[Herpetology • 2018] Hypogeophis montanus • A New Species of Small, Long-snouted Hypogeophis Peters, 1880 (Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the Highest Elevations of the Seychelles Island of Mahé

Hypogeophis montanus

Maddock, Wilkinson & Gower, 2018

Montane Mahé caecilian || DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.3.3 

Abstract

A new species of indotyphlid caecilian amphibian, Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov., is described based on a series of specimens from the Seychelles island of Mahé, collected from two localities in 2013 and 2015. The new species most closely resembles the Seychelles (Mahé) endemic H. brevis in being short (maximum known total length in life ca. 110 mm) and long snouted, but differs by having more vertebrae, a relatively smaller head, and substantially distinct mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences. Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. is known from higher elevations (718–731 m) than H. brevis (ca. 350–650 m), and its elevationally restricted distribution on a single small island likely renders it threatened under IUCN Red List criteria. Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. is the third species of small and long-snouted caecilian reported from the Seychelles. Along with H. brevis and H. pti, H. montanus sp. nov. is among the smallest known species of caecilian and possibly has the smallest global distribution.

Keywords: Amphibia, herpetology, Hypogeophis brevis, Hypogeophis pti, Indian Ocean, Morne Seychellois, systematics, taxonomy

FIGURE 4. Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. holotype (BMNH 2005.1824) in life.

Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov.

 Etymology. The specific epithet is in reference to the restricted, high elevation distribution of the species, known only from above 700 m, on the highest mountains in the Seychelles. For nomenclatural purposes the specific epithet is considered to be a noun in apposition.

 Suggested ‘common’ names. Montane Mahé caecilian; montane hypogeophis (English), 

leverdter nwanr montanny (Creole).

Simon T. Maddock, Mark Wilkinson and David J. Gower. 2018. A New Species of Small, Long-snouted Hypogeophis Peters, 1880 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the Highest Elevations of the Seychelles Island of Mahé. Zootaxa. 4450(3); 359–375. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.3.3
 twitter.com/SeyAmphibians/status/1023138744738689024

[Herpetology • 2017] Hypogeophis pti • A New Species of Small and Highly Abbreviated Caecilian (Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the Seychelles Island of Praslin, and A Recharacterization of Hypogeophis brevis

 Hypogeophis pti 

Maddock, Wilkinson, Nussbaum & Gower, 2017

   DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.1 

Abstract

A new species of indotyphlid caecilian amphibian, Hypogeophis pti sp. nov., is described based on a series of specimens from the Seychelles island of Praslin. The type series was collected in 2013 and 2014, and a referred specimen previously identified as H. brevis Boulenger, 1911 was collected from an unspecified Seychelles locality in 1957. The new species most closely resembles the Seychelles endemic Hypogeophis brevis in being short (maximum known total length in life ca. 120 mm) and long snouted, but differs by having a less anteriorly positioned tentacular aperture and fewer primary annuli and vertebrae. In having only 67–69 vertebrae, H. pti sp. nov. is the most abbreviated extant species of caecilian reported to date.

Keywords:  Amphibia, herpetology, Indian Ocean, taxonomy, Vallée de Mai

FIGURE 5. Hypogeophis brevis, specimens in life collected in 2014 on Mahé from two localities: (a) Casse Dents, specimen BMNH 2005.1984, 1985 or 1986, (b) Brûlée, BMNH 2005.1793.
FIGURE 11. Hypogeophis pti sp. nov., paratype specimens in life collected from Fond Peper, Praslin, 2014. (a) BMNH 2005.1830 or 1832; (b) BMNH 2005.1833.

Hypogeophis pti sp. nov.

Etymology. The specific epithet is in reference to the very small size of the species, one of the smallest of known caecilians. ‘Pti’ is a typical spelling in Seychellois Creole of the French petit/petite (small, in English). For nomenclatural purposes the specific epithet is considered to be a noun in apposition. 

Suggested ‘common’ name. Petite Praslin caecilian.

Simon T. Maddock, Mark Wilkinson, Ronald A. Nussbaum and David J. Gower. 2017. A New Species of Small and Highly Abbreviated Caecilian (Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the Seychelles Island of Praslin, and A Recharacterization of Hypogeophis brevis Boulenger, 1911. Zootaxa. 4329(4); 301–326.  DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.1

ResearchGate.net/publication/320244016_A_new_species_of_small_and_highly_abbreviated_caecilian_Gymnophiona_Indotyphlidae_from_the_Seychelles_island_of_Praslin_and_a_recharacterization_of_Hypogeophis_brevis_Boulenger_1911

facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159348326915456
 twitter.com/JimLabisko/status/916614901216497664

   

[Herpetology • 2014] Ichthyophis multicolor • A New Species of Striped Ichthyophis Fitzinger, 1826 (Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar

FIGURE 1. Preserved holotype (CAS 212264) of Ichthyophis multicolor sp. nov.

