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We here describe a new species of the genus Caecilia from the Pacific lowlands of Colombia that was mistaken in previous literature as C. tenuissima, but which has more primary and secondary grooves than that species (among other differences). The description of Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. restricts the known distribution of C. tenuissima to Guayaquil, Ecuador, re-establishing its status as an endemic species. We comment on the type locality of C. tenuissima, the current condition of its holotype, and on the distributions of the Caecilia that inhabit the Pacific region of Colombia.

The Central portion of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia is currently reported to harbor two species of Caecilia distributed at comparable elevations on opposite versants of these Mountains. These are C. corpulenta, known from Virolín, Santander, at 1700–2000 m on the western slopes of the Cordillera Oriental and C. degenerata, known from Garagoa, Boyacá, and Choachí and Fomequé, Cundinamarca, at 1800–2100 m on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Oriental. Both species have dermal scales and lack secondary grooves, and have been subjected to misidentifications by herpetologists studying the Gymnophiona of the Eastern Andes of Colombia. Our results indicate that only the latter species is found in Colombia and the former is restricted to Peru, leaving those populations previously referred to C. corpulenta and those distinct from C. degenerata pending names. We here present an account for C. degenerata based on material from Choachí and Fómeque, Cundinamarca, as well as descriptions of three new species from the Cordillera Oriental and adjacent Venezuela: C. atelolepis sp. nov., C. epicrionopsoides sp. nov., and C. macrodonta sp. nov. We also provide additional morphological information for the recently described C. pulchraserrana.

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E.Y., Lim, Kelvin K.P. (2023): Singapore's herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution. Zootaxa 5287 (1): 1-378, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1

Ichthyophis singaporensis Taylor, 1960 — Native; Indeterminate. Ichthyophis singaporensis Taylor, 1960: 55–58, figs. 5, 6. Holotype: BMNH 1959.1.2.43, by original designation. Type locality: “Singapore”. Singapore Caecilian (Not figured. No photos of a live I. singaporensis exist.) Singapore records. Ichthyophis glutinosus Var?— Cantor, 1847c: 1058 (“Montgomerie’s garden”). Ichthyophis glutinosus — Hooker, 1854: 26. Epicrium monochroum (non-Bleeker, 1858)— Ģnther, 1864: xxvii, 443. Ichthyophis monochrous (non-Bleeker, 1858)— Boulenger, 1882a: 91.— Boulenger, 1890a: 517.— Flower, 1896: 914.—A.L. Butler, 1904: 402.— Hanitsch, 1905: 23.—Hanitsch, 1908: 49.— Boulenger, 1912: 286.— Kampen, 1923: 3.— Bourret, 1942: 139. Icthyophis [sic] singaporensis —Ng, Chou & Yang, 1988b: 37. Ichthyophis singaporensis Taylor, 1960: 55.—Taylor, 1968: 135.—P.K.L. Ng, 1989: 13.—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 56.—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 143.—L.M. Chou et al., 1994: 93.— K.K.P. Lim, 1994: 209.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 1995: 111.—Chan-ard et al., 1999: 20.— Iskandar & Colijn, 2000: 109.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 143.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 168.— D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 152.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 257.—T.M. Leong, 2011: 20.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 168.—K.Y. Chong et al., 2013: 289. Ichthyophis cf. singaporensis —K.K.P. Lim & C.M. Yang, 1991: 218. Ichthyophis sp. (part)—T.M. Leong, 2000: 4. Remarks. Remarkably, despite being Singapore’s rarest amphibian, being known only from the type-specimen (Table 1), I. singaporensis was also the first amphibian recorded from Singapore. Ichthyophis singaporensis was first described as ‘ I. glutinosus Var?’ by Cantor (1847c) who received the specimen from Montgomerie in 1843 when it was dug up from his garden. Hanitsch (1908) incorrectly listed the collection date as 1863. Cantor (1847c) found the specimen to differ from I. paucisulcus, but did not find conclusive data to designate it as a new species. Ichthyophis singaporensis was later described as a new species by Taylor (1960). Taylor (1968) included three specimens collected from Peninsular Malaysia as part of I. singaporensis. The specimens are from “ Selangor ”, Batu Gajah, and Kuala Kangsi. As of today, I. singaporensis is only known from these four specimens. No live photographs exist of I. singaporensis, but Taylor (1960) provides a radiographic image of the specimen. Occurrence. Only known from type-specimen predating 1847. Likely extirpated. Singapore conservation status. Not Evaluated. Conservation priority. Immediate priority, if rediscovered. IUCN conservation status. Data Deficient [2019]. LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): BMNH 1959.1.2.43 (no date) [holotype]. Additional Singapore museum specimens. No specimens. Singapore localities. One unknown location. Order Anura Fitzinger, 1843 (29 species) Anura Fitzinger, 1843: 34. Family Bufonidae Gray, 1825 (3 species) Bufonina Gray, 1825: 214 (type genus Bufo Laurenti, 1768). Genus Duttaphrynus Frost, Grant, Faivovich, Bain, Haas, Haddad, de Sá, Channing, Wilkinson, Donnellan, Raxworthy, Campbell, Blotto, Moler, Drewes, Nussbaum, Lynch, Green & Wheeler, 2006 (1 species) Duttaphrynus Frost, Grant, Faivovich, Bain, Haas, Haddad, de Sá, Channing, Wilkinson, Donnellan, Raxworthy, Campbell, Blotto, Moler, Drewes, Nussbaum, Lynch, Green & Wheeler, 2006: 219–220 (type species: Bufo melanostictus Schneider, 1799, by original designation; gender masculine)., Published as part of Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore's herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, pp. 1-378 in Zootaxa 5287 (1) on pages 23-24, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5287.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/7960319, {"references":["Cantor, T. E. (1847 c) Catalogue of reptiles inhabiting the Malayan Peninsula and islands, collected or observed by Theodore Cantor, Esq., M. D. Bengal Medical Service. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 16 (Part 2, No. 183), 1026 - 1078. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 5057","Hooker, J. D. (1854) Himalayan Journals; Or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains, & c. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. John Murray, London, xii + 487 pp., 6 pls., frontispiece. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 60447","Gnther, A. C. L. G. (1864) The Reptiles of British India. Trustees [of the British Museum], London, xxvii + 452 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 5012","Boulenger, G. A. (1882 a) Catalogue of the Batrachia Gradientia s. Caudata and Batrachia Apoda in the collection of the British Museum. 2 nd Edition. Taylor and Francis, London, vi + 127 pp., 9 pls.","Boulenger, G. A. (1890 a) First report on additions to the lizard collection in the British Museum (Natural History). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1890 (1), 77 - 86.","Flower, S. S. (1896) Notes on a collection of reptiles and batrachians made in the Malay Peninsula in 1895 - 96; with a list of the species recorded from that region. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1896 (4), 856 - 914, pls. 44 - 46.","Butler, A. L. (1904) A list of the batrachians known to inhabit the Malay Peninsula, with some remarks on their habits, distribution, & c. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 15 (3), 387 - 402.","Hanitsch, R. (1905) Raffles Library and Museum. In: Annual Departmental Reports of the Straits Settlements for the Year 1904. Published by Authority, Singapore, pp. 18 - 26.","Boulenger, G. A. (1912) A Vertebrate Fauna of the Malay Peninsula from the Isthmus of Kra to Singapore, Including the Adjacent Islands. Reptilia and Batrachia, Taylor and Francis, London, xiii + 294 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 10813","Kampen, P. N. van (1923) The Amphibia of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. E. J. Brill, Leiden, x + 304 pp.","Bourret, R. (1942) Les Batraciens de l'Indochine. Institut oceanographique de l'Indochine, Hanoi, x + 547 pp., 4 pls.","Lim, K. K. P. & Lim, F. L. K. (1992) A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, Singapore, 160 pp.","Chou L. M., Ng, P. K. L. & Lim, K. K. P. (1994) Animalia. In: Wee, Y. C. & Ng, P. K. L. (Eds.), A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore. National Council on the Environment, Singapore, pp. 70 - 106.","Iskandar, D. T. & Colijn, E. (2000) Preliminary checklist of Southeast Asian and New Guinean herpetofauna. I. Amphibians. Treubia, 31 (3, Supplement), 1 - 133.","Lim, K. P. & Lim, F. L. K. (2002) A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Singapore. Revised Edition. Singapore Science Centre, Singapore, 160 pp.","Leong, T. M. (2000) Amphibian tales. Nature Watch, 8 (4), 2 - 8.","Gnther, A. (1863) Third account of new species of snakes in the collection of the British Museum. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 3, 12 (71), 348 - 365. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222936308681536"]}

Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. Figs. 1–6; Table 1. Caecilia tenuissima Taylor, 1973: Lynch (2000: 329) {urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: 8CDE156F-86BC-4EF8-B812-C51C70A431DA} Holotype. ICN 58477, an adult male collected by Gladys Cárdenas-Arévalo and Rafael Ángel Moreno Arias at Quebrada El Hojal, Consejo Comunitario Unión del Río Rosario, vereda La Chorrera, Tumaco, Nariño, Colombia, 6 April 2006. 1° 45’ 52’’ N, 78° 45’ 56’’ W, 14 m. a.s.l. (Figs. 1–3). Paratype. UVC 7686, an adult female obtained by Liliana Peláez at Estero San Antonio, corregimiento Flor de la Brisa, vereda Robles, municipio El Charco, Nariño, Colombia, 8 October 1984. 2° 26’ 48.1’’ N, 78° 11’ 44.5’’ W, 10 m. a.s.l. (Figs. 4–6). Distribution. Currently Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. is known only from the holotype and paratype localities of southwestern Colombia in the Pacific lowlands of the Litoral Pacífico, in Tumaco, and from Estero San Carlos, El Charco, Nariño, between 10– 14 m.a.s.l. Diagnosis. Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. differs from C. atelolepis, C. attenuata Taylor, 1968, C. caribea, C. corpulenta Taylor, 1968, C. crassisquama Taylor, 1968, C. degenerata, C. guntheri, C. inca Taylor, 1973, C. macrodonta, C. occidentalis, C. orientalis, C. pachynema (Günther, 1859), C. pulchraserrana, and C. subdermalis in having (vs lacking) secondary grooves. Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. differs from congeners that have secondary annular grooves as follows. Caecilia disossea Taylor, 1968 (216–262 primary grooves and 16–34 secondary grooves) is the only member of the genus that has more primary and fewer secondary grooves than C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. (190–195 primary grooves and 51– 71 secondary grooves). Caecilia aprix also has more primary grooves (234) but an overlapping secondary groove count (58) with the new species. Caecilia bokermanni (180–192 primary grooves and 15–21 secondary grooves), C. gracilis Shaw, 1802 (183–204 primary grooves and 11–21 secondary grooves), C. occidentalis (186–221 primary grooves and 0–15 secondary grooves), and C. thompsoni (187–240 primary grooves and 26–42 secondary grooves) have overlapping counts of primary grooves and fewer secondary grooves than the new species. Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. has more primary annular grooves than C. abitaguae Dunn, 1942 (137–148 primary grooves and 0–5 secondary grooves), C. albiventris Daudin, 1803 (144–147 primary grooves and 45–53 secondary grooves), C. antioquiaensis (171 primary grooves and 4 secondary grooves), C. armata Dunn, 1942 (186 primary grooves and 92 secondary grooves), C. dunni Hershkovitz, 1938 (124 primary grooves and 67 secondary grooves), C. epicrionopsoides (139–163 primary grooves, 21–40 secondary grooves), C. flavopunctata Roze & Solano, 1963 (155 primary grooves and 27 secondary grooves), C. guntheri (111–132 primary grooves and 0–10 secondary grooves), C. isthmica (131–147 primary grooves and 12–21 secondary grooves), C. leucocephala (118–142 primary grooves and 17–45 secondary grooves), C. mertensi Taylor, 1973 (142 primary grooves and 48 secondary grooves), C. museugoeldi Maciel & Hoogmoed, 2018 (152 primary grooves and 26 secondary grooves), C. nigricans (157– 189 primary grooves and 32–62 secondary grooves), C. perdita (139–152 primary grooves and 64–83 secondary grooves), C. subnigricans (151–161 primary grooves and 17–31 secondary grooves), C. subterminalis Taylor, 1968 (170 primary grooves and 16 secondary grooves), C. tentaculata (122–137 primary grooves and 30–42 secondary grooves), and C. volcani Taylor, 1969 (112–124 primary grooves and 14–32 secondary grooves). Caecilia nigricans (159–195 primary grooves, 27–65 secondary grooves, length in width 32.6–80.4 times)— another species from the Pacific lowlands and Cordillera Occidental of Colombia —has overlapping counts of primary and secondary grooves, and attenuation index values with C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. (190–195 primary grooves, 51–71 secondary grooves, length in width 65.6–74.7 times), but C. nigricans has a terminal shield or ‘’cap’’ at the posterior end of the body that is barely interrupted dorsoventrally by the last few grooves of the body vs an entirely segmented terminal portion of the body in the new species, meaning that only the small disk and vent are free of grooves in C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. (Figs. 3, 6). Dermal scales obtained at the posterior end of the body of Caecilia nigricans are subcircular vs subrectangular in C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. Moreover, in life, Caecilia nigricans is mostly blue but C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. is mostly black. The new species is readily differentiated from C. tenuissima by having many more secondary grooves (51–71 vs 9). In addition, the new species has a head that is narrower than its mid-body width (vs noticeably wider than the body in C. tenuissima Taylor, 1973: 221, fig. 32); though in our experience a head much wider than mid-body is a rare condition within the genus, and the holotype of C. tenuissima appears to be somewhat desiccated from available photographs, suggesting this condition might be artefactual. Another difference between the species might be that in C. tenuissima the eye is not visible externally, while in C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. the eye is visible through translucent epidermis. There are no transverse grooves on the collars of C. tenuissima according to the original description (Taylor, 1973) but C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. has well-defined transverse grooves present on both collars. Squamation also differs between these two species, in that C. tenuissima has dermal scales only towards the terminus while C. wilkinsoni sp. nov. has dermal scales throughout its body. Caecilia wilkinsoni sp. nov. (190–195 primary grooves, 51–71 secondary grooves, length in width 65.6–74.7 times) is superficially similar to C. thompsoni (187–240 primary grooves, 26–42 secondary grooves, length in width 62–100 times), an endemic species of the Magdalena Valley of Colombia and the adjacent Cordilleras Central and Oriental, as well as the largest caecilian in the World, achieving a notable total length of 1767 mm (Arredondo-Salgar, 2007). However, the new species has more secondary annular grooves than C. thompsoni (51–71 vs 26–42) and has small, flattened (not protruding) narial plugs on the tongue (vs protruding narial plugs in C. thompsoni). Description of the holotype. General condition of the specimen is good given that the individual was found dead, though it has two dorsal flesh wounds; one between primary grooves 116–121 and another between primary grooves 157–168. A ventral longitudinal incision was made between primary grooves 166–188 to search for sexual organs, and a few dermal pockets towards the terminus were opened to search for dermal scales. An adult male with a total body length of 590 mm and a mid-body width of 7.9 mm, length divided by width 74.7 times. Head (7.7 mm) slightly narrower than body. In lateral view, top of head slightly vaulted (not straight), upper margins of the mouth very slightly concave, lower margins of the mouth straight. Snout blunt in dorsal view, rounded in ventral view, but generally pointed (bullet-like) in profile, it extends beyond the mouth by 2 mm. Nostrils oval and broadening posteriorly, visible in dorsal view but not visible in ventral view, closer to tentacular opening than to eye, distance between nostril and tentacular opening 1.6 mm, distance between eye and nostril 4.5 mm, distance between nostrils 2.8 mm. Eyes small, 0.5 mm in diameter, covered by translucent epidermis and clearly visible in dorsal and lateral view but not visible in ventral view. Eye lies closer to the commissure of the mouth (4.2 mm) than to the nostril (4.5 mm). Distance between eyes 5.0 mm, less than distance from tip of snout to eye level (5.5 mm). Tentacular opening circular in outline, elevated above the skin, positioned below and posterior to the nostril, closer to margin of the mouth than to the nostril, barely visible in dorsal view. Collars well defined, the first is smaller than the second and bears a short groove dorsally, the second collar bears two incomplete grooves dorsally and dorsolaterally. The first and second nuchal grooves are complete, but the third nuchal groove incomplete dorsally and ventrally. Body width is even from collars (8.1 mm) to mid-body, where it then begins to taper, reaching a minimum body width of 6.5 mm at the fourth fifth of the total body length, before becoming abruptly stouter (8.1 mm) at the terminus, i.e. equivalent in width to the collars. Primary grooves 195, only the last 10 prior to the vent completely encircle the body; secondary grooves 71, all on posterior half of body, the last 7 prior to the vent completely encircle the body. No terminal shield. Vent very small, and transverse, bordered by 6 denticulations anteriorly and 7 posteriorly, no anal glands in region surrounding vent. Dermal scales present as far anteriorly as the first primary groove, small (0.7 mm wide by 0.4 mm long), and oval; those closest to the terminus are very large (2.3 mm wide by 2.1 mm long), subrectangular, thicker and broader at the margin of inception with the dermal pocket. No trace of subdermal scales within the connective tissue of the skin. All teeth monocuspid, pointed and slightly recurved, mandibular teeth considerably larger and more recurved than maxillary teeth. Four dental series are present: the premaxillary-maxillary series has 7-1-8 teeth, posterior ones notably smaller; the vomeropalatine series has 10-1-8 teeth, decreasing in overall size posteriorly; the dentary series has 8-8 teeth, very large, recurved, decreasing in overall size posteriorly, and show signs of tooth replacement; the inner mandibular series has 2-2 teeth, small, pointed, slightly oblique, and partially concealed by the gums. Choanae circular, 1.5 mm apart, diameter of each choana is 0.7 mm. Small, flattened, black-ish narial plugs present on the tongue, these are darker in contrast to the generally whitish color of the mouth. Coloration in life does not differ much from coloration in preservative. Main body coloration according to the field notes by the collectors of the holotype is dark purple on the dorsal surfaces, gradually becoming slightly olive on the ventral surfaces. Only the nostrils, tentacular openings, lips and vent have a contrasting pale cream color. Dermal scales are gray. No median ventral stripe. Variation. In profile, the snout of the holotype is blunt but that of the paratype is rounded. The eye lies closer to the commissure of the mouth than to the nostril in the holotype, but equidistant between the commissure of the mouth and the nostril in the paratype. The vent is situated flush inside the surrounding disc in the holotype but situated in a slight depression (concave) in the paratype; the anterior margin of the vent of the paratype has two very small anal glands, unlike the holotype; the width of the disc surrounding the vent is smaller in the holotype but larger in the paratype. The paratype differs from the holotype by having 5 denticulations on the anterior and posterior margins of the vent vs 6 anterior denticulations and 7 posterior denticulations in the holotype. The attenuation index values indicate that the holotype is slenderer than the paratype (74.7 vs 65.6: Table 1). The gums of the paratype are very thick and conceal most of the teeth on all four dental series, with only their protruding ‘tips’ being noticeable; this condition is not present in the holotype. The choanae are circular in the holotype but subcircular in the paratype. Moreover, indications of teeth replacement in the form of dark, asterisk-like markings adjacent to emerging teeth were detected on the gums of the holotype but not the paratype. Lastly, it appears to us that the paratype has dried out at least once in the past 39 years and this made us chose the ICN specimen as the holotype. Etymology. This species is named after Dr. Mark Wilkinson, Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum in London, U.K., in recognition of his life-long dedication to the study of Gymnophiona. His numerous, highquality caecilian studies have provided a path for all aspiring ‘gymnophionologists’ to follow. Natural history. Unknown, although the field notes associated with the holotype indicate that this individual was found dead along a road at 12:00 hours in the surroundings of a stream. The paratype was found alive approximately 50 cm below the surface.

