichlidae Scientific name Lamprologus lethops | Phylum Chordata Order Perciformes Subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae Rank Species | |
Similar Lamprologus stappersi, Heterochromis, Lamprologus ornatipinnis | ||
Lamprologus lethops is a species of cichlid fish from areas with fast current in the Congo River in Central Africa, where it is believed to live in depths as great as 160 metres (520 ft) below the surface. It reaches about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length, is all whitish (non-pigmented) and blind. Living L. lethops were seen for the first time in 2011 when Lucanus collected a few floating on the surface, dying from the bends, where he released the enlarged airbladder via a syringe. Some survived this process, while many perished. Yet this was the basis for a few being brought into captivity. They have subsequently been kept in aquaria.
Among other fish species with similar adaptations (blind and non-pigmented) found in similar habitats in the Congo River are a clariid catfish (Gymnallabes nops), a mochokid catfish (Chiloglanis sp.) and two spiny eels (Mastacembelus brichardi and M. crassus)