Milyeringa justitia Larson & Foster 2013
Illustration of the holotype (male) of Milyeringa justitia - WAM P.33166-001.. Source: Helen K. Larson. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A very small blind cave gudgeon with a whitish body, and no eyes. Species in the genus Milyeringa completely lack features relating to vision - and use sensory papillae on the head and body to move around and locate food.
Milyeringa justitia lives in total darkness in subterranean aquifers on Barrow Island, north Western Australia.
Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Milyeringa justitia in Fishes of Australia, accessed 26 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4857
Milyeringa justitia Larson & Foster 2013
More Info
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Distribution |
Found only in subterranean aquifers accessed by wells sunk on Barrow Island, Western Australia. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin (2nd) 6; Anal fin 6-7; Pelvic fin I, 3; Caudal fin 13-15; Vertebrae7-9+13-15 (total 22). First dorsal fin absent (remnant of single pterygiophore present in CT-scanned specimen); caudal and pectoral fin rays all unbranched; an almost naked body with greatly reduced scalation (single row of few cycloid scales present), head short with reduced numbers of rows of sensory papillae on the head and body; one pre-anal pterygiophore, one epural, last haemal spine broad, split, with sheet of bone joining forks. |
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Etymology |
Whitley chose the name veritas for his species (Milyeringa veritas) because “Truth lies at the bottom of a well” (Whitley 1964). As truth and justice suppposedly to go together, the authors named this species justitia, from the Latin for 'justice', in the hope that justice helps the species to survive on Barrow Island, which has been an oilfield since 1967 and is most recently the site of the Gorgon Gas Hub development. |
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Species Citation |
Milyeringa justitia Larson & Foster, in Larson, Foster, Humphreys & Stevens 2013, Zootaxa 3616(2): 140, Figs. 4-7. type locality: Barrow Island, Western Australia, old water supply well, L8, 20°49'2.31"S, 115°23'41.98"E. |
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Author |
Dianne J. Bray |
Milyeringa justitia Larson & Foster 2013
References
Larson, H.K., R. Foster, W.F. Humphreys & M.I. Stevens. 2013. A new species of the blind cave gudgeon (Pisces: Gobioidei, Eleotridae) from Barrow Island, Western Australia, with a redescription M. veritas Whitley. Zootaxa 3616(2): 135-150.
