A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from Maharashtra, India

Ravichandran, M. S.; Gower, David J.; Wilkinson, Mark

doi:10.11646/zootaxa.350.1.1

Cited by 13 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The region is a recognized centre of diversity for the limbless, superficially snake‐like, caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona: Taylor, 1961; Gower et al , 2004; Ravichandran, 2004). Recently, renewed interest in the systematics of Indian caecilians has led to the recognition of several new species from the Western Ghats (Pillai & Ravichandran, 1999; Giri, Wilkinson & Gower, 2003; Ravichandran, Gower & Wilkinson, 2003; Bhatta & Prasanth, 2004; Bhatta & Srinivasa, 2004; Giri, Gower & Wilkinson, 2004), in agreement with a theoretical prediction (Bhatta, 1997) and with recent progress in the systematics of anuran amphibians of the same region (Biju, 2001; see Gower et al , 2004). The recognition of new species of caecilians from the Western Ghats has been based on traditional taxonomic data, and the impact of molecular techniques has yet to be assessed (Gower et al , 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long‐tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India

Gower

Dharne

Bhatta³

et al. 2007

Journal of Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long‐tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India

Gower

Dharne

Bhatta³

et al. 2007

Journal of Zoology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…, 1999; Exbrayat, 2000; Lawson, 2000; Giri et al. , 2003; Leong & Lim, 2003; Ravichandran et al. , 2003; Vyas, 2003; Wilkinson et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We compiled information on caecilian colour and pattern characteristics from the literature, including original descriptions, as well as colour pictures and observations of live caecilians (Barbour & Loveridge, 1928;Taylor, 1968;Nussbaum & Wilkinson, 1987;Nussbaum & Hinkel, 1994;Junqueira et al, 1999;Exbrayat, 2000;Lawson, 2000;Giri et al, 2003;Leong & Lim, 2003;Ravichandran et al, 2003;Vyas, 2003;Wilkinson et al, 2003;Mü ller et al, 2005;Exbrayat, 2006b;Measey, 2006;G. John Measey, personal observation).…”

Section: Colour Patterns In Caecilian Amphibiansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why colour in subterranean vertebrates? Exploring the evolution of colour patterns in caecilian amphibians

Wollenberg

Measey

2009

J of Evolutionary Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The proximate functions of animal skin colour are difficult to assign as they can result from natural selection, sexual selection or neutral evolution under genetic drift. Most often colour patterns are thought to signal visual stimuli; so, their presence in subterranean taxa is perplexing. We evaluate the adaptive nature of colour patterns in nearly a third of all known species of caecilians, an order of amphibians most of which live in tropical soils and leaf litter. We found that certain colour pattern elements in caecilians can be explained based on characteristics concerning above‐ground movement. Our study implies that certain caecilian colour patterns have convergently evolved under selection and we hypothesize their function most likely to be a synergy of aposematism and crypsis, related to periods when individuals move overground. In a wider context, our results suggest that very little exposure to daylight is required to evolve and maintain a varied array of colour patterns in animal skin.

show abstract

“…For example, it has been suggested that in the Western Ghats there may be more than 100 new species of frogs still awaiting scientifi c identity, mostly from the genus Philautus (Biju 2001), and fi ve new species of the legless amphibian (Giri et al 2003;Ravichandran et al 2003;Bhatta and Prashanth 2004;Bhatta and Srinivasa 2004;Giri et al 2004). More recently, a Gondwana land relic frog family, Nasikabatrachidae, was discovered from the Western Ghats (Biju and Bossuyt 2003;Dutta et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of species discovery in the Western Ghats, a megadiversity hot spot in India

et al. 2007

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Even since Linnaeus, naturalists and taxonomists have been systematically describing species new to science. Besides indicating gaps in taxonomic effort, understanding the temporal patterns of species discovery could help in identifying drivers that determine discovery. In this study we report the patterns of discovery of eight taxa -birds, butterfl ies, frogs, tiger beetles, grasses, asters, ferns and orchids -in the Western Ghats, a megadiversity centre in India. Our results indicate that the discovery curves for birds and butterfl ies have been saturated while those for frogs and grasses continue to increase. Within each taxon, the major drivers of discovery were commonness of the species and their size. The average years taken for discovery across taxa were directly related to the per cent endemicity and species richness of the taxa. We discuss the trajectories of discovery with respect to rarity or endemicity of the species and life history features, and the implications these might have for strategizing the discovery process in India.

show abstract

A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from Maharashtra, India

Cited by 13 publications

References 4 publications

Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long‐tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India

Remarkable genetic homogeneity in unstriped, long‐tailed Ichthyophis along 1500 km of the Western Ghats, India

Why colour in subterranean vertebrates? Exploring the evolution of colour patterns in caecilian amphibians

Patterns of species discovery in the Western Ghats, a megadiversity hot spot in India

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About