Key to the Caecilia of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia 1. With secondary grooves................................................................................ 2 1’. Without secondary grooves............................................................................. 4 2. 111–132 primary grooves, 0–32 secondaries, a very truncated head in dorsal and ventral view................. C. guntheri 2’. More than 139 primary grooves, and more than 13 secondary grooves............................................ 3 3. 139–163 primary grooves, 21–38 secondaries, a rounded head in dorsal and ventral view, some individuals with an anterior set of secondary grooves past the nuchal collars.......................................... C. epicrionopsoides sp. nov. 3’. 169–276 primary grooves, 13–58 secondaries, a bullet-shaped head in dorsal and ventral view, and a slender and elongated body....................................................................................... C. thompsoni 4. 96–106 primary grooves, straight dentary teeth, and a small terminal shield......................... C. pulchraserrana 4’. More than 120 primary grooves, straight or recurved dentary teeth, and a small or large terminal shield................. 5 5. With subdermal scales within the connective tissue of the skin.................................. C. atelolepis sp. nov. 5’. Without subdermal scales within the connective tissue of the skin.................................................6 6. Straight dentary teeth, large terminal shield, and 120–136 primary grooves............................... C. orientalis 6’. Recurved dentary teeth................................................................................. 7 7. With large, thick, very recurved dentary teeth, a large terminal shield, and 122–132 primary grooves. C. macrodonta sp. nov. 7’. With thin, recurved dentary teeth, a small terminal shield, and 133–136 primary grooves................... C. denegerata, Published as part of Fernández-Roldán, Juan David, Lynch, John D. & Medina-Rangel, Guido Fabian, 2023, On the identities of Caecilia degenerata Dunn, 1942 and of C. corpulenta Taylor 1968 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) with descriptions of three new species of Caecilia Linnaeus, 1758 from the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia, pp. 205-228 in Zootaxa 5227 (2) on page 222, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/7518604

Allain, Ronan, Vullo, Romain, Rozada, Lee, Anquetin, Jérémy, Bourgeais, Renaud, Goedert, Jean, Lasseron, Maxime, Martin, Jeremy E., Pérez-García, Adán, Fabrègues, Claire Peyre De, Royo-Torres, Rafael, Augier, Dominique, Bailly, Gilles (2022): Vertebrate paleobiodiversity of the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) Angeac-Charente Lagerstätte (southwestern France): implications for continental faunal turnover at the J/K boundary. Geodiversitas 44 (25): 683-752, DOI: 10.5252/geodiversitas2022v44a25

Albanerpetontidae indet. (Fig. 9) DESCRIPTION Albanerpetontids are represented in Angeac-Charente by numerous and diverse bones, including dentaries, premaxillae, maxillae, vertebrae and forelimb bones (Fig. 9 A-K). All the material was recovered from screen washing residues. It is always disarticulated, and almost always fragmentary. Several diagnostic characters allow their assignment to the Albanerpetontidae, including: 1) intertonguing symphyseal joint between dentaries, in a mortise-and-tenon style (Fox & Naylor 1982; Milner 1988; McGowan & Evans 1995; McGowan 1996, 2002; Gardner 1999b, 2000; Gardner et al. 2003; Sweetman & Gardner 2013; Matsumoto & Evans 2018). In the Angeac-Charente specimens, there are two symphyseal prongs (Fig. 9A, B); 2) pleurodont, chisel-like and regularly arranged non-pedicellate teeth, labiolingually compressed and bearing three faint, mesiodistally aligned cuspules (Fig. 9 A-G; Fox & Naylor 1982; Gardner 1999a, b, 2000; McGowan & Evans 1995; Sweetman & Gardner 2013; Matsumoto & Evans 2018); and 3) foramina arranged in line on external face of dentary (Fig. 9F; Fox & Naylor 1982; Gardner 2000). In Angeac-Charente albanerpetontids, the maxilla is unornamented labially, except for scattered external nutritive foramina that are characteristic of the group (Fig.9D; Fox & Naylor 1982; Gardner 2000). In this respect, they differ from Albanerpeton inexpectatum from the Miocene of France (Gardner 1999a). As in other albanerpetontid for which trunk vertebrae have been described (Estes & Hoffstetter 1976; McGowan 1996, 2002; McGowan & Ensom 1997; Sweetman & Gardner 2013; Matsumoto & Evans 2018), those from the Angeac-Charente material (Fig. 9 I-K) are amphicoelous, hourglass-shaped and bear a short unicipital transverse process. The centrum is narrowly constricted at its center (Fig. 9I, K) and the cotyles are circular in outline and have thickened rims (Fig. 9J). As in other albanerpetontid trunk vertebrae described elsewhere, the notochordal canal is anteroposteriorly continuous (Fig. 9J; Sweetman & Gardner 2013) and thus the vertebrae are fully notochordal. Angeac-Charente specimens also show numerous features that have been described in other albanerpetontids and allow the distinction from other lissamphibians and lizards.The premaxilla (Fig.9D, E) and maxilla (Fig.9C) have a deep pars dentalis and the dentary (Fig. 9A, B, F, G) has a tall dental parapet, allowing the attachment of highly pleurodont teeth (Gardner 2000). Upper jaws are also characterized by a prominent, shelf-like pars palatinum lingually (Fig. 9E; Gardner 2000). The maxilla has a low, posteriorly tapered pars facialis (Fig. 9C; Gardner 1999a, 2000). On the dentary, the Meckelian canal is closed anteriorly, and the subdental shelf is low, narrow and gutterlike anteriorly (Fig. 9A; Gardner 1999a, b, 2000). As in other known albanerpetontid species, the humeral condyle is spherical, fully ossified and larger than the adjacent radial epicondyle (Fig. 9H; Sweetman & Gardner 2013). Above this humeral ball is a triangular and well-defined cubital fossa, at the proximal extremity of which a small foramen can be seen (Fig. 9H), as also reported for Albanerpeton inexpectatum (Estes & Hoffstetter 1976) and Wesserpeton evansae (Sweetman & Gardner 2013). The albanerpetontids from Angeac-Charente differ from Anoualerpeton and Albanerpeton nexuosum, but resemble other Albanerpeton species, Celtedens and Wesserpeton in having dentaries and maxillae with relatively straight occlusal margins, and teeth weakly heterodont in size (Sweetman & Gardner 2013). Unfortunately, the diagnostic characters necessary for identification at the generic level are lacking. Neither the maxilla nor the dentary is diagnostic for Albanerpeton and Celtedens (Gardner 2000), as their diagnoses are based on frontal characters (Gardner 1999a, b, 2000; McGowan & Evans 1995; McGowan 2002). We did not find any frontal bones in the Angeac-Charente material, and so we cannot attribute the albanerpetontid material to these genera with certainty. Within Albanerpeton, the premaxilla is the most taxonomically informative bone for species (Gardner 1999b, 2000), but the specimens found to date at Angeac-Charente are too incomplete to be relevant. Thus, considering the characters mentioned above, we can attribute the Angeac-Charente specimens to the family Albanerpetontidae, but so far the material is too incomplete to allow a further attribution at the generic and specific level., Published as part of Allain, Ronan, Vullo, Romain, Rozada, Lee, Anquetin, Jérémy, Bourgeais, Renaud, Goedert, Jean, Lasseron, Maxime, Martin, Jeremy E., Pérez-García, Adán, Fabrègues, Claire Peyre De, Royo-Torres, Rafael, Augier, Dominique & Bailly, Gilles, 2022, Vertebrate paleobiodiversity of the Early Cretaceous (Berriasian) Angeac-Charente Lagerstätte (southwestern France): implications for continental faunal turnover at the J / K boundary, pp. 683-752 in Geodiversitas 44 (25) on page 695, DOI: 10.5252/geodiversitas2022v44a25, http://zenodo.org/record/6902033, {"references":["FOX R. C. & NAYLOR M. 1982. - A reconsideration of the relationships of the fossil amphibian Albanerpeton. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 19: 118 - 128. https: // doi. org / 10.1139 / e 82 - 009","MILNER A. R. 1988. - The relationships and origin of living amphibians, in BENTON M. J. (ed.), The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods. Volume 1. Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 380 p.","MCGOWAN G. J. & EVANS S. E. 1995. - Albanerpetontid ampibians from the Cretaceous of Spain. Nature 373: 143 - 145. https: // doi. org / 10.1038 / 373143 a 0","MCGOWAN G. J. 1996. - Albanerpetontid amphibians from the Jurassic (Bathonian) of southern England. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 60: 227 - 234.","MCGOWAN G. J. 2002. - Albanerpetontid amphibians from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain and Italy: a description and reconsideration of their systematics. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 135: 1 - 32. https: // doi. org / 10.1046 / j. 1096 - 3642.2002.00013. x","GARDNER J. D. 1999 b. - The amphibian Albanerpeton arthridion and the Aptian - Albian biogeography of albanerpetontids. Palaeontology 42: 529 - 544. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / 1475 - 4983.00083","GARDNER J. D. 2000. - Revised taxonomy of albanerpetontid amphibians. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 45 (1): 55 - 70.","GARDNER J. D., EVANS S. E. & SIGOGNEAU- RUSSELL D. 2003. - New albanerpetontid amphibians from the Early Cretaceous of Morocco and Middle Jurassic of England. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 48 (2): 301 - 319.","SWEETMAN S. C. & GARDNER J. D. 2013. - A new albanerpetontid amphibian from the Barremian (Early Cretaceous) Wessex Formation of the Isle of Wight, southern England. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 58: 295 - 324. https: // doi. org / 10.4202 / app. 2011.0109","MATSUMOTO R. & EVANS S. E. 2018. - The first record of albanerpetontid amphibians (Amphibia: Albanerpetontidae) from East Asia. PLoS ONE 13: e 0189767. https: // doi. org / 10.1371 / journal. pone. 0189767","GARDNER J. D. 1999 a. - Redescription of the geologically youngest albanerpetontid (? Lissamphibia): Albanerpeton inexpectatum Estes and Hoffstetter, 1976, from the Miocene of France. Annales de Paleontologie 85: 57 - 84. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / S 0753 - 3969 (99) 80008 - 1","ESTES R. & HOFFSTETTER R. 1976. - Les urodeles du Miocene de La Grive-Saint-Alban (Isere, France). Bulletins du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, 3 eme serie, Sciences de la Terre 398: 297 - 343. https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 55505209","MCGOWAN G. & ENSOM P. C. 1997. - Albanerpetontid amphibians from the Lower Cretaceous of the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 118: 113 - 117."]}

A new genus and species of rhinatrematid caecilian, Amazops amazops gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a single specimen from Orellana, Ecuador collected in 1990. Among other features the new taxon differs from all other rhinatrematid caecilians in having less than four annular grooves interrupted in the region of the vent and in the squamosal contributing to the bony margin of the orbit. A consideration of its distinctive morphology suggests that it is plausible that the new taxon is the sister taxon of all other rhinatrematid caecilians. That the genus is known from a single specimen, and that this is the first new rhinatrematid species from the Andes described for more than 50 years, highlights the poor sampling (collecting) of rhinatrematid caecilians and limited knowledge of their diversity.

Objectives: The present study was conducted to review the biodiversity of Amphibians, their decline in population and conservation. Methods/Statistical analysis: This study was done by reviewing the previous papers on biodiversity of Amphibians and available literature on various search engines. Findings: Species of amphibians estimated worldwide reveals 7481 species consisting of three orders, Salientia (Anura), Urodela (Caudata) and Apoda (Gymnophiona). The Salientia contains 6577, Urodela (Caudata) entail 698 species of both land and aquatic inhabitants and Apoda (Gymnophiona) virtually blind and nonmotile animals include 206 species. However, the population of Amphibians is reduced in Pakistan because of dry conditions and is a prominent indicator of climatic change. In Pakistan, the dominating population of Amphibians is Salientia (Anura), consisting of 21 species, 12 genera, and 4 families. Due to anthropogenic activities like the use of pesticides and fertilizers, deforestation, pollution, fragmentation and urbanization affects the amphibians. For conservation and protection, serious initiatives may be mediated to manage the situation. Application/Improvements: The present study will be helpful to conserve the diversity of Amphibians in the region and present findings may be useful in future studies. Keywords: Amphibia; Pakistan; Decline; conservation; Population

