Subterranean Fish Named 'Gollum' Belongs to a New Family

The freshwater fish belongs to a never-before-described taxonomic family, making it one of the biggest finds of the last decade.

The Gollum snakehead is unusual among subterranean critters because it has both eyes and a colorful complexion. 

When the Gollum snakehead was discovered in 2019, it was grouped with all the other cave-dwelling, eel-like fish in the family Channidae. But much like its Middle Earth namesake, the Gollum snakehead has found itself kicked out of a family where it doesn’t fit in.