BLIND FISHES OF AL HOOTA CAVES IN SULTANATE OF OMAN

Ajay singh

During my stay in the Arabian country , Sultanate of Oman , I had the chance of visiting the legendry,AL HOOTA CAVES ,in the NIzwa region of the country.Besides the scenic beauty it provides this place also is the place for the unique BLIND FISHES . It was an experience of lifetime.Those of you who visit Oman must see this place.Over 2 million years old this cave houses more than 100 animal species including some rare ones.

Garra barreimiae, the Omani mountain barbell, lives exclusively in the Wadi waters of the Al Hajar Mountains in the Sultanate of Oman and in the UAE. The species was named after the city Al Buraimi. A rare type of these live in the Al Hoota Cave. Those fish are blind and eyeless. Due to the absence of pigmentation, their skin is transparent. Blood vessels under the skin give them a pinkish appearance. On the other hand, fish of the same species from surface populations display functional eyes and a darker skin.