[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

[Herpetology • 2008] Uraeotyphlus gansi • A new species of Uraeotyphlus (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae) of the malabaricus group

Uraeotyphlus gansi 2008

Abstract 

A new species of Uraeotyphlus (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae) of the malabaricus group is described from a type series of 21 specimens from the Western Ghats of southernmost Tamil Nadu, peninsular India. Three additional specimens are referred to the species. The new species differs from other species of the malabaricus group in its combination of total number of annuli, length of the tail (as measured by number of post-anal annuli), and numbers of teeth. By virtue of its sample size and precise locality data, the new species represents the best-known member of the recently described but poorly-known malabaricus group of Uraeotyphlus. The malabaricus group likely includes additional unrecognized species, but increased sample sizes and better locality data are required to assist the interpretation of available material.

Key words: Caecilians; Herpetology; India; Systematics; Western Ghats

Gower, D. J., Rajendran, A., Nussbaum, R. A., and Wilkinson, M. 2008. A new species of Uraeotyphlus (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae) of the malabaricus group. Herpetologica, 64(2), 235-245. http://www.bmnh.org/PDFs/DG_08_Herpetologica.pdf

[Herpetology • 2007] Uraeotyphlus oommeni • Species groups in the Indian Caecilian genus Uraeotyphlus Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae), with the description of a new species

Uraeotyphlus oommeni

Abstract 

A new species of Uraeotyphlus (Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae) is described on the basis of a single, distinctive specimen from the Western Ghats of southern Kerala, India. This species is most similar to U. malabaricus (Beddome) in that it lacks a clear differentiation between primary annuli and their higher order secondary or tertiary) subdivision. The pattern of annulation among species of Uraeotyphlus falls into two clear types based on the differentiation of primary and higher-order annuli, and the number of annular divisions per vertebra and whether this varies along the body. This difference is reflected in our recognition of oxyurus-group (U. interruptus, U. menoni, U. narayani, U. oxyurus) and malabaricus-group (U. malabaricus and a new species described herein) species within Uraeotyphlus. 

Key words: Caecilians; India; Systematics; Western Ghats

Gower, David J. and Mark Wilkinson, 2007. Species groups in the Indian Caecilian genus Uraeotyphlus Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Uraeotyphlidae), with the description of a new species. Herpetologica 63(3):401-410 http://www.bmnh.org/PDFs/DG_07_Herpetologica.pdf

[Herpetology • 2011] Ichthyophis davidi | Chorla giant striped Ichthyophis • the largest striped Ichthyophis caecilian (Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from the Western Ghats of India

The Western Ghats, a hill chain of 1600 km running parallel to the west coast of India, is one of the amphibian hotspots. Gymnophiona in the Western Ghats is represented by 23 species, which 12 belong to Ichthyophiidae and 11 species to Caeciliidae. Under Ichthyophiidae, Ichthyophis and Uraeotyphlus

are the two genera containing five and seven species respectively. In the genus Ichthyophis, two forms of species are categorized: monocoloured species and species with yellow stripes. A total of four striped caecilians, namely  Ichthyophis beddomei Peters, 1879 (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu), Ichthyophis tricolor Annandale, 1909 (Kerala), Ichthyophis longicephalus Pillai, 1986 (Kerala) and Ichthyophis kodaguensis Wilkinson, Gower, Govindappa and Venkatachalaiah, 2007 (Karnataka and Kerala), and a monocoloured species  Ichthyophis bombayensis Taylor, 1960  (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala) were described from the Western Ghats. 

During our search for these subterranean, secretive vertebrates in the North Karnataka parts of the Western Ghats, we collected five specimens resembling each other which fit the generic diagnosis by Pillai and Ravichandran for Ichthyophis, but differ from all known striped caecilians of the Western Ghats, 

including the recent description by Wilkinson  et al. Our collections from northern Karnataka have a distinctive combination of features that distinguish them from all other described striped Ichthyophis, and here we describe this form as a new species.

Etymology: The species is named in honour of David Gower, Department of Zoology, The Natural History Museum, London, in recognition of his contributions to Indian caecilian studies and we suggest the common name ‘Chorla giant striped Ichthyophis’. 

