TikTok video leads scientists to discover new eel species in India

An international team of researchers discovered a new species of subterranean eel, named Gangaichthys indonepalicus, in the Bihar region of India near the Nepal border — the first such find in this area. The discovery traces back to a 2024 TikTok video showing a creature emerging from a well, with small eyes and pale skin typical of cave-dwelling organisms.