A Case of Total Albinism in a Fresh Water Loach, Physoschistura Dikrongensis Lokeshwar & Vishwanath, 2012 (Family: Nemacheilidae) from a Hill Stream of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

The present study reports the first and a rare case of total albinism in a fish, Physoschistura dikrongensis Lokeshwar & Vishwanath, 2012, recently described from a fresh water body of north eastern India. This report is based on the study of a single specimen of fish caught by hand after diverting the stream water with thermoplastic sheets from the Ingino River, Lower Dibang Valley district, Arunachal Pradesh, India. The fish has been identified as a case of “total albinism” as there is complete absence of pigmentation across the body and presence of unpigmented eyes where the colour of both the pupils was red.