Saturday, August 17, 2013

[Herpetology • 2012] Ichthyophis lakimi • A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia


Ichthyophis lakimi
Nishikawa, Matsui & Yambun 2012

Abstract
A new unstriped Ichthyophis is described based on one adult male and five larval specimens collected from the northwestern slope of Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The new species is distinguished from all other unstriped congeners by a combination of characters that includes position of tentacles and number of annuli, scale rows, splenial teeth, and vertebrae. The anterior phallodeum morphology is described for the new species. The evolution of large larvae of unstriped Ichthyophis is discussed briefly.

 Keywords: Caecilian, Ichthyophis, Taxonomy, New species, Borneo


Nishikawa K, Matsui M, Yambun P. 2012. A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Current Herpetology. 31: 67-77.