Bhatta, Gopalakrishna; Dinesh, K. P.; Prashanth, P.; Kulkarni, Nirmal; Radhakrishnan, C. 2011. A new caecilian Ichthyophis davidi sp. nov. (Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae): the largest striped caecilian from the Western Ghats. Scientific Correspondence. 101 (08): 1015–1019.

http://cs-test.ias.ac.in/cs/Volumes/101/08/1015.pdf

The Hindu : States / Kerala : New amphibian discovered http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article2571128.ece

[Herpetology • 2009] Ichthyophis khumhzi, I. moustakius & I. sendenyu • Three new species of striped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from the northeast Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland

Abstract

Three new ichthyophiid species, Ichthyophis khumhzi sp. nov., Ichthyophis moustakius sp. nov. and Ichthyophis sendenyu sp. nov., from the northeast Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland, are described on the basis of morphological analysis of new material. The new material (16 specimens) more than doubles the number of northeast Indian caecilian specimens reported in previous literature, and increases the caecilian fauna of the region to seven species. Two of the new species have very distinctive, moustache-like stripes between their tentacles and nares, a feature not reported in other ichthyophiids. Diagnoses, type descriptions, illustrations, data on variation, distribution, and natural history are provided for the new species. Concern for the conservation of northeast Indian caecilians is raised, given the paucity of previous work, evidence of unrecognized diversity, and ongoing habitat destruction.

Key words: caecilians, conservation, ichthyophiids, new species, northeast India, systematics

Kamei R.G., Wilkinson M., Gower D.J. & Biju S.D. 2009. Three new species of striped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from the northeast Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland. Zootaxa, 2267: 26-42. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/z02267p042f.pdf

http://vitawater.ru/news/terra/newst45.shtml

[Herpetology • 2009] Ichthyophis alfredii, I. daribokensis & I. nokrekensis • Caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) of North East India with description of three new species of Ichthyophis from Garo Hills, Meghalaya

the striped species of Ichthyophis of North East India.

1. Ichthyophis alfredii sp. nov. 

2. Ichthyophis daribokensis sp. nov. 

3. Ichthyophis nokrekensis sp. nov. 

4. Ichthyophis garoensis Pillai and Ravichandran, 1999.

http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/view_online.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fzsi.gov.in%2Farchives%2FDecember_2009.pdf

From the Introduction: "Caecilians or limbless amphibians fall under the order Gymnophiona of the class amphibia. The mostly fossorial and tropical Ichthyophiidae and its sister Taxa Uraeotyphlidae are the only caecilian families restricted to Asia (Gower et al., 2002). They are believed to have been dispersed from India to South East Asia. The latter with a single genus is restricted to the Southern part of the Western Ghats. Ichthyophid taxonomy is not adequately established to enable a confident specific identification mostly because of their external similarity. The authors took a passionate interest to collect and study these animals from Northeast India, particularly Meghalaya and specifically from Garo Hills. Caecilians are popularly known as 'Chikil' to the people of Garo Hills."

Mathew & Sen, 2009 : Studies on caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) of North East India with description of three new species of Ichthyophis from Garo Hills, Meghalaya and additional information on Ichthyophis garoensis Pillai & Ravichandran, 1999. Records of the Zoological Survey of India. Occasional Papers, vol. 309, p. 1-56.

http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no63430/records-zoological-survey-india-studies-on-caecilians-amphibia-gymnophiona-ichthyophiidae-north-east-description-three-new-species-ichthyophis-garo-hills-meghalaya-occasional-paper-no-309-rosamma-mathew-nibedita-sen-additional-information-garoensis-pillai-ravichandran-1999

[Herpetology • 2007] Ichthyophis kodaguensis | Kodagu Striped Ichthyophis• A new species of Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Karnataka, India

Kodagu Striped Ichthyophis | Ichthyophis kodaguensis

Abstract

A new species of Indian striped Ichthyophis is described on the basis of six specimens from near the Western Ghats town of Madikeri, southern Karnataka (where it is sympatric with its congener I. beddomei), plus a seventh specimen of less certain provenance. The new species is distinguished from all other striped Ichthyophis by its combination of color, numbers of annuli and teeth, position of tentacular aperture, and the distribution and numbers of scale rows. A dichotomous key is provided to separate the four striped species of Ichthyophis of the Western Ghats.

Key words: Caecilians; Herpetology; South Asia; Systematics; Western Ghats

FIG. 1.— Holotype of Ichthyophis kodaguensis sp. nov. (BNHS 4179) Scale 5 20 mm.

Etymology.— The specific epithet reflects the provenance of the type specimens from the District of Kodagu (also known as Coorg) in Southern Karnataka, India.

Suggested common name.— Kodagu Striped Ichthyophis.