Albanerpeton pannonicum Venczel & Gardner, 2005 (Figs 3; 4) MATERIAL. — Fifty-five isolated bones: Italy. MoncuccoTorinese, Layer M3 (n = 3): Premaxilla (n = 1): MGPT-PU 132112. Dentaries (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132630, 132631. — Layer M3/4 (n = 10): Maxilla (n = 1): MGPT-PU 132274. Dentaries (n = 9): MGPT-PU 132640-132647, 132652. — Layer M4 (n = 1): Sacral vertebra (n = 1): MGPT-PU 132017.— Layer M4/5(n = 20): Premaxillae(n = 3): MGPT-PU 132001, 132002, 132232.Maxillae (n = 4): MGPT-PU 132011, 132012, 132632, 132633.Dentaries (n= 11): MGPT-PU132005-132009,132634-132639. Trunk vertebrae (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132015, 132016. — Layer M5 (n = 2): Dentaries (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132003, 132004. — Layer M7+25 (n = 6): Premaxillae (n = 4): MGPT-PU 132648-132651.Dentaries (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132653, 132654. Collected in situ, from unrecorded layer(s) (n = 4): Premaxilla (n = 1): MGPT-PU 132165. Maxilla (n = 1): MGPT-PU 132307. Dentaries (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132318, 132319. Surface collected, from unknown layer(s) (n = 9): Maxillae (n = 2): MGPT-PU 132013, 132014. Dentaries (n = 7): MGPT-PU 132010, 132655-132660. DESCRIPTION OF MONCUCCO TORINESE ALBANERPETONTID SPECIMENS Premaxillae (Fig. 3 A-L) Nine isolated premaxillae are available. The best-preserved specimen is MGPT-PU 132112 (Fig. 3 A-C), an intact left premaxilla. Most other specimens (e.g., Fig. 3 D-L) preserve an intact dorsally directed pars dorsalis, at least some portion of the lingually directed pars palatinum, and much of the ventrally directed pars dentalis and its tooth row. All premaxillae are relatively small (total intact heights range from 1.5-1.7 mm), yet are comparatively robust in build when compared to similar sized premaxillae of other albanerpetontids (e.g., Gardner 1999b: text-fig. 2A-E). The medial edge is straight and bears prominent, vertical grooves and flanges for strong sutural contact or, perhaps, weak fusion (although no examples of fused premaxillae are present in our sample) in life between the paired premaxillae. In the eight specimens preserving an intact pars dorsalis, the process is moderately tall and broad, with the ratio of maximum height vs width across the suprapalatal pit ranging from 1.30-1.55 (i.e., relative height is “low” sensu Gardner 2002; Venczel & Gardner 2005). The dorsal edge of the pars dorsalis is slightly swollen labiolingually and is roughened for abutting or weak sutural contact with the nasal. As seen in the five figured premaxillae, considerable variation is evident in the outline of the dorsal end of the pars dorsalis, the relative depth and width of the lateral dorsal notch along the upper portion of the pars dorsalis, and the outline of the laterally directed swelling immediately below the lateral dorsal notch (Fig. 3A, D, G, I, K). The uppermost portion of the pars dorsalis labially bears a low bony boss that is weakly ornamented with irregular-shaped, small pits and low ridges. The remainder of the premaxillary labial surface is relatively smooth, aside from small and scattered nutritive foramina. Midway across its lower half, the lingual surface of the pars dorsalis bears a suprapalatal pit that faces lingually, is moderately large and undivided, has an asymmetrically ovoid to subtriangular outline, and is bounded laterally by an obliquely oriented bony strut (Fig. 3C, F, H, J, L). Preserved intact on just one specimen, MGPT-PU 132112 (Fig. 3B, C), the pars palatinum is a shallow, bony shelf that medially bears a lingually projecting, triangular vomerine process and laterally is expanded into a maxillary process for contact with the maxilla. The central portion of the pars palatinum is pierced by a prominent palatal foramen that opens into the floor of the suprapalatal pit. The palatal foramen is subcircular and varies in size, with its diameter ranging from approximately the same as the diameter of shafts of medial teeth on the same specimen to twice the diameter of those shafts. The pars dentalis is relatively deep. Five premaxillae preserve an intact tooth row, consisting of either seven or eight tooth positions (two and three specimens, respectively). Teeth are typical for albanerpetontids in being highly pleurodont, non-pedicellate, and closely spaced in a comb-like arrangement, in having shafts that are deep, straight, cylindrical, and slightly mesiodistally compressed, and in bearing chisel-shaped crowns that are labiolingually compressed and mesiodistally tricuspid, with the median cusp most prominent. Some premaxillae have fully functional teeth occupying all loci (e.g., Fig. 3C, J), whereas others have one or several empty tooth slots (e.g., Fig. 3F). One of the figured examples (Fig. 3L) exhibits a nearly functional replacement tooth in its fifth locus from the mesial (= medial) end. Maxillae (Fig. 3 M-S) The most nearly complete and informative of the eight maxillary specimens is MGPT-PU 132307 (Fig. 3 M-O), a right maxilla missing only a small piece from the anteroventral portion of its premaxillary lateral process and the distal ends of five teeth. Considering the minor amount of breakage at its anterior end, the specimen’s preserved maximum length of 2.7 mm likely reflects the true size of that maxilla. Although the other two figured specimens are less nearly complete, when intact those maxillae would have been slightly smaller (MGPT-PU 132012: Fig. 3P, Q) and larger (MGPT-PU 132014: Fig. 3R, S) in their maximum lengths compared to MGPT-PU 132307. As best shown by MGPT-PU 132307 and, to a lesser extent by MGPT-PU 132012, in overall form the maxilla is moderately elongate, low, and triangular in labial or lingual outline. The pars dorsalis increases in height anteriorly, culminating in the dorsally projecting, triangular nasal process having a leading edge that is either nearly vertical or shallowly concave in labial or lingual outline (cf., Fig. 3M vs Fig. 3P, R). The pars dorsalis extends forward below and past the level of the nasal process as a moderately elongate premaxillary lateral process that, in life, labially (= laterally) overlapped with a corresponding facet on the premaxilla (see Venczel & Gardner 2005: text-fig. 1A). The intact premaxillary lateral process preserved on MGPT-PU 132014 (Fig. 3R, S) is bluntly pointed in labial or lingual outline. From the posterior base of the nasal process backwards to the posterior end of the bone, the dorsal surface of the pars facialis is slightly flattened where, in life, it was overlain by the jugal and lacrimal (see Venczel & Gardner 2005: text-fig. 4). The labial surface of the maxilla is smooth, aside from a few small external nutritive foramina arranged in a loose row along about the anterior one-half of the bone. The lingual surface of the maxilla bears a lingually directed, shelf-like pars palatinum that is broadest anteriorly and narrows posteriorly (Fig. 3O). The anterior end of the pars palatinum is expanded into the premaxillary dorsal process that, in life, dorsally overlapped onto the similarly expanded lateral portion (= maxillary process) of the pars palatinum on the premaxilla. More posteriorly, the medial edge of the pars palatinum is indented by a shallow concavity forming the lateral margin of the internal narial opening and the dorsal surface of the shelf bears short ridges and a trough for contact, in life, with palatal bones. The pars dentalis is deepest anteriorly, becomes shallower posteriorly, and its ventral margin is essentially straight in labial or lingual outline. Starting at a point approximately below the leading edge of the nasal process (Fig. 3N, S), the maxillary tooth row extends backwards to the posterior end of the bone (Fig. 3N). The only maxilla with an intact tooth row, MGPT-PU 132307 (Fig. 3N), has 19 tooth positions comprised of 13 intact teeth, five broken tooth shafts, and one empty tooth slot. Teeth are similar in form, attachment, and arrangement to the premaxillary teeth. Maxillary teeth are weakly heterodont in size, being longest about one-third of the distance along the tooth row. MGPT-PU 132012 (Fig. 3Q) preserves a misshaped, slightly procurved replacement tooth in the fifth preserved locus from the mesial (= anterior) end, whereas MGPT-PU 132014 (Fig. 3S) preserves a similarly misshaped functional tooth in the second locus from the mesial end. Dentaries (Fig. 4 A-M) None of the 35 dentaries is complete, but collectively they document much of the structure of this element. The most nearly complete specimen is MGPT-PU 132003 (Fig. 4 A-C), a right dentary preserving about the anterior four-fifths of the bone, including the entire tooth-bearing region and the anterior part of the area for attachment of the post-dentary bones. As best shown by MGPT-PU 132003, the dentary is elongate and moderately deep along its length in labial or lingual view, and is broadly curved in dorsal or ventral view. In labial view (Fig. 4A, D, G, J, L), the dorsal edge of the tooth-bearing region is essentially horizontal. Behind the tooth row, the dorsal edge bears a low, almost indistinct, dorsally directed swelling and, more posteriorly, the dorsal edge descends shallowly above the area for attachment of the post-dentary bones. The labial surface of the bone is unornamented, although it is slightly roughened and, along the tooth-bearing portion, is perforated by a half dozen or more, moderate sized external nutritive foramina loosely arranged in either one or two horizontal rows (cf., Fig. 4G vs Fig. 4A, D). As seen in lingual and dorsal views (Fig. 4B, E, H and C, F. I, respectively), the symphyseal end of the dentary consists of an anteriorly swollen, flat, vertical face and, more posteriorly, bears either one or two short, medioposteriorly directed prongs that, in life, formed a mortise-in-tenon style inter-symphyseal joint. The toothbearing portion consists of a relatively tall dental parapet that becomes shallower posteriorly and a well-developed subdental shelf with a gutter-like dorsal surface. The subdental shelf becomes narrower and deeper posteriorly. Near the end of the tooth row, the subdental shelf is perforated by the large posterior opening for the Meckelian canal and, more posteriorly, in the area lingually (= medially) overlain in life by the post-dentary bones (see Venczel & Gardner 2005: text-fig. 5A, D), the lingual surface of the dentary is shallowly concave and bears thin, posteriorly extending bony ridges. The few specimens preserving a complete or nearly complete tooth row (e.g., MGPT-PU 132003: Fig. 4 A-C) indicate that 20-25 tooth positions were present. Teeth are similar in form, attachment, and arrangement to those on the upper jaws and, like on the maxilla, dentary teeth are weakly heterodont in size, with the longest teeth occurring about one-third of the distance along the tooth row. The anterior portion of a right dentary, MGPT-PU 132010 (Fig. 4G, H), is notable for having an anomalous, plate-like patch of bone developed on the underside of its symphyseal region. Vertebrae (Fig. 4 N-U) Although incomplete and less distinctive than the abovedescribed jaws, albanerpetontid post-atlantal vertebrae can be recognized by a suite of features (Estes & Hoffstetter 1976; Estes 1981; McGowan 1996; Wiechmann 2003; Venczel & Gardner 2005; Sweetman & Gardner 2013; Matsumoto & Evans 2018), including: small size; centra amphicoelous, notochordal, external surfaces relatively smooth, and bearing donut-like ring of calcification around cotylar rims; no spinal foramina; and unicipital rib-bearers. Two trunk vertebrae and one sacral vertebra are available from Moncucco Torinese; here we figure the better preserved trunk vertebra (MGPT-PU 132015: Fig. 4 N-P) and the sole sacral vertebra (MGPT-PU 132017: Fig. 4 Q-U). All three specimens are tiny (maximum centra lengths = 1.2-1.4 mm). Each consists of an intact centrum, the broken bases of the neural arch walls, and varying amounts of the transverse processes. Judging from the broken bases of the neural arch walls, the neural arches and rcc canals were broad. In each specimen, the centrum is deeply amphicoelous and perforated by a persistent or open notochord, the anterior and posterior cotyles are rimmed with a donut-like ring of calcified cartilage, and no spinal foramina or ventromedian keel are present. In both trunk vertebrae, the centrum is relatively elongate and somewhat hourglass-shaped (i.e., moderately constricted midway along its length), the anterior and posterior cotyles are subcircular in outline, and a faint ridge extends posteriorly and slightly laterally along either side of the ventral midline. On both trunk vertebrae, the broken bases of the transverse processes are positioned low on the broken neural arch wall, slightly forward of the anteroposterior midpoint of the centrum. Judging by their broken bases, the transverse processes were rod-shaped. Trunk vertebra MGPT-PU 132015 bears weakly-developed anterior basapophyses in the form of low, anteroposteriorly short knobs that barely extend forward beyond the anterior cotylar rim (Fig. 4 N-P); the other trunk vertebra (MGPT- PU 132016: unfigured) lacks anterior basapophyses. We identify MGPT-PU 132017 (Fig. 4 Q-U) as a sacral vertebra because its centrum is relatively broad and anteroposteriorly short, not constricted, and slightly flattened dorsoventrally, it lacks basapophyses, and it bears deep and stout transverse processes that arise lower on the neural arch wall. Although the form of the transverse processes on MGPT-PU 132017 resembles those on anteriormost trunk vertebrae figured by Estes & Hoffstetter (1976: fig. 2A, B, pl. VI, 12, 13) for Albanerpeton inexpectatum, the latter specimens differ from MGPT-PU 132017 in bearing both anterior and posterior basapophyses.

Body size shapes ecological interactions across and within species, ultimately influencing the evolution of large-scale biodiversity patterns. Therefore, macroecological studies of body size provide a link between spatial variation in selection regimes and the evolution of animal assemblages through space. Multiple hypotheses have been formulated to explain the evolution of spatial gradients of animal body size, predominantly driven by thermal (Bergmann’s rule), humidity (‘water conservation hypothesis’), and resource constraints (‘resource rule’, ‘seasonality rule’) on physiological homeostasis. However, while integrative tests of all four hypotheses combined are needed, the focus of such empirical efforts needs to move beyond the traditional endotherm-ectotherm dichotomy, to instead interrogate the role that variation in lifestyles within major lineages (e.g., Classes) play in creating neglected scenarios of selection via analyses of largely overlooked environment-body size interactions. Here, we test all four rules above using a global database spanning 99% of modern species of an entire Order of legless, predominantly underground-dwelling amphibians (Gymnophiona, or caecilians). We found a consistent effect of increasing precipitation (and resource abundance) on body size reductions (supporting the water conservation hypothesis), while Bergmann’s, the seasonality and resource rules are rejected. We argue that subterranean lifestyles minimize the effects of aboveground selection agents, making humidity a dominant selection pressure – aridity promotes larger body sizes that reduce risk of evaporative dehydration, while smaller sizes occur in wetter environments where dehydration constraints are relaxed. We discuss the links between these principles with the physiological constraints that may have influenced the tropically-restricted global radiation of caecilians.

Current biodiversity patterns of Neotropical amphibians are the result of their functional and phylogenetic relationships. Understanding the associations between ecological similarity and phylogenetic relatedness among species can provide a convincing statement on the role of evolutionary history in the filling of the niche space. Here, we assessed the ancestral character states of amphibian ecological traits and their evolutionary history in the Atlantic Forest Hotspot. We used 12 genes (11,906 bp) to reconstruct a phylogeny for 207 amphibian species and related it to eight ecological traits regarding their morphology, life-history and behavioural features. We revealed that closely related species can have similar ecological traits, suggesting that these traits are driven by phylogenetic history. Despite the high endemism rate of Atlantic Forest amphibians, our findings heavily rely on good studies on complete amphibian phylogenetic lineages to overcome potential biogeographical constraints. Using mechanisms of adaptive evolution in the context of phylogenetic diversification, we suggest that closely related species have different phylogenetic signals and ecological traits can evolve without relatedness., This research work was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel [CAPES: 99999.001180/2013-04], and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development [CNPq: 152303/2016-2].

O'Connell, Kyle A., Prates, Ivan, Scheinberg, Lauren A., Mulder, Kevin P., Bell, Rayna C. (2021): Speciation and secondary contact in a fossorial island endemic, the São Tomé caecilian. Molecular Ecology 30 (12): 1-13, DOI: 10.1111/mec.15928

we recommend recognizing these lineages as distinct species and remove S. ephele Taylor, 1965 from synonymy with S. thomense (Bocage 1873)., Published as part of O'Connell, Kyle A., Prates, Ivan, Scheinberg, Lauren A., Mulder, Kevin P. & Bell, Rayna C., 2021, Speciation and secondary contact in a fossorial island endemic, the S��o Tom�� caecilian, pp. 1-13 in Molecular Ecology 30 (12) on page 9, DOI: 10.1111/mec.15928, http://zenodo.org/record/5827681, {"references":["Taylor, E. D. (1965). New Asiatic arid African caecilians with redescrip- tions of certain other species. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 46, 253 - 302. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 20077"]}

Zootaxa is a mega-journal that since its inception, 20 years ago, has contributed to the documentation of the planet?s biodiversity. Its role concerning terrestrial vertebrates has been crucial especially for amphibians, which are the most threatened class of vertebrates. As current editors of the Amphibia section, we reviewed the state of knowledge of taxonomic publications on amphibians over the last two decades (from 2001 to 2020). Our review reveals that 2,533 frogs, 259 salamanders, and 55 caecilians have been named in these 20 years, mainly in the tropical regions of South America, Asia, and Africa. More than half (57%) of these species descriptions were published in only 10 journals. At least 827 species of the new amphibians (29% of the total) were described in Zootaxa. This mega-journal has served also as a place of publication for monographs and systematic reviews, in addition to short articles documenting the vocalizations of anurans and the morphology of embryos and larvae. Its efficient evaluation process, the freedom of manuscript length, including full-color figures, and free of cost for the authors, has made Zootaxa a favorite for amphibian researchers. In an era of accelerating rates of biodiversity loss, documenting, describing, naming, and proposing evolutionary scenarios for species is, more than ever, an urgent task. Fil: Rivera Correa, Mauricio. Universidad de Antioquia; Colombia Fil: Baldo, Juan Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentina Fil: Vera Candioti, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; Argentina Fil: Goyannes Dill Orrico, Victor. Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz; Brasil Fil: Blackburn, David C.. University Of Florida. Florida Museum Of History; Estados Unidos Fil: Castroviejo Fisher, Santiago. Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Chan, Kin Onn. National University of Singapore; Singapur Fil: Gambale, Priscilla. Universidade Federal de Goiás; Brasil Fil: Gower, David J.. Natural History Museum; Reino Unido Fil: Quah, Evan S. H.. National University of Singapore; Singapur Fil: Rowley, Jodi J. L.. University of New South Wales; Australia Fil: Twomey, Evan. Goethe Universitat Frankfurt; Alemania Fil: Vences, Miguel. Technische Universitat Carolo Wilhelmina Zu Braunschweig.; Alemania

Amazops gen. nov. {urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D9F1C39D-4B47-46CF-AB9D-51896D4C619C} Diagnosis. Rhinatrematid caecilians with the squamosal contributing to the margin of the orbit. Content: A single species Amazops amazops, sp. nov., the type by monotypy and by designation. Etymology: The name is a portmanteau word combining reference to the Amazonian provenance of the type and only known species and the distinctive topological relationships of its eye and orbit, particularly the contribution of the squamosal to the bony margin of the orbit, which is unknown in any other rhinatrematid. As mandated by the code, gender is masculine. Remarks: Three other features of the only known specimen of this genus are distinctive, known in no other rhinatrematids and might be diagnostic for the genus:lack of contact between the quadrate and maxillopalatine, contact between the squamosal and frontal and the small number of annular grooves that are interrupted by the vent., Published as part of Wilkinson, Mark, Reynolds, Robert P. & Jacobs, Jeremy F., 2021, A new genus and species of rhinatrematid caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Rhinatrematidae) from Ecuador, pp. 27-34 in Herpetological Journal 31 (1) on page 28, DOI: 10.33256/31.1.2734, http://zenodo.org/record/5838883

Albanerpetontids are an extinct clade of superficially salamander-like lissamphibians that range from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)-Early Pleistocene and have a primarily Laurasian distribution. The best Cenozoic record for the clade is in Europe, where two species in the type genus Albanerpeton Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 occur in over 40 localities of early Oligocene-Early Pleistocene age in Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Serbia. From the post-evaporitic Messinian (5.41-5.33 Ma or latest Miocene) succession at Moncucco Torinese, in the Piedmont Basin, northwestern Italy, here we describe isolated albanerpetontid jaws and vertebrae referable to A. pannonicum Venczel & Gardner, 2005. This Italian occurrence extends the temporal record for A. pannonicum from the Early Pleistocene and Pliocene back into the latest Miocene and it narrows the temporal gap between that species and its European congener, A. inexpectatum Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 (early Oligocene-late Miocene). Les albanerpetontidés représentent un clade éteint de lissamphibiens ressemblant superficiellement à des salamandres, dont l'aire de répartition s'étend du Jurassique moyen (Bathonien) au Pléistocène inférieur, et dont la distribution est principalement laurasiatique. Le meilleur registre cénozoïque pour ce clade se trouve en Europe, où deux espèces du genre-type Albanerpeton Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 sont présentes dans plus de 40 localités de l'Oligocène inférieur-Pléistocène inférieur d'Autriche, Tchéquie, France, Allemagne, Hongrie, Italie et Serbie. Nous décrivons ici des mâchoires et des vertèbres isolées d'albanerpetontidés pouvant être attribuées à A. pannonicum Venczel & Gardner, 2005, provenant de la succession post-évaporitique du Messinien (5,41-5,33 Ma ou Miocène terminal) à Moncucco Torinese, dans le bassin du Piémont, au nord-ouest de l'Italie. Cette occurrence italienne étend l'enregistrement stratigraphique d'A. pannonicum du Pléistocène inférieur et du Pliocène jusqu'au Miocène supérieur, et réduit l'écart temporel entre cette espèce et son congénère européen, A. inexpectatum Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976 (Oligocène inférieur-Miocène supérieur).

