CR

Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus

Declining

Overview

The eyeless golden-line fish or blind golden-line barbel is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is a cave-dwelling, blind species only known from the Yiliang County, Yunnan, China. Its maximum length is 113 mm (4.4 in) SL.

Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus faces severe threats from groundwater pollution and cave habitat degradation in its limited karst limestone range in Guangxi Province, China. Agricultural runoff and industrial contamination directly impact the underground water systems this eyeless cavefish depends upon for survival. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, with entire populations at risk from single pollution events.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits underground cave systems and subterranean waters within karst limestone formations in Guangxi Province, southern China. The fish lives exclusively in dark, oxygen-poor cave pools and underground streams where it has evolved specialized adaptations including complete eye loss.

FRESHWATER· major

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus classified as Critically Endangered?
Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus faces severe threats from groundwater pollution and cave habitat degradation in its limited karst limestone range in Guangxi Province, China. Agricultural runoff and industrial contamination directly impact the underground water systems this eyeless cavefish depends upon for survival. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, with entire populations at risk from single pollution events.
Where does Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus live?
Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus occurs in China. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus?
The main threats to Sinocyclocheilus anophthalmus are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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