Photos by Harry Taylor (The Natural History Museum, London).
Scale gradations = 1 mm.

Abstract

A new species of striped ichthyophiid caecilian, Ichthyophis multicolor sp. nov., is described on the basis of morphological and molecular data from a sample of 14 specimens from Ayeyarwady Region, Myanmar. The new species resembles superficially the Indian I. tricolor Annandale, 1909 in having both a pale lateral stripe and an adjacent dark ventrolateral stripe contrasting with a paler venter. It differs from I. tricolor in having many more annuli, and in many details of cranial osteology, and molecular data indicate that it is more closely related to other Southeast Asian Ichthyophis than to those of South Asia. The caecilian fauna of Myanmar is exceptionally poorly known but is likely to include chikilids as well as multiple species of Ichthyophis.

Key words: Burma, caecilians, conservation, ichthyophiids, out-of-India, systematics, taxonomy

Etymology. Named for its having more distinct colours than most other Ichthyophis. For nomenclatural purposes the specific epithet is considered to be a noun in apposition.
Suggested English name. Colourful Ichthyophis or Colourful Ich.

Distribution and natural history. This species is known only from the type locality. Specimens were collected on the surface after heavy rain from an area of secondary forest and agriculture. The soil was sandy and hard packed. Local people brought the field team to the locality in response to questions about where ichthyophiids could be found. Although the type series includes no larval specimens it seems very likely that the species, like all other Ichhyophis as far as is known, is oviparous with an aquatic larval stage. This life history is also suggested by the large size of the unlaid eggs (e.g. Wilkinson & Nussbaum 1998).


MARK WILKINSON, BRONWEN PRESSWELL, EMMA SHERRATT, ANNA PAPADOPOULOU & DAVID J. GOWER. 2014.  A New Species of Striped Ichthyophis Fitzinger, 1826 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Myanmar. Zootaxa. 3785(1);  45–58. 

http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3785.1.4

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/zt03785p058.pdf

[Herpetology • 2013] Systematics of the caecilian family Chikilidae (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) with the description of three new species of Chikila from northeast India ; Chikila alcocki, C. darlong & C. gaiduwani

by S.D. Biju
: http://facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=477428005665005

Abstract

A taxonomic review of the monogeneric northeast Indian caecilian family Chikilidae is presented based on 64 specimens. Chikila fulleri (Alcock, 1904), known previously only from a single specimen collected more than 100 years ago, is rediagnosed and characterised based on recent collections. We describe three additional species new to science, Chikila alcocki sp. nov., Chikila darlong sp. nov., and Chikila gaiduwani sp. nov. This species-level taxonomy is consistent with mitochondrial DNA sequence data. A key to the species of Chikila is presented. 

Key words: DNA, herpetology, identification key, morphology, taxonomy

Kamei, R.G., Gower, D.J., Wilkinson, M. and Biju, S. D. 2013. Systematics of the caecilian family Chikilidae (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) with the description of three new species of Chikila from northeast India. Zootaxa. 3666(4): 401–435. 

http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2013/f/z03666p435f.pdf

Kamei, R.G., San Mauro, D., Gower, D.J., Van Bocxlaer, I., Sherratt, E., Thomas, A., Babu. S., Bossuyt, S., Wilkinson, M. and Biju, S. D. 2012. Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: 1-6. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.0150.

http://novataxa.blogspot.com/2012/02/2012-chikilidae.html

[Herpetology • 2012] Family Chikilidae — Chikila fulleri (Alcock, 1904) • Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa

Morphology of Chikilidae fam. nov. 

— Chikila fulleri (Alcock, 1904) in life, brooding egg clutch (in captivity).