An inventory of the amphibians of the Reserva Ecológica Michelin – REM in southern Bahia, Brazil is presented. Sixty-nine species were recorded during a ten-year sampling period. Amphibians were distributed in two orders (Gymnophiona and Anura), belonging to twelve families [Aromobatidae (1), Bufonidae (3), Centrolenidae (1), Craugastoridae (5), Eleutherodactylidae (3), Hemiphractidae (2), Hylidae (34), Phyllomedusidae (5) Leptodactylidae (7), Microhylidae (4), Odontophrynidae (3) and Caeciliidae (1)]. Fifty per cent of the reproductive modes known for Atlantic forest anurans were recorded. While no threatened species were found at REM, six species are classified as data deficient (DD) by the Brazilian Red List of threatened species and deserve additional attention.PhasmahylatimboandVitreoranaeurygnataare listed as endangered in Bahia according to the list of threatened species of the state. Despite a higher diversity of amphibians in the Atlantic forest having been reported for mountainous regions, our results revealed that amphibian richness for lowland forests is also high.

Microcaecilia cf. rochai Maciel & Hoogmoed, 2011 (Fig. 2G) TYPE LOCALITY. — Brazil, Pará, Reserva Pacanari. DISTRIBUTION. — Brazil northern Pará, Amapá and southwest French Guiana. TAXONOMIC REMARKS. — This genus is particularly diversified in the GS and no less than nine species have been described since 2010. Many of these species are known only from their type locality. The two collected specimens superficially fit with the description of Microcaecilia rochai. Nevertheless, we only tentatively assign the collected specimens to M. rochai until further examination. HABITAT IN MITARAKA. — Two specimens of this species were found by other biologists looking for soil fauna. MATERIAL EXAMINED. — La Planète Revisitée Guyane 2015, MNHN-PNI, APA973-1: AF2846; AF2866., Published as part of Fouquet, Antoine, Vidal, Nicolas & Dewynter, Maël, 2019, The Amphibians of the Mitaraka massif, French Guiana, pp. 359-374 in Zoosystema 41 (19) on page 372, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2019v41a19, http://zenodo.org/record/3724809

We undertook a 15-day survey of the amphibian fauna of the Mitaraka massif in southwestern French Guiana during the rainy season. We detected 56 species (12 species detected for the first time), including six only thanks to their calls. Thirteen additional species were previously detected from nearby sites. The total number of species occurring in the area is at least 69 but most of the species associated with temporary ponds remained undetected. Therefore, we assume the amphibian community of the Mitaraka massif could reach at least 75 species, which represents one of the richest amphibian faunas of the Guiana Shield. With at least six species not occurring further north in French Guiana, the amphibian fauna of the Mitaraka massif is notably distinct from the rest of the territory. Seven of the species discovered during the survey are highlighted here either because these new records represent range extensions or because they are putative new species.

We provide an inventory checklist of the amphibians from Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ), a sandy coastal environment in southeastern Brazil. As a result of three years of surveys, from August 2013 to June 2016, a total of 36 amphibians species were recorded - one Gymnophiona (Typhlonectidae) and 35 species of five anuran families: Bufonidae (2 species), Craugastoridae (1), Hylidae (21), Leptodactylidae (8), and Microhylidae (3). One specie is reported for the first time for the restinga ecosystem (Chthonerpeton braestrupi) and 24 species were recorded for the first time to the PNRJ. This result reinforces the importance of long-term studies for accurate knowledge of the biodiversity. Considering that the biodiversity of the fragments of the sandy coastal environments in the state of Rio de Janeiro is poorly known, the present study provided a more detailed knowledge about different aspects of the biodiversity in the PNRJ, contributing to the preservation of this threatened ecosystem. Resumo: Nós fornecemos um inventário dos anfíbios do Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ), uma zona costeira de ambiente arenoso no sudeste do Brasil. Como resultado de três anos de pesquisas, no período de Agosto de 2013 a Junho de 2016, foram registradas um total de 36 espécies de anfíbios - uma Gymnophiona (Typhlonectidae) e 35 espécies de cinco famílias de anuros: Bufonidae (2 espécies), Craugastoridae (1), Hylidae (21), Leptodactylidae (8) e Microhylidae (3). Uma espécie é registrada pela primeira vez para o ecossistema de restinga (Chthonerpeton braestrupi) e 24 espécies foram registradas pela primeira vez para o PNRJ. Este resultado reforça a importância de estudos de longo prazo para um conhecimento preciso da biodiversidade. Considerando que a biodiversidade dos fragmentos dos ambientes costeiros no estado do Rio de Janeiro é pouco conhecida, o presente estudo proporcionou um conhecimento mais detalhado sobre os diferentes aspectos da biodiversidade no PNRJ, contribuindo para a preservação desse ecossistema ameaçado.

Brasilotyphlus dubium sp. nov. Figs. 2–4; Table 2 Holotype. Museu de História Natural da Universidade Federal de Alagoas (MUFAL) 13638, field number MTR 23151, a male collected by Pedro M. Sales Nunes, Antoine Fouquet and Felipe Franco Curcio, from Serra da Maroquinha (N 2° 22' 44", W 61° 22' 37"), 400 m from sea level, Mucajaí municipality, Roraima, Brazil, May 2012. Paratypes (n = 5). MUFAL 13639, male, field number MTR 23216, collected in pitfall trap, with same collection data as the holotype; MUFAL 13640, field number SMS 873, immature, MUFAL 13641, field number SMS 920, female, and MUFAL 13642, field number SMS 940, female, collected by Sergio Marques de Souza, Pedro M. Sales Nunes and Antoine Fouquet, from Serra do Apiaú (N 2° 24' 30", W 61° 24' 54") at 140 m, 685 m and 835 m from sea level respectively, state of Roraima, Brazil, in November 2011; and MPEG 7779, female, collected by Laurie J. Vitt, from 7 km east of the Ajarani river (N 1° 59' 50", W 61° 32' 4"), Iracema municipality, Roraima, Brazil, 3 July 1993. Identification. The new species is considered a species of Brasilotyphlus on the basis of it having eyes covered by bone and a diastema between the vomerine and palatine teeth with the following associated characters: palatine extends posteriorly to the series of premaxillary-maxillary teeth; a semicircular vomerine series of teeth. Diagnosis. Brasilotyphlus dubium sp. nov. differs from B. braziliensis in having fewer primary and secondary annular grooves (123–129 and 9–16 vs 142–147 and 23–36, respectively), and in having premaxillary-maxillary teeth reaching the level of the posterior edge of the choanae (in B. braziliensis the maxillary teeth do not reach the level of the choanae). The new species differs from B. guarantanus in having fewer primary annuli (123–129 vs 151–170) and more secondary annular grooves (9–16 vs 0–2). Description of the holotype. Morphometric and meristic data are in Table 2. Specimen in good condition, a 3.7 mm midventral incision and slightly broken corners of the mouth. Body subcylindrical, slightly flattened dorsoventrally throughout (BW x BH 3.9 x 2.9 mm), slightly narrower anteriorly and posteriorly (WTR 3.6 mm). In dorsal view, head intermediate between U- and V-shaped. In lateral view, top of head slightly convex; upper lip slightly concave at the anterior end and lower lips straight. Snout projects strongly beyond recessed mouth (SP 1 mm). Eyes not visible. Tentacles slightly elevated and not visible from above, closer to the corner of the mouth (TCM 1.3 mm) than to nares (TN 1.6 mm). Nares visible from above, but not from below. Teeth pointed and gently recurved. Premaxillary-maxillary teeth monocuspid, forming a series (21 teeth) with posterior maxillary teeth slightly smaller, extending to the level of the posterior edge of the choanae. Nine prevomerine and 10 palatine bicuspid teeth, with no apparent variation in size, smaller than those of the premaxillary-maxillary series and with a large diastema between them, which corresponds to a distance of approximately three tooth positions. Dentary teeth monocuspid, forming a series of 13 teeth, posterior ones slightly smaller, larger than those of premaxillarymaxillary series. Subcircular choanal apertures, separated by an approximate distance of 1.5 times the width of each choanal aperture, anterior edges approximately level with tentacles. Two collars clearly marked by three nuchal grooves (NG1, NG2, and NG3); NG1 and NG2 completely encircling the body, NG3 incomplete, curving posteriorly on the venter. In dorsal view, NG1 straight, NG2 slightly curved anteriorly, and NG3 straight; first collar smaller than second. In ventral view, NG1 curved anteriorly, NG2 straight and NG3 slightly incomplete and curved posteriorly; first and second collar similar in size. NG1 oblique laterally. A conspicuous transverse groove is present on the dorsolateral surface of the second collar. Following collars, 125 PAs, being 123 complete and two interrupted by the vent; First SG short, dorsally located on 112 th PA; SGs complete from 119 th PA. Vent with six main denticulations and some irregular subdivisions, the interdenticular creases shorter anteriorly. Dorsally, body terminus strongly convex. Distinct vertical terminal keel present. Annular scales limited to a single and incomplete row in the 92 th groove of scales wider than long (e.g., 0.1 x 0.2 mm); in a single incomplete row at 107 th groove (e.g., 0.1 x 0.3 mm) and in a complete row of ovate scales at 120 th groove (e.g., 0.4 x 0.8 mm). Coloration: In life, body pale purple; head pinkish. Venter and lateral surfaces, areas surrounding vent, nostrils and tentacles paler than dorsum. In preservative, body brownish; paler anteriorly than posteriorly in dorsal and ventral view. Ventral and lateral surfaces slightly paler than dorsum along the entire body. Areas surrounding the vent, nostrils, tentacles and lips less pigmented, as is the ventral surface anterior to the second collar. Variation and additional information from paratypes. Variation in some meristics and morphometrics is summarized in Table 2. The vertical terminal keel is less distinct in MUFAL 13642. In preservative, MUFAL 13641 and 13642 have steel grey body color, but the pattern of paler regions is similar to that observed on the holotype. The first collar of MUFAL 13641 and 13642 are less robust than observed in the holotype, forming an almost straight transition line from head to body. In paratype MPEG 7779, scales begin in the 90 th groove, limited to a single and incomplete row of small scales, wider than long (e.g., 0.1 x 0.3 mm); in a single incomplete row at 109 th groove (e.g., 0.1 x 0.4 mm) and in a complete row of ovate scales at 122 th groove (e.g., 0.5 x 0.7 mm). Except for minor details in their visibility, the nuchal grooves of all paratypes are as described for the holotype. Etymology. The epithet dubium means “dubious”, reflecting our doubt whether or not Brasilotyphlus should be considered a synonym of Microcaecilia. For nomenclatural purposes, the species epithet is considered a noun in apposition. Phylogenetic analyses. The concatenated dataset consisted of 1,682 base pairs (bp) (605 bp of 16srRNA and 1,077 bp of cytochrome b). After removal of 121 bp in the 16SrRNA fragment (31–43, 218-284, 311-354) due to ambiguous alignment, 1,563 bp were used in the analyses. The families Caeciliidae, Typhlonectidae, Herpelidae, Indotyphlidae and Siphonopidae were each recovered as monophyletic with high support (Figure 5). Typhlonectidae and Caeciliidae were recovered as sister clades. The basal split within Siphonopidae is between a clade comprising Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis (Lütken 1851) and Siphonops annulatus (Mikan 1820) (PP = 1), and a clade comprising all sampled species of Microcaecilia [M. unicolor (Duméril 1863), M. dermatophaga Wilkinson, Sherratt, Starace & Gower 2013, M. savagei Donnelly & Wake 2013, Microcaecilia sp1. and Microcaecilia sp2.], B. guarantanus and B. dubium sp. nov. (PP = 1). The latter two were recovered as monophyletic (PP = 1), but nested within a paraphyletic Microcaecilia (M. savagei and M. sp.2 are more closely related to Brasilotyphlus than to other Microcaecilia: PP = 0.86). The maximum likelihood tree (not shown) is similar to our Bayesian phylogeny at well-supported nodes. The families Caeciliidae, Typhlonectidae, Herpelidae and Indotyphlidae were each monophyletic with high support (bootstrap value [BS] ± 97), and although Siphonopidae was recovered with moderate support (BS = 79), the relationships among Brasilotyphlus and Microcaecilia were identical to those recovered in the Bayesian analysis. The AU test could not reject a monophyletic Microcaecilia (difference -lnL = 1.77643; AU test, P = 0.2099).

International audience; A third species of Brasilotyphlus, a siphonopid caecilian, is described based on six specimens from two twin mountains in Roraima state, northern Brazil. Brasilotyphlus dubium sp. nov. differs from all other congeners in having a combination of 123–129 primary annuli and 9–16 secondary annular grooves. The first molecular data were generated and analyzed for Brasilotyphlus, and the genus was recovered as monophyletic and nested within a paraphyletic Microcaecilia. The extent of genetic and taxonomic sampling, and moderate phylogenetic support are not considered sufficient enough to place Brasilotyphlus in the synonymy of Microcaecilia

Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. (Figs. 1���7; Table 1) Holotype. BMNH 2005.1824, adult male, collected from Congo Rouge, Mah�� island, Seychelles (04��38���43.6��� S, 55��26���03.3��� E, ca. 718 m /asl) by D.J. Gower, R.G. Kamei, S.T. Maddock and M. Wilkinson on 20 March, 2015. Paratypes (n = 6). BMNH 2005.1823, male, same collection data as for holotype. BMNH 2005.1822, male, collected from Congo Rouge, Mah�� island (04��38���43.6��� S, 55��26���02.2��� E, ca. 729 m /asl) by D.J. Gower, R.G. Kamei, S.T. Maddock and M. Wilkinson on 20 March, 2015. BMNH 2005.1820 and 2005.1821, males, collected from Congo Rouge, Mah�� island (04��38���43.9��� S, 55��26���02.9��� E, ca. 731 m /asl) by J. Labisko and S.T. Maddock on 24 March, 2013. BMNH 2005.1926, male and 2005.1927, sex not determined, collected from Morne Seychellois, Mah�� island (04��38���43��� S, 55��26���33.2��� E, ca. 729 m /asl) by R.M. Bristol, D.J. Gower, S.T. Maddock, J.W. Streicher and M. Wilkinson on 19 September, 2015. Diagnosis. A Hypogeophis with 76���78 vertebrae. Differs from its most similar congener H. brevis (71���75 vertebrae: Maddock et al. 2017) additionally in having a relatively smaller head (see below). Differs from H. pti (67���69 vertebrae: Maddock et al. 2017) additionally in having tentacular apertures relatively further from the eye (E-TA/E-N 0.77���0.87 versus 0.50���0.63 in known specimens). Differs from H. rostratus (> 95 vertebrae: Parker 1958) most obviously in being much smaller (maximum known total length 400 mm), and in having secondary annular grooves on most primary annuli (versus on posteriormost primary annuli only). Identification. The new taxon is a species of Hypogeophis because (following the generic diagnosis provided by Wilkinson et al. 2011) it is an indotyphlid with eyes not covered by bone, tentacular grooves covered by bone and mesethmoid not exposed dorsally between frontals (data from microCT scans, not shown). In external morphology the new species differs from species of the other Seychelles genera (Praslinia, Grandisonia) in having a small pointed head and far anterior tentacular apertures, anterior to the mouth (on that part of the snout projecting beyond the lower jaw). Description of holotype. Some meristic and morphometric data are given in Table 1. Male; condition good; c. 6 mm ventral incision into coelom c. 25 mm anterior to vent, another c. 3 mm incision c. 50 mm anterior to vent; mouth preserved slightly open; constriction of body c. 50 mm anterior of vent caused by field tag string; shallow, broad midventral groove on most of venter, more apparent on anterior half of body; small sections of few scale pockets opened dorsally. Slightly dorsoventrally compressed, body width uniform throughout except for narrower anterior third and posteriormost few mm. Head small, distinctly narrow in dorsal view; head length a little less than midbody width, head width much less than body width (less than half of midbody width). In dorsal view head strongly V-shaped, sides straight and converging substantially from back of head to just behind anterior limit of mouth (up to level of TPs), in front of this parallel sided rostrum ends in narrowly rounded snout tip. In ventral view lower jaw and upper lip more broadly rounded than snout, upper jaws visible from CMs forwards. In lateral view upper lip slightly concave (apex closer to eye than TP), lower lip slightly downturned. Snout very prominent in lateral view, projection anterior to mouth approximately two thirds as long as upper lip. Eyes slightly inset from edges of head in dorsal view (by distance not more than half diameter of eye), approximately halfway between snout tip and back of head; clearly visible; much larger than TAs, larger than TPs. TAs oval, centres slightly below imaginary lines between nares and CMs; slightly closer to imaginary lines between eyes and nares than to underside of snout; distinctly closer to nares than to lip. In lateral view, CMs slightly closer to bottom than top of head. Nares subcircular, approximately equidistant in lateral view from top, bottom and tip of snout; not visible in dorsal or ventral views. TPs visible in dorsal and ventral views, TAs not visible dorsally. TPs approximately equidistant between snout tip and anterior of mouth. As far as could be determined, all teeth are bicusped. Outer tooth rows longer than inner rows on both upper and lower jaw. PMs extend only a short distance posterior to choanae. No diastema between vomerine and palatine teeth. Palate only slightly concave transversely, generally pale; tongue unattached anteriorly, tip rounded, no plicae, narial plugs large and prominent with clearly delimiting grooves medially. Choanae subcircular to broadly oval, interchoanal distance a little more than the width of each choana; choanal valves not deeply set, visible. C2 slightly thicker than first PA; C1 thinner than C2, thicker than back of head. In lateral view C1 approximately same length as first PA, distinctly shorter than C2. NG1, NG2 and NG3 clearly marked and complete except for narrow but distinct NG3 midventral gap. NG1 and NG2 largely orthoplicate, NG3 slightly posteriorly bowed ventrally. One TG clearly indicated on C2, halfway between NG2 and NG3, extends across most of dorsum. AGs inconspicuous to naked eye, slightly clearer posteriorly; conspicuous throughout under microscope. All PAGs complete (except perhaps last few). SAGs on all PAs, dorsolaterally on first PA, ventrolaterally on third PA, SAGs become complete on lateral apex on 20th PA, middorsally complete on 17th PA, midventrally complete on 22nd PA. No substantial regional variation in lengths of PAs. Each AG with irregular row of closely packed, pale, small and larger glands posterior to narrow darker band, darker band thicker posteriorly; larger pale glands on posterior annuli longer, more dense on ventral surface. Posterior edges of annuli increasingly raised far posteriorly, thin whitish line appears between darker band and paler glands on the middle 50% of the body. Posteriorly (within 15 AGs from TT) four rows of scales in pockets as deep as approximately three quarters the length of a PA at this point; anteriorly (15 PAGs behind collar region) two scale rows in pockets no deeper than one quarter the length of a PA. All observed scales oval, wider than long. Terminal cap approximately one and a half times length of posteriormost PAs. Posteriormost AG restricted to dorsum, approximately level with front of disc surrounding vent. No AGs on venter behind front of disc; last AG anterior to disc on venter midventrally incomplete. Terminus bluntly rounded, much more so than head; inconspicuous, narrow, shallow, longitudinal left of midline terminal groove behind disc onto posteroventral surface of TT. Denticles of vent slightly everted; disc approximately subcircular, with 11 (six posterior, two lateral, three anterior) approximately bilaterally symmetrical denticulations, those anterior and lateral longest; single large papillus on base of each anterolateral denticulation. Disc boundary difficult to discern, interpreted here as not extending beyond partly everted denticulations surrounding vent. Body brown to brown-grey in preservative, uniform along length, notably paler ventrally with transition lying more dorsolaterally than laterally. Disc and denticulations entirely pale, whitish. Head greyish brown dorsally, paler posteriorly (than centrally) where no paler than adjacent body. Conspicuous pale patches broadly encircle eyes and extend forwards as eye-tentacle stripe, fading out halfway to TP on right, extending as narrow stripe to TP on left. ST unpigmented, whitish dorsally; underside of rostrum whitish anteriorly, greyish posteriorly. Nares in pale spots; TPs pale. Pale upper and lower lip lines. Broad pale regular stripes on lateral and ventrolateral surfaces of mandibles continuous with pale lips. In life (Fig. 4), holotype dark brown, darker posteriorly and dorsally. Head paler brown and with whitish patches. Macroscopically, annular grooves marked above by whitish thin line anterior to row of large whitish glands, these glands fewer, smaller laterally. Variation among paratypes. Six paratypes, condition generally good except for some dehydration of skin causing some wrinkling. Small piece of body wall missing ventrally at approximately midbody in BMNH 2005.1927; head strongly flexed upwards, skin damaged on left upper lip of BMNH 2005.1820; left side of snout strongly squashed in BMNH 2005.1823. Paratypes agree with description of holotype presented above with following exceptions (see Table 1 for variation in quantitative characters). Sides of rostrum less parallel, more anteriorly converging in dorsal view in BMNH 2005.1927 and 2005.1821. Anterior of upper lip and of lower jaw more broadly rounded than ST in ventral view in BMNH 2005.1821 and especially 2005.1926. Upper lip in lateral view only very slightly concave in some specimens (e.g. BMNH 2005.1821, 2005.1823, and 2005.1926). In dorsal view eyes not separated from sides of head in BMNH 2005.1927, separated by distance approximately diameter of eye in BMNH 2005.1820, other paratypes similar to holotype (eye separated from sides of head by distance less than diameter of eye). In most paratypes (all but BMNH 2005.1823) C2 not thicker than C1 or back of head. In BMNH 2005.1926 C1 approximately as long as first PA. NG1 and NG2 with slight anterior bow ventrally in 2005.1927; NG3 orthoplicate in 2005.1821 and 2005.1927. NG3 complete in 2005.1823, 2005.1926, and 2005.1927, widely incomplete in 2005.1822. Three TGs on C 2 in BMNH 2005.1821. TG faint in 2005.1822. In 2005.1820 and 2005.1821 SAG on first PA is possibly complete middorsally, though SAGs middorsally incomplete on next few PAs. The conspicuousness of the darker and paler lines associated with AGs is variable across the sample. Terminal cap variable, a little over one (BMNH 2005.1820 and 2005.1821) or approximately two (2005.1822) times length of posteriormost PAs. Middorsal part of posteriormost AG approximately level with centre of vent in BMNH 2005.1821, otherwise generally level with somewhere on anterior half of disc surrounding vent. No AGs ventrally incomplete immediately anterior to vent in BMNH 2005.1823, two ventrally incomplete in 2005.1822 and 2005.1926, three in 2005.1820. Colour in preservative generally a little darker and more grey than holotype except paler, browner in BMNH 2005.1820. Only BMNH 2005.1820 resembles holotype in having relatively pale dorsum of head posteriorly. Head more grey than body in most specimens, same colour in BMNH 2005.1927 and 2005.1927, browner and paler than body in 2005.1821���1823. Pale stripe only halfway from eye to TA on left of BMNH 2005.1821. Pale ST with pigmented blotches in BMNH 2005.1926, flecks in 2005.1927. Rostrum more extensively pale in BMNH 2005.1820, 2005.1823. The two Morne Seychellois (and smallest known) specimens were a darker, less reddish brown than the other types in life. 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 Mah�� caecilian; montane hypogeophis (English), leverdter nwanr montanny (Creole). Distribution, natural history, and conservation. Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. is known only from Morne Seychellois National Park on the island of Mah��, from elevations of ca. 718���731 m on Morne Seychellois (ca. 729 m) and nearby Congo Rouge (ca. 718���731 m). The former site is ca. 180 m below the highest peak in the Seychelles (Morne Seychellois, 905 m). The two sites are less than 1 km apart. The seven type specimens were collected during approximately 14 person hours of dedicated fieldwork in 2015 (Morne Seychellois) and 2013 and 2015 (Congo Rouge) above 700 m. We did not find specimens of H. montanus sp. nov. between 450 and 550 m during approximately 19 person hours of digging between Casse Dents and Congo Rouge in February and March 2013 and February 2014, during approximately two person hours of digging between 460 and 610 m on Morne Seychellois in September 2015, during four person hours of digging at ca. 612 m near the peak of Trois Fr��res in September 2015, during 100 minutes of digging at ca. 650 m near the peak of Morne Blanc in March 2015, or during approximately 18 person hours of digging at Mares aux Cochon (ca. 430 m) and along the path (ca. 290���410 m) leading up to Mares Aux Cochons from the Chemin le Niol road in March 2013, January and February 2014, and March and September 2015. Other than the H. brevis found at ca. 612 m near Trois Fr��res reported by Maddock et al. (2017), the only other caecilians we found during fieldwork between 600 and 703 m between 2013 and 2015 were three Grandisonia alternans (Congo Rouge and Morne Blanc) and one G. sechellensis (Congo Rouge). We found no species of caecilians other than H. montanus sp. nov. above 705 m. At Congo Rouge (loam soil, 3.04 pH) and Morne Seychellois the type specimens were dug from soil Cyathea sechellarum Mett.). Neither site is close to currently cultivated land, but invasive cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J.S.Presl) trees occur at both and guava (Psidium cattleianum Sabine) at least at the Morne Seychellois site. The Morne Seychellois site is more disturbed, here cinnamon dominates and there were none of the native Roscheria melanochaetes (H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. ex Balf. f., Phoenicophorium borsigianum (K.Koch) Stuntz, Nepenthes pervillei Blume or Mapania Aubl. sp seen at the Congo Rouge site. We do not know how widely H. montanus sp. nov. is distributed, having sampled relatively few localities at higher elevations within Morne Seychellois National Park. We suspect however that H. montanus sp. nov. is restricted to high elevations, almost certainly> 350 m (the lowest known elevation for H. brevis: Maddock et al. 2017) and perhaps only occurring> 700 m. There is only ~ 1km 2 of land above 700 m elevation in the Seychelles, and it is possible that H. montanus sp. nov. has one of the smallest distributions of any extant caecilian species. Although the known range of H. montanus sp. nov. lies entirely within a national park, this range is very small and includes probably only a single threat-defined location. Thus, if there is any evidence of decline in extent or quality of habitat or declines in numbers of individuals the new species would qualify for at least Endangered status on the IUCN Red List. Given that there is no immediate prospect of estimating or monitoring population numbers, H. montanus sp. nov. might currently qualify for Near Threatened status. Paratype BMNH 2005.1821 has a small pit or foramen laterally on the collar region, close to NG2 and on both sides (Fig. 3d). This feature is in the approximate position where external embryonic or foetal gills or larval spiracles are found in other caecilian species. Among teresomatan caecilians, only the Ethiopian Sylvacaecilia grandisonae (Taylor, 1970) and some other indotyphlids of the Seychelles are known to have a larval stage (see San Mauro et al. 2014). BMNH 2005.1821 lacks other features typical of larval caecilians such as labial folds, tail fins and lateral line organs (see e.g. Wilkinson 1992). We do not think that the features in BMNH 2005.1821 are genuine spiracles because when gently probed they do not seem to pass through to communicate with the buccal cavity, and they are much narrower than unambiguous spiracles observed in other caecilians. We suggest that these features in BMNH 2005.1821 are instead developmental anomalies, perhaps incompletely ���healed��� gill scars. The same specimen also has a more upturned and softer snout tip than in the other types, perhaps indicative of additional anomalous developmental features. None of the other known specimens of Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. has a spiracle-like feature or any other external characteristics of larvae. In preservation BMNH 2005.1821 is 81 mm in total length, no shorter than BMNH 2005.1823 collected sympatrically and at the same time, and substantially longer than BMNH 2005.1926 (66 mm) and 2005.1927 (43 mm). We predict that H. montanus sp. nov. is oviparous, as are all Seychelles caecilians for which reproductive mode is known, but there is little basis for predicting whether it has biphasic or direct development. Morphometric and genetic differentiation of Hypogeophis montanus. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of all morphometric characters separates all three nominal diminutive species of Seychelles caecilian (Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov., H. brevis and H. pti) from one another (Fig. 6a). Hypogeophis pti does not overlap in the PCoA with either H. montanus sp. nov. or H. brevis. Although not overlapping in the PCoA plot there is a close proximity between the smallest H. montanus sp. nov. specimen (BMNH 2005.1927) and some of the smallest H. brevis specimens (Fig. 6a). There is no correlation between elevation and number of vertebrae within H. brevis (Fig. 6b) supporting our interpretation of H. montanus sp. nov. as not simply a higher elevational form of H. brevis. Overall head size (ST-NG1 and WH) in H. montanus sp. nov. is relatively small in comparison to both H. brevis and H. pti, though there is overlap (Fig. 6c, d). The position of the TA is in a somewhat intermediate position in Hypogeophis montanus sp. nov. when compared with H. brevis and H. pti (Fig. 6e). Genetic variation is substantial between H. montanus sp. nov. and the two species it most resembles phenotypically, H. brevis and H. pti. Curiously, the lowest mean genetic distance (16s) between H. montanus sp. nov. and any other Seychelles caecilian is with the morphologically distinct (and not obviously closely related) Grandisonia alternans (5.6%). For the partial 16s sequences that we generated there is a mean group p -distance of 14.9% between the sampled H. montanus sp. nov. and H. brevis and a mean of 18.8% between H. montanus sp. nov. and H. pti. The 16s phylogenetic tree supports a sister relationship between H. montanus sp. nov. and H. brevis, though with only moderate support (Fig. 7a). Other relations, Published as part of Maddock, Simon T., Wilkinson, Mark & Gower, David J., 2018, A new species of small, long-snouted Hypogeophis Peters, 1880 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) from the highest elevations of the Seychelles island of Mah��, pp. 359-375 in Zootaxa 4450 (3) on pages 361-369, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/1444822, {"references":["Maddock, S. T., Wilkinson, M., Nussbaum, R. A. & Gower, D. J. (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. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4329.4.1","Parker, H. (1958) Caecilians of the Seychelles Islands with description of a new species. Copeia, 1958 (2), 71 - 76.","San Mauro, D., Gower, D. J., Muller, H., Loader, S. P., Zardoya, R., Nussbaum, R. A. & Wilkinson, M. (2014) Life - history evolution and mitogenomic phylogeny of caecilian amphibians. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 73, 177 - 189. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2014.01.009","Wilkinson, M. (1992) On the life history of the caecilian genus Uraeotyphlus (Amphybia: Gymnophiona). The Herpetological Journal, 2 (4), 121 - 124."]}

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.

The amphibian fauna of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in southeatern Brazil, is characterized by high species richness and rates of endemism, and is still insufficiently known. A first list of amphibian species with occurrence in the state was published in 2004 and reported 166 taxa, but since then many new records, descriptions of new taxa, and revalidations and synonymizations of species have consistently improved the knowledge about the state’s amphibian biodiversity. Thus, a review and update of that list was deemed necessary. We herein present an updated and commented list of amphibian species occurring in the state of Rio de Janeiro based on a survey of the literature. We recorded the occurrence of a total of 201 species of amphibians (197 anurans and four caecilians) in Rio de Janeiro, with 54 of them (ca. 27%) considered to be endemic of the state. Our study presents an increase in species richness of 21% since the publication of the previous list, indicating a consistent advance in knowledge of the composition of the amphibian fauna in the state. In spite of its relatively small territorial extension (total area ca. 43,800 km²), the state of Rio de Janeiro contains nearly 20% of the amphibian species known to occur in Brazil and around 40% of those occurring in the Atlantic Forest biome. Thus, that state constitutes an important reservoir of amphibian biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest biome and in Brazil, as a whole.

Despite threats of species extinctions, taxonomic crises, and technological advances in genomics and natural history database informatics, we are still distant from cataloguing all of the species of life on earth. Amphibians and reptiles are no exceptions; in fact new species are described nearly every day and many species face possible extinction. The number of described species continues to climb as new areas of the world are explored and as species complexes are examined more thoroughly. The use of DNA barcoding provides a mechanism for rapidly estimating the number of species at a given site and has the potential to record all of the species of life on Earth. Though DNA barcoding has its caveats, it can be useful to estimate the number of species in a more systematic and efficient manner, to be followed in combination with more traditional, morphology-based identifications and species descriptions. Herein, we report the results of a voucher-based herpetological expedition to the Tanintharyi (Tenasserim) Region of Myanmar, enhanced with DNA barcode data. Our main surveys took place in the currently proposed Tanintharyi National Park. We combine our results with photographs and observational data from the Chaung-nauk-pyan forest reserve. Additionally, we provide the first checklist of amphibians and reptiles of the region, with species based on the literature and museum. Amphibians, anurans in particular, are one of the most poorly known groups of vertebrates in terms of taxonomy and the number of known species, particularly in Southeast Asia. Our rapid-assessment program combined with DNA barcoding and use of Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) of voucher specimens reveals the depth of taxonomic diversity in the southern Tanintharyi herpetofauna even though only a third of the potential amphibians and reptiles were seen. A total of 51 putative species (one caecilian, 25 frogs, 13 lizards, 10 snakes, and two turtles) were detected, several of which represent potentially undescribed species. Several of these species were detected by DNA barcode data alone. Furthermore, five species were recorded for the first time in Myanmar, two amphibians (Ichthyophiscf.kohtaoensis andChalcoranaeschatia) and three snakes (Ahaetullamycterizans,Boigadendrophila, andBoigadrapiezii).

Prince Maximilian of Wied made important collections of reptiles and other vertebrate animals during pioneering expeditions to Brazil and North America. These were purchased for the American Museum in 1869. The present paper emphasizes Brazilian materials collected in 1815–1817. Prince Maximilian (aka Wied, Neuwied, and Prince Max) published extensively on this collection, especially in the Beitrage zur Naturgeschichte von Brasilien (“Contributions to the natural history of Brazil, 1825–1833”)—a meticulous account of the species collected—and in Abbildungen zur Naturgeschichte Brasiliens (“Illustrations of the natural history of Brazil, 1822–1832”). The unnumbered folio plates of the Abbildungen are so important, and so difficult to access, that the herpetological ones are resized and reprinted herein. These hand-colored plates are rare (only 300 of each were produced) and are reproduced herein “as is” with arbitrary plate numbers 1–56; this numbering approximates the organization of the present ...