Conservation status.— We suggest that Ichthyophis kodaguensis is currently of ‘Data Deficient’ status by IUCN criteria. Although several specimens were collected in a single day from an agricultural habitat, more information is needed on the range and ecological requirements of this species before it could be considered unthreatened.

FIG. 2.— Holotype of Ichthyophis kodaguensis sp. nov. (BNHS 4179). From top to bottom: head and anterior of body in left lateral, dorsal and ventral views; terminus in ventral and lateral views. Finely dotted lines in drawings (from camera lucida sketches) indicate extent of lateral yellow stripes. Images not to scale.

Wilkinson,M., Gower, D.J., Govindappa, V. and Venkatachalaiah, G. 2007. A new species of Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae) from Karnataka, India. Herpetologica. 63: 511–518.

http://www.bmnh.org/PDFs/MW_07_Herpetologica.pdf

Bhatta, G., K.P. Dinesh, P. Prashanth & R. Srinivasa (2011). New site record of Ichthyophis kodaguensis Wilkinson et al., 2007 (Amphibia:Ichthyophiidae) in the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 3(9): 2104–2107.

http://threatenedtaxa.org/ZooPrintJournal/2011/September/o272926ix112104-2107.pdf

[Herpetology • 1999] Ichthyophis husaini & I. garoensis • Gymnophiona (Amphibia) of India - A taxonomic study

Husain's Caecilian | Ichthyophis husaini 

Husain's Caecilian | Ichthyophis husaini Pillai & Ravichandran, 1999 

Garo Hills Caecilian | Ichthyophis garoensis Pillai & Ravichandran, 1999

http://lostspeciesindia.org/LAI2/wanted.php

Original name: Ichthyophis husaini; 

Original Publication: Pillai and Ravichandran, 1999. Rec. Zool. Surv. India. Occasional Paper, 172: 36.

Last seen: 1983 (27 years): only from the original description based on a single specimen.

Type locality: “Thebronggiri Coffee Garden, Rongram, Garo Hills”, 25°37’03’’ N, 90°14’11” E, 506 m a.s.l., Meghalaya, India.

Type: Holotype, ZSIS 18426.

Notes: It was collected by A. Husain in 1983 and described by Pillai and Ravichandran in 1999.

IUCN status: Data Deficient (DD).

Pillai, R.S. and Ravichandran, M.S. 1999. Gymnophiona (Amphibia) of India - A taxonomic study. Records of the Zoological Survey of India (Occ. Paper) 172: 1-117.

[Herpetology • 1986] Ichthyophis longicephalus | Long-headed Caecilian • from Silent Valley in Kerala, the Western Ghats of India

Long-headed Caecilian | Ichthyophis sp.

photo: Aathira Perinchery

Lost Frogs Update: Caecilians, the “Snaky Frogs” of India | http://shar.es/g6icg

Range Description: This species is known with certainty only from Silent Valley in Kerala, north of the Palghat Gap, in the Western Ghats of India. Records from elsewhere in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra, between 400 and 1,000m asl, require verification.

Pillai, R.S. 1986. Amphibian fauna of Silent Valley, Kerala, S. India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India: 229-242. 

Sushil Dutta, Gopalakrishna Bhatta, David Gower, Mark Wilkinson, Oommen V. Oommen 2004. Ichthyophis longicephalus. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 February 2012.

http://flickr.com/photos/84785721@N00/277326785/

Lost Frogs Update: Caecilians, the “Snaky Frogs” of India | http://shar.es/g6icg

[Herpetology • 1984] Ichthyophis bannanicus • The Discovery and Description of the New Species of Ichthyophis from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, southern China

Live Ichthyophis bannanicus from Beiliu, Guangxi in 2010

Ichthyophis bannanica Yang. Holotype KIZ74001 female, 

A. dorsal head, B. ventral head, C. left side of head

Ichthyophis glutinosus (Linnaeus), 

a. dorsal head, b. ventral head, c. right side of head 

(from the book "The Caecilians of the world" by Taylor, P29.)

New species Ichthyophis bannanica sp. nov., 

Ichthyophis glutinosus, Yang et Su 1976, Acta Zoologica Sinica vol 22(1):115.

Yang, D.-T. 1984. A new species of Ichthyophis - I. bannanica. Acta Herpetologica Sinica: 73-75.

Translated: The Discovery and Description of the New Species Ichthyophis bannanica

http://www.contemporaryherpetology.org/chis/1998/1/index.htm

http://paviavio.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/live-ichthyophis-bannanicus-found-in-china/