| Uraeotyphlus malabaricus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Gymnophiona |
| Clade: | Apoda |
| Family: | Ichthyophiidae |
| Genus: | Uraeotyphlus |
| Species: | U. malabaricus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (
Beddome, 1870)
| |
| Synonyms [2] | |
|
Cecilia malabarica Beddome, 1870 | |
Uraeotyphlus malabaricus is a species of caecilian in the family Ichthyophiidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India and is known from its type locality, " Malabar" in Kerala, and from the Nilgiri mountains in Tamil Nadu. [2] It is known with several common names: Malabar tailed caecilian, Nilgiris caecilian, Malabar caecilian, and white-lipped caecilian. [2] [3]
Description
Adult measure 145–234 mm (5.7–9.2 in) including the 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) tail. The body is short and stout, violet-coloured dorsally and lighter ventrally. The eyes are distinct and surrounded by a light ring. The tentacles are placed ventrally, close to the lip. Light-coloured areas are present around the nostrils, snout tip, and tentacles. The upper lips and lower jaw are also of a light cream colour. There is a light spot present near vent, and the tip of the tail is whitish. [4]
Habitat and conservation
Uraeotyphlus malabaricus has been collected in evergreen tropical forest (600–1,200 m (2,000–3,900 ft) above sea level), but its ecology is generally poorly known. Presumably, the adults are fossorial. It is probably an oviparous species laying terrestrial eggs and having aquatic larvae. [1]
Threats to this species are not known. It occurs in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. [1]
References
- ^
a
b
c M.S. Ravichandran, Sushil Dutta, Gopalakrishna Bhatta, David Gower, Mark Wilkinson, Oommen V. Oommen (2004).
"Uraeotyphlus malabaricus".
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59655A11976612.
doi:
10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59655A11976612.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
{{ cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (Beddome, 1870)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (Beddome, 1870)". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ Bhatta, Gopalakrishna (1998). "A field guide to the caecilians of the Western Ghats, India". Journal of Biosciences. 23 (1): 73–85. doi: 10.1007/BF02728526. S2CID 29374045.
| Uraeotyphlus malabaricus | |
|---|---|
|
Scientific classification
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Gymnophiona |
| Clade: | Apoda |
| Family: | Ichthyophiidae |
| Genus: | Uraeotyphlus |
| Species: | U. malabaricus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (
Beddome, 1870)
| |
| Synonyms [2] | |
|
Cecilia malabarica Beddome, 1870 | |
Uraeotyphlus malabaricus is a species of caecilian in the family Ichthyophiidae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats of India and is known from its type locality, " Malabar" in Kerala, and from the Nilgiri mountains in Tamil Nadu. [2] It is known with several common names: Malabar tailed caecilian, Nilgiris caecilian, Malabar caecilian, and white-lipped caecilian. [2] [3]
Description
Adult measure 145–234 mm (5.7–9.2 in) including the 3–6 mm (0.1–0.2 in) tail. The body is short and stout, violet-coloured dorsally and lighter ventrally. The eyes are distinct and surrounded by a light ring. The tentacles are placed ventrally, close to the lip. Light-coloured areas are present around the nostrils, snout tip, and tentacles. The upper lips and lower jaw are also of a light cream colour. There is a light spot present near vent, and the tip of the tail is whitish. [4]
Habitat and conservation
Uraeotyphlus malabaricus has been collected in evergreen tropical forest (600–1,200 m (2,000–3,900 ft) above sea level), but its ecology is generally poorly known. Presumably, the adults are fossorial. It is probably an oviparous species laying terrestrial eggs and having aquatic larvae. [1]
Threats to this species are not known. It occurs in the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. [1]
References
- ^
a
b
c M.S. Ravichandran, Sushil Dutta, Gopalakrishna Bhatta, David Gower, Mark Wilkinson, Oommen V. Oommen (2004).
"Uraeotyphlus malabaricus".
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59655A11976612.
doi:
10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59655A11976612.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
{{ cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link) - ^ a b c Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (Beddome, 1870)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ "Uraeotyphlus malabaricus (Beddome, 1870)". India Biodiversity Portal. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
- ^ Bhatta, Gopalakrishna (1998). "A field guide to the caecilians of the Western Ghats, India". Journal of Biosciences. 23 (1): 73–85. doi: 10.1007/BF02728526. S2CID 29374045.