Morphology, biology, and distribution of Ichthyophis kodaguensis (Amphibia:Gymnophiona), a rare caecilian from the Western Ghats, India

Of the amphibian orders, the Gymnophiona (caecilians) have the lowest number of species and are the least known. We report new information on the morphology, biology, range, and distribution of Ichthyophis kodaguensis, a striped ichthyophiid caecilian from the Western Ghats, India that shows the first evidence of possible sexual-dimorphism in this species. Based on the clutch size, limited range, relatively low fecundity, and agricultural practices in their habitats, we consider that I. kodaguensis is highly threatened when compared to other striped ichthyophiids from the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot.

Chromatic and morphological anomalies in gymnophionans from India

Caecilians (Gymnophiona) are commonly known as limbless amphibians and are the least understood vertebrate order. In this paper, we documented skin color, eye, jaw, snout, tentacular aperture and cloacal anomalies in 12 individuals of four species belonging to the three caecilian genera Ichthyophis, Uraeotyphlus and Gegeneophis collected from hotspots of caecilian diversity in India, the Western Ghats and Northeast India. As we found the majority of these individuals in coffee and tea plantations, we discuss the possibility that anomalies are the result of exposure to agrochemicals that are frequently used in plantations