Boulengerula spawlsi sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FCA5F156-422B-4E07-ACF1-189F6BFA873F (Figs. 1���3, Table 1) Boulengerula cf. denhardti Nieden, 1912: Loader et al. (2011: 6, figure 1) Boulengerula denhardti Nieden, 1912: Measey et al. (2012: 187 ���191, figure 1) Holotype. NMK A5596/2 (MW 7938), an adult female collected by the authors in Ngaia Forest Reserve, Nyambene Hills, Meru County, Kenya, N 0�� 22 ' 47.3 '' E 38�� 0 ' 47.5 '', 1419 m asl, 23rd January 2013. Paratypes (n = 8). BMNH 2005.2264 (formerly NMK A5596/1, MW 7937) same data as holotype except N 0�� 22 ' 44.8 '' E 38�� 0 ' 45.9 '', 1406 m asl; BMNH 2005.2265 (formerly NMK A4954/4 / PKM00871), A4954/1 (PKM00847), A4954/2 (PKM00849), A4954/3 (PKM00851), A4954/5 (PKM00873), A4954/6 (PKM00875) collected near the type locality (N 0�� 23 ' 19.3 '' E 38�� 0 1 ' 41.6 '', 1334 m asl) by PKM and Vincent Muchai, 22���23 May 2008; A/4824 (PKM00622) collected near the type locality (N 0�� 19.063 ' E 38�� 0 0.06 ', 1300 m asl) by Stephen Spawls 13th February 2007. Diagnosis. A Boulengerula that differs from all congeners in having the anterior part of the tentacular canal covered by maxillopalatine. It differs further from B. boulengeri Tornier, 1896 and B. denhardti in having inner mandibular teeth, from B. changamwensis Loveridge, 1932 and B. fisheri Nussbaum and Hinkel, 1994 in having a mainly darker blue or purple, rather than pink, body colour, and from all other Boulengerula (B. taitanus, Loveridge, 1935, B. niedeni M��ller, Measey, Loader & Malonza, 2005, B. uluguruensis Barbour & Loveridge, 1928) in having more (> 150) annuli. Description of the holotype. Some morphometric and meristic data are in Table 1. Good condition except for some wrinkling and creasing of the skin, a 5 mm midventral incision c. 90 mm behind ST, a 7 mm midventral incision c. 43 mm anterior of TT. Body subcylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally flattened, fairly uniform, narrowing noticeably only in the region of the vent and terminal shield; L/W c. 66. In dorsal view, head more U- than V-shaped; sides of head fairly straight and converging substantially from the back of the head to about halfway between TAs and nares, and more strongly anteriorly to a bluntly rounded ST. In lateral view, head wedge-shaped; top of and bottom of head fairly straight and converging strongly up to level of nares and then more curved and strongly converging to narrow rounded tip; upper lip very slightly concave, slightly downturned close to AM; ridge bearing vomeropalatine teeth visible close to CM; lower jaw about one half and one fifth the height of upper jaw at levels of CM and TA respectively. ST much blunter in dorsal than in lateral view. In ventral view, snout projects strongly beyond recessed mouth, anterior margins of upper and lower jaws much more bluntly rounded than ST, sides of upper jaw visible as far back as CM. Eyes not visible. Subcircular TAs very close to lip, slightly elevated, on distinct subcircular TPs, that are just visible dorsally and more so ventrally, much closer to nares than to CMs, below (touching) imaginary lines between nares and CMs, slightly (one TP diameter) posterior to level of AM. Ovate nares small, approximately the same size as TAs, dorsolateral, closer to ST than to level of AM, about as far from bottom as from top of snout and half as far from ST in lateral view, barely visible from below a little more so from above. Teeth pointed, gently recurved, last few elements of outer mandibular series much smaller. OMs and PMs monocuspid, the former larger; VPs smaller, bicuspid, vomerine series broadly rounded anteromedially, palatine series extending posteriorly much further than premaxillary-maxillary series, cuspidity of paired IM teeth unclear. Distance between vomeropalatine and premaxillary-maxillary series anteriorly much less (approximately half) AM���ST in ventral view; upper teeth series extending posteriorly to about the level of posterior margin of choana. Palate not strongly arched transversely or longitudinally. Choanal apertures subcircular, anterior margins far behind level of TAs, separated from each other by about twice width of single choana. Tongue smooth, somewhat crescent shaped with concave margin posterior, rounded and unattached anteriorly. Nuchal region scarcely wider than adjacent body and head. Two nuchal collars clearly marked by three nuchal grooves; NG1 and NG2 completely encircling body, NG3 widely incomplete (or at least hard to discern) on the venter. Substantial TG on C2, visible laterally. All grooves in nuchal region bow forward medially on dorsum. NG1 bowing slightly forward ventromedially. A small midventral crease extends from close to the mentum to just past the ventral TG on C1. AGs mostly incomplete dorsally except first 12 and the first 14 of the last 19, complete or narrowly incomplete ventrally; last seven or eight annuli shorter than the others. Last three AGs increasingly difficult to discern, interrupted ventrally by the vent and disc; last approximately level with vent. Body ends in a short terminal shield approximately twice the length of the last annulus (viewed laterally), a little shorter than (3/4 the length of) midbody annuli. Distinct terminal keel on dorsal surface of terminal shield. Body terminus bluntly rounded in dorsal view, narrowing only in the vent region. Rounded in lateral view, ventral surface somewhat flattened. Vent circular, towards the back of an eliptical disc that is longer than wide (1.8 x 1.3 mm), perhaps five main denticulations anterior and four posterior, but poorly indicated and with irregular subdivisions, the interdenticular creases reaching to margins of disc and thus longer anteriorly; no papillae. Three vertebrae in the nuchal region, no post-cloacal vertebrae. TABLE]. Morphometric (in mm) anđ meristic đata for Boulengerula spawlsi sp. nov. Entries in parentheses are from Measey et al. (2012). * đenotes holotype, j = juvenile. Circumference measuređ at miđbođy. In preservative a slightly bluish olive grey, darker and more blue narrow (2.7 mm wide) dorsal band not extending laterally onto bulges produced by the underlying superficial external oblique trunk muscle, especially dark along AGs and, anteriorly along dorsal midline. Somewhat paler ventrally, with some much paler patches on flanks especially near the head and terminus. AGs marked by a broad dark band with a medial row of whitish glands visible with magnification. Tip of snout dorsally and entire ventral surface of head pale and unpigmented as far posterior as NG2. TPs encircled by slightly darker narrow ring. Ventral surface of terminal area pale, disk cream. In life (Fig. 2 A���B the holotype was a slightly purplish blue dorsally, slightly paler on the flanks and below with a pinkish head and throat and a pale snout tip. AGs were whitish with this pale colour extending slightly laterally and ventrally on the last few annuli and also surrounding the slightly darker disc. Variation and additional information from paratypes. Variation in some meristics and morphometrics is summarised in Table 1. The paratypes agree in most aspects with the holotype. All have a pair of inner mandibular teeth. The most conspicuous variation is in the extent of the pale colour on the throat region which extends further posteriorly onto the collars in some specimens. Most paratypes are a little more dehydrated than the holotype, resulting in some shrinkage and the artefactual appearance (in X-radiographs) of vertebrae behind the level of the vent in some, as has been reported in other species (Nussbaum 1988). One paratype (NMK A4824) has the jaws broken, facilitating determination that the IMs are bicuspid. CT scans of BMNH 2005.2264 (Fig. 3) and two other paratypes (NMK A4954/5 and A4954/6, data not shown) reveal details of the osteology of the new species. The general composition, shape and arrangement of bones is as in other Boulengerula (De Villiers 1938; Taylor 1969, MW pers. obs.) with the exception, seemingly correlated with the relatively anterior placement of the TA, that the maxillopalatine forms a complete or partial bony covering of the anterior part of the tentacular groove. Other notable features are (1) comparatively weak diastemata between the vomerine and palatine teeth series on each side, (2) PM series that are substantially shorter than (do not extend as far back as) the VP series, (3) a pair of inner mandibular teeth, (4) no exposure of the mesethmoid dorsally, (5) separate (paired, left and right) foramina in the sphenethmoid for the passage of the dorsal roots of the olfactory nerve, and (6) imperforate stapes. Three of these (1, 5 and 6) are additional substantial differences between the three scanned specimens of the new species and the holotype of B. denhardti (MW pers. obs.). In all cases, tooth counts made directly from specimens agreed very closely with those made from CT scans (data not shown). Remarks. The holotype was dug from soil in a hollowed out base of the trunk of a large fallen tree (Fig. 2 C) and NMK A5596/1 was collected in the soil beneath a rotting log, these two specimens collected in approximately 12 person hours of digging. NMK A4824 was found under a stone. Large decomposing logs are not very abundant in the forest and not all of them harbour caecilians. The forest is used by the local community and log collecting for firewood may negatively impact the extent of suitable microhabitat for Boulengerula spawlsi. This species does not appear to be as abundant (or at least not as readily found) as some of its congeners. Some other Kenyan Boulengerula, for example B. taitanus and B. niedeni, are more readily found in farmland than in forest (Malonza & Measey, 2005; Malonza et al., 2010) but whether B. spawlsi occurs outside of forest remains to be determined. The presence of B. spawlsi in a protected areas implies some protection for the species, but the extent of its distribution in the forests of the Nyambene Hills (e.g. in Igembe, and Kageta forest blocks that are at higher elevations than Ngaya) and in farmlands outside the forest needs to be better understood to usefully inform its conservation status. Etymology. The species is named in honour of Stephen Spawls in recognition of his substantial contributions to African herpetology, including his discovery of this species of caecilian. Suggested English name. Spawls��� boolee., Published as part of Wilkinson, Mark, Malonza, Patrick K., Campbell, Patrick & Loader, Simon P., 2017, A new species of Boulengerula Tornier, 1896 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Herpelidae) from Kenya and the " rediscovery " of Boulengerula denhardti, pp. 525-534 in Zootaxa 4286 (4) on pages 526-531, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4286.4.5, http://zenodo.org/record/828763, {"references":["Loader, S. P., Wilkinson, M., Cotton, J. A., Measey, G. J., Menegon, M., Howell, K. M., Muller, H. & Gower, D. J. (2011) Molecular phylogenetics of Boulengerula (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) and implications for taxonomy, biogeography and conservation. The Herpetological Journal, 21, 5 - 16.","Measey, G. J., Muchai, V. & Spawls, S. (2012) Rediscovery of Boulengerula denhardti Nieden 1912 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) in Meru County, Kenya. African Zoology, 47, 187 - 191.","Nussbaum, R. A. & Hinkel, H. (1994) Revision of East African caecilians of the genera Afrocaecilia Taylor and Boulengerula Tornier (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliaidae). Copeia, 1994, 750 - 760.","Malonza, P. K. & Measey, G. J. (2005) Life history of an African caecilian: Boulengerula taitanus Loveridge 1935 (Amphibia Gymnophiona Caeciilidae). Tropical Zoology, 18, 49 - 66.","Nussbaum, R. A. (1988) On the status of Copeotyphlinus syntremus, Gymnopis oligozona, and Minascaecilia sartoria (Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae): a comedy of errors. Copeia, 1988, 921 - 928.","De Villiers, C. G. S. (1938) A comparison of some cranial features of the East African gymnophiones Boulengerula boulengeri Tornier and Scolecomorphus uluguruensis Boulenger. Anatomische Anzeiger, 86, 1 - 26.","Taylor, E. H. (1969) Skulls of Gymnophiona and their significance in the taxonomy of the group. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 48, 585 - 687.","Malonza, P. K., Lotters, S. & Measey, G. J. (2010) The montane forest associated amphibian species of the Taita Hills, Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History, 99 (1), 47 - 63."]}

Hypogeophis brevis Boulenger, 1911 (Figs. 1���6; Table 1) Lectotype. BMNH 1910.3.18.84 (also numbered 1946.9.5.24: Fig. 2) from West side of Morne Seychellois, Mah��, 1,200 feet (Boulenger 1911), designated by Taylor (1968: 755). Paralectotype (n = 1). BMNH 1910.3.18.85 (= 1946.9.5.25) from Cascade, Mah�� (Boulenger 1911). Cascade is the name of a district in Mah�� as well as a village, river, forest and estate within this district. Cascade district ranges from sea level to over 600 m elevation and we suspect (based on the boundary of Cascade district and all other known localities for H. brevis) that the specimen came from above 350 m somewhere between the La Mis��re and Montagne Pos��e roads that cross the island between the East and West coast. Referred specimens (n = 39). See Appendix 1. Diagnosis. Hypogeophis brevis differs from H. rostratus in having secondary annular grooves on most primary annuli (versus on only posteriormost primary annuli) and in having fewer than 95 vertebrae (Parker, 1958). Hypogeophis brevis differs from H. pti sp. nov. in having more vertebrae (71���75 versus 67���69 in known specimens) and in having tentacular apertures relatively further from the eyes and closer to the nares (E-TA/E-N> 0.75 versus Hypogeophis brevis differs from species of the other Seychelles indotyphlid genera (Praslinia, Grandisonia) in having tentacular apertures anterior to the mouth (on that part of the snout overhanging the lower jaw) and tentacular grooves covered by bone. New description of lectotype. Our evaluation of the lectotype is consistent with the accounts given by Boulenger (1911) and Taylor (1968), but those were both very brief hence a more detailed description is provided here. Some meristic and morphometric data are given in Table 1. Condition poor to moderate; stiffly dehydrated, especially anteriorly where there is a deep, broad midventral groove; specimen broken in two parts, anterior part longer; ca. 45 mm ventral incision into coelom extending forwards from behind disc; head and anterior of body (approximately over 10 PAs) downturned; jaw articulation broken at CMs, inside of mouth damaged; stratum corneum missing on parts of head and scattered small patches of body; skin over right eye partly reflected; some scale pockets partially opened dorsally. interrupted by vent and disc; AG_antvent = incomplete AGs immediately anterior to vent and disc; AG_incomp = incomplete AGs in vicinity of vent and disc; LT = tip of lower jaw; MC = midbody circumference; PAG_SAG = PAGs anterior to first SAG; PAG_SAGd = PAGs anterior to first dorsally complete SAG; PAG_SAGv = PAGs anterior to first ventrally complete SAG; = Total length; WH = maximal width of head; WM = width at midbody. See Materials and Methods for other abbreviations. Values separated by comma are given in left, right order. * indicates lectotype, # indicates paralectotype. Tooth counts in parentheses are from x-ray CT reconstructions. 1910.3.18.84 1910.3.18.85 UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ 2005. 2005. UMMZ UMMZ Specimen * # 180853 183066 189441 221084 1793 1929 168115 189442 - 4(4) - 5(4) 4(4) - - - - 6(6) 5(5) ������.continued on the next page UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ 2005. 2005. Specimen 146295 175435 180852 181384 181385 182998 192977 200520 175493 1781 1786 F F F F F F F F F? M M Vertebrae 71 71 75 73 75 73 72 73 71 72 71 Fresh mass (g) - - - - - - - - - 3.4 1.8 Fresh TL - - - - - - - - - 124 104 103 91 77 86 91 71 78 98 65 107 95 23 18 17 16 17 13 - 18 12 23 19 WM 6.6 4.8 3.7 4.5 5.1 3.8 - 5.7 3.1 5.3 5.8 ST-NG1 4.3 4.2 3.4 3.9 4.1 3.7 3.9 4.0 3.5 4.3 4.0 LT-NG1 3.3 3.2 2.8 2.9 3.1 2.9 3.1 3.0 2.6 3.3 3.2 ST-AM 1.1 1.1 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.1 WH 3.0 2.7 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.3 2.6 3.0 2.2 3.2 2.9 1.7 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.3 1.7 1.5 2005. 2005. 2005. UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ UMMZ Specimen 1787 1789 1791 145180 180854 180855 182999 193089 189440 M M M M M M M M M? Vertebrae 71 73 72 72 72 72 72 71 73 Fresh mass (g) 2.7 0.4 0.4 - - - - - - Fresh TL 125 73 68 - - - - - - 109 62 58 77 96 93 86 74 45 20 11 12 17 16 17 15 18 9 5.7 3.1 3.4 4.1 5.1 5.3 4.3 4.1 2.4 ST-NG1 4.4 3.5 3.4 3.6 4.0 3.9 4.0 3.7 3.3 LT-NG1 3.5 2.7 2.6 2.8 3.0 3.0 2.9 2.9 2.5 ST-AM 1.1 1.0 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 3.1 2.1 2.3 2.6 2.9 2.6 2.7 2.5 2.1 1.8 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.2 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.9 1.5 1.4 1.6 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.3 E-TA 1.5 1.2 1.1 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.0 E-TA/E-N 0.79 0.80 0.79 0.88 0.84 0.88 0.88 0.88 0.77 TA-N 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 length 1.3 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9 length 2.0 1.2 1.1 1.3 1.8 1.5 1.4 1.7 1.0 TA-TA 1.0 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.0 on C2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 vent-TT 1.3 0.9 0.9 1.3 1.4 - 1.1 0.6 0.8 PAGs 65 66 66 67 67 65 66 66 67 _ SAG 1 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 _SAGd 7 23 20 8 12 11 9 9 13 _SAGv 21 27 25 15 25 22 22 19 8 _vent 1 0 1 1 1 - 1 1 2 _antvent 1 1 1 2 1 - 1 2 1 _incomp 2 1 2 3 2 - 2 3 3 34(32) - - - - - 30(30) - - 28(22) - - - - - 27(28) - - 26(23?) - - - - - 24(26) - - 6(6) - - - - - 6(6) - - Dorsoventrally compressed; posterior half of body uniform except for tapered last ca. 10 mm; anterior half of body tapering more gradually anteriorly, perhaps artefactually in association with greater dehydration. Head small; head length less than midbody width, head width much less than (approximately half of) body width. In dorsal view head strongly V-shaped, sides straight and converging substantially from back of head to TPs (low bulge on right, barely visible on left), ending in rounded snout tip. In ventral view lower jaw and upper lip about as rounded as snout tip. In lateral view upper and lower lips straight; snout very prominent in lateral view, projection anterior to mouth one half to two thirds as long as upper lip. Eye clearly inset from edge of head in dorsal view (by slightly more than diameter of eye); faintly visible as dark spot (less clear on damaged right); larger than TAs and TPs; approximately halfway between NG1 and ST. TAs below imaginary lines between nares and CMs; closer to imaginary lines between eyes and nares than to underside of snout; distinctly closer to nares than to lip. In lateral view, CMs closer to bottom than top of head (a little less than twice as far from top than bottom). Nares oval, in lateral view approximately equidistant from top and bottom of snout (very slightly closer to top), slightly closer to tip. In dorsal and ventral views nares not visible. TPs visible in dorsal (not on left) and ventral views, TAs approximately twice as far from AM than from ST, visible ventrally, not visible dorsally. IMs missing crowns, all other teeth bicusped where visible. Small gap in VP series immediately anterior to choana on right but no definitive diastema between vomerine and palatine teeth. AM-ST a little more than three times the distance between PM and VP series anteromedially. Palate not strongly concave transversely, soft tissue extensively damaged. Tongue damaged anteriorly, one large posterior and far lateral groove on each side. Narial plugs large but not prominent, with delimiting grooves (continuous with lateral tongue grooves) medially. Choanae broadly oval, interchoanal distance a little more than one times the width of each choana (choanae artefactually enlarged due to loss of some palatal mucosa), valves not deeply set. Palate slightly darker than rest of mouth, possibly due to dark lining of olfactory chambers visible through palatal bone, more apparent where skin missing. Nuchal region much more massive than back of head and anterior PAs. C1 slightly longer than first PA, distinctly shorter than C2. NG1, NG2 and NG3 clearly marked and complete (though NG3 misaligned on left lateral surface). NG1, NG2 and NG3 orthoplicate. One TG clearly indicated on C2, extends across most of dorsum, visible in lateral view. AGs moderately conspicuous to naked eye, visibility possibly slightly enhanced by dehydration, especially anteriorly; under microscope well marked throughout. All PAGs except last complete. Anteriormost SAG dorsolaterally on 6th PA, SAGs middorsally complete from 15th PA, midventrally complete on 23rd PA. PAs generally longer anteriorly than posteriorly but this is likely artefactual because body anteriorly is more dehydrated and curved, and anterior PAs are not notably longer in more recently collected specimens. Macroscopically AGs appear as pale lines; under microscope each AG with irregular row of closely packed, pale, small and larger glands posterior to narrow darker band. Posterior edges of annuli increasingly raised far posteriorly, thin whitish line appears between darker band and paler glands, whitish line not visible on anterior one quarter of body and inconspicuous posteriorly. Posteriorly (within 15 AGs from TT) three rows of scales in pockets as deep as approximately two thirds to three quarters the length of a PA at this point; anteriorly (15 PAGs behind collar region) one or two scale rows in pockets approximately one third the length of a PA. All observed scales oval, wider than long. Large terminal cap approximately 1.75 times length of adjacent PAs. Posteriormost AG extends from right of midline on venter, immediately anterior to disc, around to left of midline dorsally, incomplete laterally (and ventrally) on left, dorsal part of this groove approximately level with front of disc. No AGs on venter behind front of disc. Terminus bluntly rounded, slightly damaged posteroventrally. Disc damaged, slightly wider than long, with nine or 10 denticulations (four posterior, two lateral, three or four anterior) (Fig. 2). Body dark brown to brown-grey in preservative, paler on more dehydrated anterior half, somewhat paler ventrally with transition lying more dorsolaterally than laterally. Disc and denticulations entirely pale. Head greyish above. Faint, slightly pale patches encircle eyes and extend forwards as eye-tentacle stripes, fading out before reaching TPs. ST unpigmented, pale dorsally; underside of rostrum pale anteriorly, greyish posteriorly; nares and TPs within pale region of ST. Pale upper and lower lip lines. Broad pale regular stripes on lateral and ventrolateral surfaces of mandibles continuous with pale lips. Variation and additional information. 39 referred specimens plus paralectotype, condition generally good. Rostrum slightly damaged in BMNH 2005.1785, UMMZ 145023, 180852, 200520. Vent region has been removed in UMMZ 146295, 180855, 191384, and in UMMZ 200520 the tail is slightly squashed. These specimens agree with description of lectotype presented above with following exceptions (see Table 1 for variation in quantitative characters). Sides of head in dorsal view not straight but with bend at point level with anterior of mouth, with rostrum more parallel sided in many specimens (e.g. BMNH 2005.1785, BMNH 2005.1788, BMNH 2005.1790, and UMMZ 168115, UMMZ 180852, UMMZ 200520). Anterior of lower jaw more acute than snout tip in several specimens (e.g. UMMZ 168115, UMMZ 181385, UMMZ 189442); more broadly rounded than snout tip in few specimens (e.g. UMMZ 145034). In lateral view upper lip slightly concave in several specimens (e.g. BMNH 2005.1785, BMNH 2005.1786, BMNH 2005.1793, UMMZ 145180, UMMZ 200520); lower lip downturned in some specimens (e.g. BMNH 2005.1785, BMNH 2005.1788, BMNH 2005.1790, UMMZ 181384). In lateral view, naris approximately equidistant from top, front and bottom of snout in many specimens (Fig. 4). TA on imaginary line between CM and naris in UMMZ 145180; as close to underside of snout as to imaginary line between eye and naris in UMMZ 180852. All teeth are bicusped as far as determined. No obvious differences in sizes of teeth in different rows. PM row extends to just past the choanae, VP row extends a little further (3 or 4 loci) posteriorly. Occasional gaps but no diastemata in teeth series. Choanae approximately level with eyes. Tongue with bluntly rounded unattached tip and paired narial plugs, which may be quite low or a little raised, with an encircling groove that may or may not be continuous with a posterior lateral groove. Dark pigment sometimes present on the tongue and palate but highly variable, pigmented narial plugs sometimes with whitish apices. Choanae subcircular to oval with superficial (visible), somewhat oblique, valves. Interchoanal distance varies from approximately 1.5 to 2.5 times the width of a choana. NG1 anteriorly concave dorsally in UMMZ 175493 and posteriorly concave ventrally in UMMZ 168115; NG3 more or less orthoplicate in UMMZ 145023. NG3 midventrally incomplete in five specimens, four from La Reserve (BMNH 2005.1788, BMNH 2005.1790, BMNH 2005.1789, BMNH 2005.1793) and one from below Congo Rouge (BMNH 2005.1784). Collars no greater in girth than back of head in a few specimens (e.g. BMNH 2005.1929, BMNH 2005.1793). In UMMZ 182998 small additional TG between TG and NG3. C2 with three evenly spaced TGs in UMMZ 180852, UMMZ 181383, UMMZ 183066 (central TG most extensive). PAs longer anteriorly than posteriorly in UMMZ 193089, UMMZ 181385, possibly caused by differential dehydration along length of body. Posteriormost AG confined to narrow portion of dorsum in a few specimens (e.g., BMNH 2005.1786, BMNH 2005.1788, UMMZ 183066, UMMZ 192977, UMMZ 200520). Dorsal part of posteriormost AG approximately level with slightly behind the disc surrounding the vent (BMNH 2005.1928, UMMZ 189440), the posterior part of the disc (e.g. UMMZ 14023), or the centre of the vent (e.g. BMNH 2005.1788, UMMZ 193089). Terminal cap varies from a little more than one (e.g., BMNH 2005.1794, UMMZ 180854) to approximately two (e.g. BMNH 2005.1789, UMMZ 183066) times the length of the posteriormost PA. Where the posteriormost AG extends onto the venter it can here lie further anteriorly than the dorsal part of the AG, sometimes extending to the midventer at the anterior edge of the disc surrounding the vent, making the terminal segment appear (in ventral view: e.g. especially UMMZ 175435) somewhat like a terminal shield (sensu Kotharambath et al. 2012). In many specimens the last few AGs barely bend anteriorly on the ventral surface; orthoplicate in some (BMNH 2005.1781, BMNH 2005.1791, UMMZ 182999, UMMZ 193089). Number of posterior AGs bending forwards midventrally range from approximately 6 (BMNH 2005.1789) to approximately 14 (BMNH 2005.1928). ���Keel���-like line on posteroventral surface of terminus very small to small in some specimens (e.g., UMMZ 182999, UMMZ 145180), not visible in a few (e.g., BMNH 2005.1784, BMNH 2005.1785). Pale stripe extending anteriorly from eye complete to TA (and merges with pale snout tip) in several specimens (e.g., UMMZ 182999, UMMZ 180555, UMMZ 180852, UMMZ 175435). Except for UMMZ 189442, posterior end of mandibles with greyish band subparallel and adjacent to pale lower lip. Distribution, natural history, and conservation. Hypogeophis brevis is known only from the island of Mah��, between 4��37��� S and 4��43��� S (Fig. 1) and at an elevational range of approximately 350��� 650 m. During approximately 74 person hours of active caecilian fieldwork on Mah�� between 2013 and 2015 we encountered 19 H. brevis at five main localities, all by digging. A total of approximately 21 person hours were spent searching for caecilians at Br��l��e (585 minutes) and Casse Dents (675 minutes), where seven and two H. brevis specimens, respectively, were found in sandy clay loam soils with large amounts of root matter; pH 4.15���5.85 and 4.92, respectively. Close to Casse Dents, at the base of the trail up to Congo Rouge, five specimens were found in sandy loam or loam soils (pH 3.78���4.5) and inside rotten logs, during 625 person minutes of caecilian fieldwork. At Mares aux Cochons and the path leading up to Mares Aux Cochons from the Chemin le Niol road (= ���Mares aux Cochons trail��� as reported in Appendix 1), three specimens were found in sandy clay loam soil (p.H 5.09) with large amounts of root matter, during approximately 25 person hours of dedicated caecilian fieldwork. Below Trois Fr��res during 240 minutes of caecilian fieldwork, two specimens were found in shallow soil on rocky ledges in a gorge a few metres from and above a stream. All these specimens occurred in moist to wet soils under tree cover. Two additional specimens (among unaccessioned material in the Seychelles Natural History Museum; not listed in Appendix 1) were dug from soil on 22 September 2015 at Mares aux Cochons (see Appendix 1) and at 04��37���47.3��� S, 055��24���25.8��� E, ca. 467 m /asl (field tags MW 10912 and MW 10911, respectively)., Published as part of Gower, David J., 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, pp. 301-326 in Zootaxa 4329 (4) on pages 303-313, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1002950, {"references":["Boulenger, G. A. (1911) List of Batrachians and Reptiles obtained by Prof. Stanley Gardiner on his second expedition to the Seychelles and Aldabra. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Series 2, Zoology, 14, 375 - 78.","Taylor, E. H. (1968) Caecilians of the World. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, KS, 790 pp."]}