The limbless, primarily soil-dwelling and tropical caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) comprise the least known order of tetrapods. On the basis of unprecedented extensive fieldwork, we report the discovery of a previously overlooked, ancient lineage and radiation of caecilians from threatened habitats in the underexplored states of northeast India. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of mitogenomic and nuclear DNA sequences, and comparative cranial anatomy indicate an unexpected sister-group relationship with the exclusively African family Herpelidae. Relaxed molecular clock analyses indicate that these lineages diverged in the Early Cretaceous, about 140 Ma. The discovery adds a major branch to the amphibian tree of life and sheds light on both the evolution and biogeography of caecilians and the biotic history of northeast India—an area generally interpreted as a gateway between biodiversity hotspots rather than a distinct biogeographic unit with its own ancient endemics. Because of its distinctive morphology, inferred age and phylogenetic relationships, we recognize the newly discovered caecilian radiation as a new family of modern amphibians.

Keywords: caecilian amphibians; Chikilidae; new family; systematics; northeast India

Amphibia L., 1758

Gymnophiona Rafinesque, 1814

Stegokrotaphia Cannatella & Hillis, 1993

Teresomata Wilkinson & Nussbaum, 2006

Chikilidae fam. nov.

Chikila gen. nov.

Etymology: Chikila is a northeast (Meghalaya state) Indian tribal name for the included caecilian

Type species: Herpele fulleri Alcock, 1904.

Volume reconstruction of high-resolution X-ray computed tomography data showing cranium and mandibles of C. fulleri

Kamei, R.G., San Mauro, D., Gower, D.J., Van Bocxlaer, I., Sherratt, E., Thomas, A., Babu. S., Bossuyt, S., Wilkinson, M. and Biju, S. D. 2012. Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: 1-6. doi:10.1098/rspb.2012.0150.

Pictures: New Amphibians Without Arms or Legs Discovered | http://on.natgeo.com/z2YAgS

Family of Legless Amphibians Discovered: Photos | http://news.discovery.com/animals/legless-amphibians-122102.html

[Herpetology • 2011] A nine-family classification of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona)

Abstract

We propose a new family-level classification of caecilians that is based on current understanding of phylogenetic relationships and diversity. The 34 currently recognised genera of caecilians are diagnosed and partitioned into nine family-level taxa. Each family is an hypothesised monophylum, that, subject to limitations of taxon sampling, is well-supported by phylogenetic analyses and is of ancient (Mesozoic) origin. Each family is diagnosed and also defined phylogenetically. The proposed classification provides an alternative to an exclusive reliance upon synonymy in solving the longstanding problem of paraphyly of the Caeciliidae.

Key words: amphibians, herpetology, phylogeny, systematics, taxonomy

Wilkinson, M., San Mauro, D., Sherratt, E., Gower, D.J. 2011. A nine-family classification of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Zootaxa. 2874: 41-64.

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt02874p064.pdf

Wilkinson, M., Oommen, O.V., Sheps, J.A. & Cohen, B.L. 2002. Phylogenetic relationships of Indian caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) inferred from mitochondrial rRNA gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 23, 401–407.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790302000313

[Herpetology • 2002] A molecular phylogeny of ichthyophiid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae): out of India or out of South East Asia?

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies indicate that the rafting Indian plate harboured several isolated vertebrate lineages between ca. 130 and 56 Myr ago that dispersed and diversified ‘out of India’ following accretion with Eurasia. A single family of the amphibian order Gymnophiona, the Ichthyophiidae, presently occurs on the Indian plate and across much of South East Asia. Ichthyophiid phylogeny is investigated in order to test competing out of India and out of South East Asia hypotheses for their distribution. Partial sequences of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes for 20 ichthyophiids and proximate outgroups were assembled. Parsimony, maximum-likelihood and distance analyses all recover optimum trees in which uraeotyphlids plus Ichthyophis cf. malabarensis are the sister taxa to all other Ichthyophis, among which the South East Asian taxa are monophyletic. Tree topology and branch lengths indicate that the Indian lineages are more basal and older, and thus are more consistent with the hypothesis that ichthyophiids dispersed from the Indian subcontinent into South East Asia. The estimated relationships also support monophyly of Sri Lankan Ichthyophis, and non-monophyly of striped and unstriped Ichthyophis species groups. Mitochondrial DNA sequences provide evidence that should assist current problematic areas of caecilian taxonomy.

Keywords: biogeography; evolution; mitochondrial DNA; Uraeotyphlidae; Gondwana

Asian caecilians are a primarily Gondwanan group. Ichthyophiids and uraeotyphlids were probably isolated

(and perhaps diverged) on the drifting Indian subcontinent. Ichthyophiids apparently dispersed into South East Asia after plate accretion in the early Tertiary. There is no evidence that uraeotyphlids dispersed out of India.

