OutsideIn | Ghosts beneath our feet: the blind and finless fishes of the Western Ghats with Dr. Rajeev Raghavan
In the last session of OutsideIn in 2020, our speaker is Dr. Rajeev Raghavan, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies. He's going to tell us about the unusual blind and finless fishes found in the Western Ghats!
Subterranean ecosystems (i.e., water under the ground and in caves) harbour some of Earth’s most unusual fauna, exhibiting novel morphological adaptations, and occupying important positions in the evolutionary ‘tree of life’. Groundwater ecosystems in the lateritic region of the Western Ghats are home to a number of mysterious freshwater species, some representing ‘living fossils’ from the Jurassic era. However, often known only through opportunistic sightings, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding their diversity, distribution, biology, ecology and evolution.
Limitations in the groundwater governance policies and lack of conservation attention on subterranean habitats are threatening this unique biodiversity that is not only fascinating, but largely unknown.
11am (IST) | 27 December, Sunday
Register for the session: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NXlFs7y1T8GVPTg2dfa67g