Hypogeophis pti sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:02AA8E2E-FA54-4C32- ACA 9-3890C3839C8C (Figs. 1, 7, 9���11; Table 2) Holotype. BMNH 2005.1825 (Figs. 7, 9), adult female, collected from Fond Peper region of Praslin National Park, Praslin island, Seychelles (04��20���04.9���S, 055��44���24.9��� E, ca. 178 m /asl) by S.T. Maddock on 4 February, 2014. Paratypes (n = 13). BMNH 2005.1826���1833 (3 females: 4 males: 1 sex not determined) collected from Fond Peper region of Praslin National Park, Praslin island, Seychelles (04��20���04.9��� S, 055��44���24.9��� E, ca. 178 m /asl) by S.T. Maddock on 22 March 2013 (2005.1826), 3 February 2014 (2005.1830���1832), 4 February 2014 (2005.1827) and 5 February 2014 (2005.1828���1829, 2005.1833). BMNH 2005.1834���1837 (2:0:2) collected from Glacis Noir (adjacent to Fond Peper) region of Praslin National Park, Praslin island, Seychelles (04��20���23.3��� S, 055��44���37.5��� E, ca. 342 m /asl) by S.T. Maddock, D.J. Gower and Julia J. Day on 13 February 2014. BMNH 2005.1838, adult female, collected from Ma Katrine, Praslin Island, Seychelles (04��20���43.9��� S, 055��44���36.7��� E, ca. 333 m /asl) by S.T. Maddock, D.J. Gower and Matthieu Labuschagne on 5 March 2014 (see Fig. 1). Referred specimen (n = 1). BMNH 1987.2109, adult female, from ���Granitic Seychelles, probably Mah�� ���. This is considered a referred rather than paratype specimen because it lacks precise locality data. Diagnosis. A Hypogeophis with fewer than 70 vertebrae. Differs from its most similar congener (H. brevis: 71���75 vertebrae in available sample: Fig. 8) in having tentacular apertures relatively closer to the eye (E-TA/E-N 0.5���0.63 versus> 0.75 in known specimens: Fig. 8). See below for information on substantial morphometric and genetic differentiation between the two species. Identification. The new taxon is a species of Hypogeophis because (following the generic diagnosis provided by Wilkinson et al. 2011) it is an indotyphlid with eyes not covered by bone, tentacular grooves covered by bone, and mesethmoid not exposed dorsally between frontals (data from microCT scans, not shown). It differs from species of the other Seychelles genera (Praslinia, Grandisonia) in having a small pointed head and far anterior tentacular apertures, anterior to the mouth. The new species differs from H. rostratus most obviously in having secondary annular grooves on most primary annuli (versus on only posteriormost primary annuli) and in having fewer than 95 vertebrae. Grandisonia diminutiva Taylor, 1969 was described based on a holotype and paratype from an unspecified locality (or localities) on Praslin. Both specimens are small, with reported total lengths of 95 and 64 mm, respectively. We are confident that Taylor���s species is not the same as H. pti sp. nov. because there are substantial differences in the number of PAGs (80���83 versus 61���64), and in the number of anterior PAs without SAGs (>10 versus 0). Grandisonia diminutiva was placed in the synonymy of G. sechellensis (Boulenger 1911) by Wilkinson & Nussbaum (2006). Description of holotype. Some meristic and morphometric data are given in Table 2. Condition good; ca. 10 mm longitudinal ventral incision into coelom ca. 24 mm anterior to vent, another ca. 4 mm incision ca. 50 mm anterior to vent; mouth preserved slightly open with head flexed upwards forming a dorsal fold at NG1; constriction of body ca. 50 mm anterior of vent caused by field tag string; broad, shallow midventral groove on anterior half of body; small sections of few scale pockets opened dorsally. _antvent = incomplete AGs immediately anterior to vent and disc; AG_incomp = incomplete AGs in vicinity of vent and disc; LT = tip of lower jaw; MC = midbody circumference; PAG_SAG = PAGs anterior to first SAG; PAG_SAGd = PAGs anterior to first dorsally complete SAG; PAG_SAGv = PAGs anterior to first ventrally complete SAG; TL = Total length; WH = maximal width of head; WM = width at midbody. See Materials and Methods for other abbreviations. Values separated by comma are given in left, right order. * indicates holotype; all other individuals are paratypes except specimen BMNH 1987.2109 (referred specimen). Tooth counts in parentheses are from x-ray CT reconstructions. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 1987. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. 2005. Specimen 1825 * 1827 1835 1837 2109 1826 1838 1829 1832 1834 1836 1833 1828 1830 1831 Slightly dorsoventrally compressed, uniform throughout except for tapered posterior- and anteriormost (including head) ca. 10 mm. Head small, head length less than midbody width, head width much less than body width. In dorsal view head strongly V-shaped, sides straight and converging substantially from back of head to distinct bulges of TPs, continuing with straight edges in front of TAs to narrowly rounded snout tip. In ventral view lower jaw and upper lip slightly more broadly rounded than snout, upper jaws visible from slightly anterior to CMs forwards. In lateral view upper lip slightly concave, apex approximately halfway along lip; lower lip straight. Snout very prominent in lateral view, projection anterior to mouth more than half as long as upper lip. Eyes slightly inset from edges of head in dorsal view (by distance less than diameter of eye), approximately halfway between snout tip and back of head; faintly visible as dark spots; much larger than TAs, slightly larger than TPs. TAs subcircular to oval, approximately on (right) or slightly below (left) imaginary lines between nares and CMs; closer to imaginary lines between eyes and nares than to lips; closer to lip than to nares. In lateral view, CMs closer to bottom than top of head. Nares oval, in lateral view approximately equidistant from top, bottom, tip of snout. In dorsal and ventral views nares not visible. TPs visible in dorsal and ventral views, TAs not visible dorsally. All teeth bicusped, PMs extend only a short distance posterior to choanae; PM row slightly longer than VP row (though extending less far posteriorly). No diastema between vomerine and palatine teeth. The distance between PM and VP rows anteriorly approximately one third of the distance AM-ST. Palate only slightly concave transversely, generally pale but slightly pigmented anterior to choanae. Tongue unattached anteriorly, tip rounded and slightly darker, plicae very few and restricted far posteriorly, no distinct posterolateral grooves, narial plugs large and prominent with clearly delimiting grooves medially. Choanae subcircular, interchoanal distance approximately one and a half times the width of each choana, valves not deeply set (visible). C2 slightly more massive than first PA, C1 less massive than C2, more massive than back of head. C1 approximately same length as first PA, distinctly shorter than C2. NG1, NG2 and NG3 clearly marked and complete, generally orthoplicate, NG1 and NG2 with slight anterior bend ventrally (where each is slightly thicker), NG3 with slight posterior bend both dorsally and (more clearly) ventrally. Two TGs clearly indicated on C2, both extend across more than half width of dorsum, anterior TG more extensive, almost to edges of C2. AGs clear but not very conspicuous to naked eye, slightly more conspicuous posteriorly; under microscope well marked throughout. PAGs complete throughout, SAGs dorsally complete throughout, midventrally narrowly incomplete on anterior two fifths, complete from 18th PA. No substantial regional variation in lengths of PAs. SAGs on all PAs. AGs generally orthoplicate, approximately 12 posteriomost AGs with slight anterior bend ventrally. Each AG with irregular row of closely packed, pale, small and larger glands posterior to narrow darker band. Posterior edges of annuli increasingly raised posteriorly, thin whitish line (scales) appears between darker band and paler glands, whitish line not visible on anterior one quarter to one third of body. Posteriorly (within 15 AGs from TT) four rows of scales in pockets as deep as approximately two thirds to three quarters the length of a PA at this point; anteriorly (15 PAGs behind collar region) three scale rows in pockets approximately half to two thirds the length of a PA. All observed scales oval, wider than long. Small terminal cap, slightly longer than three quarters length of adjacent PAs. Posteriormost AG transversely narrow, restricted to dorsum, approximately level with back of disc surrounding vent. No AGs on venter behind centre of the vent. Terminus bluntly rounded, much more so than head; inconspicuous terminal ���keel��� visible as pale narrow line from behind disc onto posteroventral surface of TT. Disc not well circumscribed, subcircular (diameter ca. 1.2 mm), very slightly depressed, with nine (four posterior, two lateral, three anterior) fairly bilaterally symmetrical denticulations, those lateral and posterior longest, those posteromedial much the largest; vent circular to slightly transverse, somewhat V-shaped. Body brown to brown-grey in preservative, uniform along length, notably paler ventrally, meeting darker middorsal band, transition fairly abrupt and lying more dorsolaterally than laterally, except last 10 mm where darker dorsum progressively more ventrally extensive. Disc pale with grey flecks on all denticulations, not extending to their edges. Head greyish brown, more grey than adjacent body. Faint, slightly pale patch barely broader than eye taper and extend anteriorly towards TPs as very inconspicuous eye-tentacle stripes (less inconspicuous on left). ST pale, abruptly whitish dorsally; underside of rostrum whitish anteriorly, grey posteriorly. Nares entirely within whitish area of snout tip; TPs pale. Pale upper and lower lip lines. Broad pale irregular stripes on ventrolateral surfaces of mandibles, separated from pale lip line by irregular greyish band. Variation among paratypes. Thirteen paratypes, condition generally good. Posterior part of body missing in BMNH 2005.1827; skin damaged dorsally (outer layer missing in parts) and scale pockets open approximately three quarters along length of BMNH 2005.1838. Paratypes agree with description of holotype presented above with following exceptions (see Table 2 for variation in quantitative characters). Body shape in many specimens less uniform along length than in holotype, especially in larger specimens (BMNH 2005.1834, BMNH 2005.1838, BMNH 2005.1826), in which anterior third of body gently tapered, notably narrower than posterior half. In lateral view upper lip much less notably concave in smaller specimens; eye less visible in larger specimens; TAs on or slightly below imaginary line between naris and CM. PMs extend further posteriorly and VP rows more angulate anteriorly than in the holotype in BMNH 2005.1835, 1837 and 1838. There is a small gap in the VP series immediately anterior to the choana on the right side only in BMNH 2005.1827. There is substantial variation in the size of the narial plugs and of the choanae, with the distance between the latter ranging from about 1.25 times (in BMNH 2005.1827) to 2 times (BMNH 2005.1834) the width of the choanae. Choanal valves are slightly more deeply set than in the holotype in BMNH 2005.1834. Posterolateral grooves are present or not on the tongue. Pigment is present on the palate and/or tongue or completely absent. NG1 orthoplicate dorsally in BMNH 2005.1831; NG3 anteriorly bowed midventrally in BMNH 2005.1835; NG3 narrowly incomplete midventrally in BMNH 2005.1834, BMNH 2005.1826, BMNH 2005.1837, BMNH 2005.1829, BMNH 2005.1831. Three TGs on C 2 in BMNH 2005.1835, anteriormost least conspicuous, middle one most extensive; some specimens with only one TG on C2 (Table 2); BMNH 2005.1835 with row of glands in TG-like line on dorsum of C1. Some PAGs incomplete midventrally on anterior half of body in BMNH 2005.1831, BMNH 2005.18270, BMNH 2005.1834, BMNH 2005.1835 and especially BMNH 2005.1838. Approximately 8���14 posteriomost AGs with slight anterior bend ventrally. Posteriormost AG encircles more of the body in BMNH 2005.1828, BMNH 2005.1826, BMNH 2005.1834, BMNH 2005.1835; groove approximately level with centre of vent in BMNH 2005.1837; terminal cap up to almost one and a half times the length of the posteriormost PA in these same specimens except BMNH 2005.1828. Body terminus more pointed in BMNH 2005.1832. The keel-like line on the posteroventral surface of the terminus is sunken rather than level in many specimens (e.g., BMNH 2005.1831). Head not more grey than body in some, smaller specimens (e.g., BMNH 2005.1830, BMNH 2005.1829, BMNH 2005.1837, BMNH 2005.1833). Little variation in clarity and extent of pale line between eye and TA. Snout tip of BMNH 2005.1826 less pale and transition to pale tip less abrupt. Greyish band on mandibles absent in BMNH 2005.1838, BMNH 2005.1826. Extent of dark flecks on disc surrounding vent varies (Fig. 10). 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. Distribution, natural history, and conservation. Hypogeophis pti sp. nov. is known only from Praslin National Park (Fond Peper and Glacis Noir) and Ma Katrine, at approximately 170���350 m elevation, on the island of Praslin. The 14 type specimens were collected during approximately 29 person hours of dedicated caecilian fieldwork in 2013 and 2014. Two additional specimens (not included in this study) were collected by S.T.M, D.J.G and M.W. during 105 person minutes of digging in Fond Peper on 3 March 2014; one of the animals escaped and the other (field tag MW 10584) is among unaccessioned material in the care of the Seychelles Natural History Museum. In another ca. 19 person hours in 2013 and 2014 no further specimens were found at six other localities on Praslin, including in the Val��e de Mai, Nouvelle Decouverte, close to the peak of Mount Takamaka, Fond Ferdinand, Zimbabwe, between Anse Kerlan and Zimbabwe, Grand Anse, and between Anse Takamaka and Anse La Blague. No specimens of H. pti sp. nov. were found on Praslin during surveys in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983 and 1991 at Grand Anse, Anse Bois de Rose, La Point, La Plaine Hollandaise, Ford Azore, Baie Sainte Anne, Vall��e de Mai and Nouvelle Decouverte. In Fond Peper, specimens of Hypogeophis pti sp. nov. were found among vegetation dominated by pandanus (Martellidendron hornei (Balf.f.) Callm. & Chassot) and coco de mer (Lodoicea maldivica (J.F.Gmel) Pers.). All specimens were collected from within ca. 30 m from the nearest water source (streams and/or seepages) and within ca. 3 m of the nearest tree. Specimens were dug from under dense and horizontally expansive layers of dried (especially pandanus) leaves, in clay, silty clay loam or sandy loam soils of pH 5.46���5.64. The specimens were found in the top ca. 15 cm of soil, which often lay immediately below a thin layer of rootlets. In Glacis Noir, specimens were found in a small area, within ca. 10 m of the only small stream/seepage that we found. The vegetation was more mixed here, with a canopy of broadleaf trees as well as coco de mer and other palms. There was also more understorey vegetation than in Fond Peper, and a lack of the thick layer of pandanus leaves that characterised the latter habitat. Specimens here were found mostly in clay loam soil with dense layers of root mat (pH 4.1���5.76) with one specimen (BMNH 2005.1834) collected from within a rotten log. In Ma Katrine, the specimen was found in a marshy area under a canopy dominated by the pandanus M. hornei. Although it inhabits protected habitat within a National Park, Hypogeophis pti sp. nov. has a very small known distribution. Because the known distribution is smaller than that known for the Seychelles caecilians H. brevis and Praslinia cooperi, and because it is known from one or, at most two, threat-defined locations, the new species would qualify for at least Endangered status on the IUCN Red List if there is any evidence of decline in extent or quality of habitat or declines in numbers of individuals. However, given that H. pti sp. nov. occurs partly in a protected area and that there is no immediate prospect of estimating or monitoring numbers of individuals, it might be expected to be classified, for now, as Near Threatened. Most of our recent fieldwork within the Praslin National Park took place in and above Fond Peper. We would be surprised if H. pti sp. nov. was entirely absent from the adjacent Vall��e de Mai (though we failed to find it in ca. 9 person hours of digging there), as well as more widely within the upper slopes of the La Prude catchment surrounding Ma Katrine. Almost nothing is known of the ecology of H. pti sp. nov., and more studies in the field and/or captivity are required to generate even the most basic data on, for example, reproduction and life history mode., Published as part of Gower, David J., 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, pp. 301-326 in Zootaxa 4329 (4) on pages 313-320, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1002950, {"references":["Wilkinson, M., San Mauro, D., Sherratt, E. & Gower, D. J. (2011) A nine-family classification of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Zootaxa, 2874, 41 - 64.","Taylor, E. H. (1969) Miscellaneous notes and descriptions of new forms of caecilians. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin, XLVIII (9), 281 - 296. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 11223","Boulenger, G. A. (1911) List of Batrachians and Reptiles obtained by Prof. Stanley Gardiner on his second expedition to the Seychelles and Aldabra. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Series 2, Zoology, 14, 375 - 78.","Wilkinson, M. & Nussbaum, R. A. (2006) Caecilian Phylogeny and Classification. In: J-M Exbrayat (Ed), Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Gymnophiona (Caecilians). Fol. 5. Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, pp. 39 - 78."]}

