Aenigmachanna gollum

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• Aenigmachanna gollum, the Gollum snakehead, is a species of aquifer-dwelling dragon snakehead fish that is endemic to the Indian state of Kerala.

Description

• Aenigmachanna gollum (Gollum snakehead) has an elongated, eel-like body colored mostly brown and beige.
• Its fins are long and transparent, with the dorsal fin stretching for about three-quarters of its body length, and the anal fin stretching for more than half its body length. Its pectoral fin is large, while the pelvic fin is absent.
• Its tailfin is ovoid. Several large scales cover the top of the head. It has a reduced swim bladder.
• Unlike many stygofauna – which usually have reduced coloring and have poor or no vision – gollum has well-developed pigmentation and normally-sized eyes.
• Due to its reduced swim bladder, gollum cannot remain buoyant in water.
• Like other snakehead fishes, it breathes air. It moves by undulating its fins, like an eel.

Distribution and habitat

• gollum is known only from its type locality, a paddy field in Oorakam, Kerala, in the biodiverse Western Ghats; one other occurrence was reported in a well 250 km south of the type locality.
• Its habitat in subterranean aquifers is threatened by about six million groundwater wells in the region, which lower the water table.