Showing posts with label Indotyphlidae. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indotyphlidae. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

[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


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Tuesday, October 17, 2017

[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


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

   

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Sunday, April 26, 2015

[Herpetology • 2015] Gegeneophis tejaswini • A New Species of Indian Caecilian Highlights Challenges for Species Delimitation within Gegeneophis Peters, 1879 (Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae)


Gegeneophis tejaswini 
Kotharambath, Wilkinson, Oommen & Gower, 2015

Abstract

A new species of indotyphlid caecilian amphibian, Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov., is described based on eight specimens from lowlands of the most northerly district of the state of Kerala in the southern part of the Western Ghats region, India. This species is distinguished from all other Gegeneophis in annulation characters and genetics (> 6% different from most similar nominal species for 883 base pairs of mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA gene sequence data). The high degree of morphological similarity of G. krishni, G. mhadeiensis and the new species underlines that, for some Gegeneophis, larger samples and/or new characters will be needed to further advance the taxonomy of this genus.

Keywords: caecilians, herpetology, India, taxonomy, Western Ghats


Kotharambath, Ramachandran, Mark Wilkinson, V. Oommen & David J. Gower. 2015. A New Species of Indian Caecilian Highlights Challenges for Species Delimitation within Gegeneophis Peters, 1879 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae).
Zootaxa. 3948(1): 60–70. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3948.1.4
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