Gower, D. J, Alex Kupfer, Oommen V. Oommen, Werner Himstedt, Ronald A. Nussbaum, Simon P. Loader, Bronwen Presswell1,Hendrik Mueller, Sharath B. Krishna, Renaud Boistel and Mark Wilkinson 2002. A molecular phylogeny of ichthyophiid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae): out of India or out of South East Asia? Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 269:1563–1569 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1691064/pdf/12184826.pdf

[Herpetology • 2007] Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long-tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India

Abstract

The mountainous Western Ghats are part of a biodiversity hotspot and extend for about 1600 km, lying close and subparallel to the west coast of peninsular India. The region is a centre of diversity for amphibians, and recent preliminary work on some components of both caecilian (Gymnophiona) and frog (Anura) fauna is indicative of a high degree of local endemism. We investigated diversity in mitochondrial rRNA 12S and 16S sequences for long-tailed, unstriped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) that  Potentially represent four taxonomically confused and poorly known endemic caecilian species. Data were analysed for18 individuals from along c. 1500 km of the Western Ghats region. Genetic diversity is remarkably low, with a maximum uncorrected p-distance of 0.5%. These DNA sequences and new morphological data do not allow us to reject the null hypothesis that the sample comprises only a single, widely distributed, highly interconnected species. The phylogenetic signal among the data is extremely low. However, population genetic analyses reveal that the Palghat Gap, a c. 30 km discontinuity in the Western Ghats considered to be significant in the biogeography of other organisms occurring in this region, corresponds to a significant subdivision of long-tailed, unstriped Ichthyophis into two groups

Keywords: caecilians; Palghat Gap; phylogeny; population genetics; taxonomy.

This is a rather large species found in Northern Western Ghats. The eyes are distinct and surrounded by a light ring. The tentacle is placed closer to the lip and the eye. A dark brown or greyish brown species with no lateral stripes.

The following three names are presently considered to be junior synonyms of Ichthyophis bombayensis as it was recently shown that all the unstriped long-tailed Ichthyophis from Western Ghats showed little genetic variation.

• Ichthyophis malabarensis Southern Western Ghats. Known with certainty only from the type locality.

• Ichthyophis peninsularis Known only from the type specimen, exact locality not known.

• Ichthyophis subterrestris Known only from type specimen, from Western Ghats south of Palghat gap (Cochin and Travancore areas)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyophis_bombayensis

Gower, D. J.; M. Dharne, G. Bhatta, V. Giri, R. Vyas, V. Govindappa, O. V. Oommen, J. George, Y. Shouche & M. Wilkinson. 2007. Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long-tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Zoology 272 (3): 266–275. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00266.x .

http://www.doz.keralauniversity.edu/pdf/oommenvo/005.PDF

[Herpetology • 2005] Molecular phylogenetics of Sri Lankan Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae), with discovery of a cryptic species

Abstract

Based on previous morphological analyses, the caecilian amphibian (Gymnophiona) fauna of Sri Lanka has been considered to consist of three endemic species of the ichthyophiid genus Ichthyophis, two of which have a lateral yellow stripe. We examined the relationships of Sri Lankan caecilians using partial sequences of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes for 18 Sri Lankan Ichthyophis from 14 localities. Based on the latest keys, these 18 samples represent one striped (I. glutinosus) and one unstriped (I. orthoplicatus) species. Sequences for these samples were aligned against previously reported sequences for Indian and Southeast Asian Ichthyophis, and analysed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, distance and Bayesian methods. Results from all methods are in close agreement. Inferred trees strongly support the

hypothesis that Sri Lankan caecilians are monophyletic, though their relationships to other Asian caecilians are unclear. While most of the striped specimens that key out as I. glutinosus comprise a clade, a small subset from a single locality are robustly recovered as more closely related to the unstriped I. orthoplicatus. These individuals are interpreted as a possibly new, morphologically cryptic species. The I. glutinosus clade is the most widespread among our samples, and it contains some weakly supported, but consistently recovered hierarchical structure. Most notably, all specimens from the southwestern corner of Sri Lanka comprise a clade, possibly representing a relatively recent dispersal from the central highlands.

Key words:–  caecilians, evolution, mitochondrial DNA, Sri Lanka, systematics, taxonomy.

Gower, D.J., Bahir, M.M., Mapatuna, Y., Pethiyagoda, R., Raheem, D. and Wilkinson, M. 2005. Molecular phylogenetics of Sri Lankan Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae), with discovery of a cryptic species. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement: 153-161.: 

http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s12/s12rbz153-161.pdf