Gower, David J. (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: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4329.4.1

Caecilia thompsoni Boulenger, 1902: Figure 7A Caecilia thompsoni Boulenger 1902: 152. Material examined. Table 1. A large caecilian with generally cylindrical body; eye in an open orbit and tentacular aperture below nostril, close to the anterior portion of the face (Lynch 1999). Caecilia thompsoni is readily distinguished from C. subnigricans (another species known from Magdalena river valley) by having a longer body (up to 1.5 m in C. thompsoni; 0.35–0.37 m in C. subnigricans) and more primary (187–240 in C. thompsoni; 145–169 in C. subnigricans) and secondary annuli (26–30 in C. thompsoni; 6–27 in C. subnigricans), Published as part of Restrepo, Adriana, Molina-Zuluaga, Claudia, Hurtado, Juan P., Marín, Carlos M. & Daza, Juan M., 2017, Amphibians and reptiles from two localities in the northern Andes of Colombia, pp. 203-237 in Check List 13 (4) on page 217, DOI: 10.15560/13.4.203, {"references":["Boulenger GA (1902) Descriptions of two new South-American apodal batrachians. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 7 th series 10: 152 - 153.","Lynch JD, Rueda-Almonacid JV (1999) New species of frogs from low and moderate elevations from the Caldas transect of the eastern flank of the Cordillera Central. Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales 23: 307 - 314."]}

Epicrionops parkeri (Dunn, 1942): Figure 7C Rhinatrema parkeri Dunn 1942: 458. Epicrionops parkeri — Taylor 1968: 216. Material examined. Table 1. A bicolored caecilian with well-developed tail; lateral stripe yellow, cream or white from head or second collar onto tail; stripe ending at posterior level of vent; subcaudal region dark lilac to blackish (Taylor 1968). Epicrionops parkeri differs from E. bicolor (a species with similar coloration pattern distributed in Colombia) by having a larger body length and 198 primary annuli (in contrast to 117–135 primary annuli in E. bicolor)., Published as part of Restrepo, Adriana, Molina-Zuluaga, Claudia, Hurtado, Juan P., Marín, Carlos M. & Daza, Juan M., 2017, Amphibians and reptiles from two localities in the northern Andes of Colombia, pp. 203-237 in Check List 13 (4) on page 217, DOI: 10.15560/13.4.203, {"references":["Dunn ER (1942) The American caecilians. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 91: 439 - 540.","Taylor EH (1968) The Caecilians of the World: A Taxonomic Review. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, 848 pp."]}

Microcaecilia pricei (Dunn, 1944): Figure 7B Gymnopis pricei Dunn 1944: 473. Microcaecilia pricei — Wilkinson, O’Connor and Nassbaum 2013: 7. Material examined. Table 1., Published as part of Restrepo, Adriana, Molina-Zuluaga, Claudia, Hurtado, Juan P., Marín, Carlos M. & Daza, Juan M., 2017, Amphibians and reptiles from two localities in the northern Andes of Colombia, pp. 203-237 in Check List 13 (4) on page 217, DOI: 10.15560/13.4.203, {"references":["Dunn ER (1944) Notes in Colombian herpetology, III. Caldasia 2: 473 - 474."]}

The origin of the limbless caecilians remains a lasting question in vertebrate evolution. Molecular phylogenies and morphology support that caecilians are the sister taxon of batrachians (frogs and salamanders), from which they diverged no later than the early Permian. Although recent efforts have discovered new, early members of the batrachian lineage, the record of pre-Cretaceous caecilians is limited to a single species, Eocaecilia micropodia. The position of Eocaecilia within tetrapod phylogeny is controversial, as it already acquired the specialized morphology that characterizes modern caecilians by the Jurassic. Here, we report on a small amphibian from the Upper Triassic of Colorado, United States, with a melange of caecilian synapomorphies and general lissamphibian plesiomorphies. We evaluated its relationships by designing an inclusive phylogenetic analysis that broadly incorporates definitive members of the modern lissamphibian orders and a diversity of extinct temnospondyl amphibians, including stereospondyls. Our results place the taxon confidently within lissamphibians but demonstrate that the diversity of Permian and Triassic stereospondyls also falls within this group. This hypothesis of caecilian origins closes a substantial morphologic and temporal gap and explains the appeal of morphology-based polyphyly hypotheses for the origins of Lissamphibia while reconciling molecular support for the group’s monophyly. Stem caecilian morphology reveals a previously unrecognized stepwise acquisition of typical caecilian cranial apomorphies during the Triassic. A major implication is that many Paleozoic total group lissamphibians (i.e., higher temnospondyls, including the stereospondyl subclade) fall within crown Lissamphibia, which must have originated before 315 million years ago.

Wilkinson, Mark, Antoniazzi, Marta Maria, Jared, Carlos (2015): A new species of Microcaecilia Taylor, 1968 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) from Amazonian Brazil. Zootaxa 3905 (3): 425-431, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3905.3.8

Conradie, Werner, Branch, William R., Watson, Gillian (2015): Type specimens in the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, including the historically important Albany Museum collection. Part 1: Amphibians. Zootaxa 3936 (1), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3936.1.2

FAMILY DERMOPHIIDAE Taylor 1969, 304 (2 genera, 2 species) Dermophis Peters 1880, 937 (1 species) Dermophis mexicanus (A.M.C. Dum��ril & Bibron 1841, 284) Gymnopis Peters 1874, 616 (1 species) Gymnopis multiplicata Peters 1874, 616, Published as part of Mccranie, James R., 2015, A checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Honduras, with additions, comments on taxonomy, some recent taxonomic decisions, and areas of further studies needed, pp. 352-386 in Zootaxa 3931 (3) on page 363, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3931.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/240338

Microcaecilia butantan sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F 9 BA 7 AF 1-4 C 47 - 4 A07-A 265 - 41 B 42886 D 38 D Figs. 1���2; Table 1 Holotype. Museu de Zoologia, Universidade Sao Paulo (MZUSP) 143389, a female with small (c. 0.5 mm) nonyolky eggs, collected by Carlos Jared and Marta Maria Antoniazzi, dug from soil in a cupua��u (Theobroma grandiflorum) plantation within APA (��rea de Prote����o Ambiental) Aramana�� [237 ' 57.96 "S, 5457 ' 44.16 "W, 152m asl], municipality of Belterra, Par��, in October 2010, maintained in captivity until fixed in December 2010. Paratypes (n = 3). MZUSP 153204 ��� 6 collected by Carlos Jared and Marta Maria Antoniazzi, dug from soil at or near the type locality (within the same plantation) in May 2010 or May 2011. Diagnosis. A Microcaecilia that differs from M. albiceps (Boulenger, 1882), M. nicefori (Barbour, 1928), M. supernumeraria Taylor, 1970 and M. unicolor (Dum��ril, 1863) in having elongate PM series that extend posterior to the level of the choanae, and from all other Microcaecilia (M. dermatophaga Wilkinson, Starace, Gower & Sherratt, 2013, M. iwokramae (Wake & Donnelly, 2010), M. iyob Wilkinson & Kok, 2010, M. grandis Wilkinson, Nussbaum & Hoogmoed, 2010, M. marvaleewakeae Maciel & Hoogmoed, 2013, M. pricei, (Dunn, 1944) M. rabei (Roze & Solano, 1963), M. rochai Maciel & Hoogmoed, 2011, M. savagei Donnelly & Wake, 2013, M. taylori Nussbaum & Hoogmoed, 1979 and M. trombetas Maciel & Hoogmoed, 2011) in having more than 135 PAs. Description of the holotype. Some morphometric and meristic data are in Table 1. Good condition, a 3 mm midventral incision c. 65 mm behind ST, a 9 mm midventral incision c. 35 mm anterior of TT, an opened scale pocket posteriorly, some skin damaged anteriorly by search for subdermal scales. Body subcylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally flattened throughout (width and depth at midbody 4.0 x 3.7 mm), fairly uniform, slightly narrower anteriorly, narrowing posteriorly from just in front of the vent; L/W c. 40. In dorsal view, head intermediate between U- and V-shaped; sides of head fairly straight, converging gently from posterior to level of TAs, more curved and converging more strongly to level of nares, ST moderately pointed. In lateral view, top of head slightly convex; upper lip slightly concave, somewhat downturned anteriorly from just in front of TAs; ridge bearing vomeropalatine teeth visible close to CM; lower jaw robust, two-thirds the height of upper jaw at levels of CM and TA. In ventral view, snout projects strongly beyond recessed mouth, anterior margins of upper and lower jaws much more blunt than ST. Eyes not visible. TAs very slightly elevated, on indistinct, broad low papillae that are just visible dorsally and ventrally, much closer to CMs than to nares, distinctly above imaginary lines between nares and CMs. Nares small, dorsolateral, superficially they are ovate depressions, longer than wide/high, each with deeper, more ovate, wider than long, aperture anteriorly. Nares closer to ST than to level of AM, about one and a half times as far from bottom than from top of snout and from ST in lateral view, not visible from below. Teeth pointed, gently recurved, lacking serrations or blade like flanges, last few elements of outer series much smaller posteriorly. OMs and PMs monocuspid, the former a little larger; VPs smaller, more uniform in size, bicuspid, vomerine series broadly rounded anteromedially, palatines extending posteriorly slightly further than premaxillary-maxillary series. Distance between vomeropalatine and premaxillary-maxillary series anteriorly much less (approximately half) AM���ST in ventral view; upper series extending posteriorly distinctly beyond choanae. Palate strongly arched transversely and longitudinally. Choanal apertures subcircular, separated from each other by about twice width of single choana, anterior margins approximately level with TAs. Tongue somewhat pointed at tip, attached anteriorly, smooth except for a medial longitudinal groove posteriorly. Nuchal region a little wider than adjacent body. Two nuchal collars clearly marked by three nuchal grooves; NG 1 and NG 2 completely encircling body, NG 3 widely incomplete and curving posteriorly on the venter. NG 1 notably oblique laterally; substantial TG on C 2, visible laterally; much shorter TG on C 1. TGs, NG 2 and NG 3 bending slightly anteromedially on dorsum. NG 1 with a ventral transverse groove a little longer than that on the dorsum. A small mid-ventral crease extends from between the CMs to just past the ventral TG on C 1. Behind collars, 157 PAGs, mostly complete or very narrowly incomplete dorsally, mostly narrowly incomplete ventrally except for approximately the anteriormost 20 and posteriormost 12; PAs longest at midbody, shorter anteriorly and more so posteriorly. First SAG short, dorsolateral on 139 th PA; SAGs dorsally complete from 142 nd PA; more posterior SAGs gradually extending further ventrolaterally, none complete ventrally; SAGs absent from last two PAs, last PA (155 th) divided by a SAG slightly in front of the level of the vent; last PAG just posterior to vent. AGs slightly raised in places. Vent region interrupts last four PAGs. Body ends in a short terminal cap c. 1.5 times the length of the last PA (viewed laterally), approximately the same length as the last PA with a SAG, a little shorter than midbody PAs. Body terminus slightly acuminate in lateral view, more so in dorsal view, narrowing only over last five PAs. In lateral view, ventral surface strongly upturned behind vent. Vent rather transverse, with perhaps five main denticulations anterior and four posterior, but with some irregular subdivisions, the interdenticular creases shorter anteriorly; vent slighty elevated but not in an obvious ���disc��� and seemingly without papillae. Distinct terminal keel on dorsal surface of terminal cap. Scales in shallow (Variation and additional information from paratypes. Variation in some meristics and morphometrics is summarised in Table 1. The paratypes, which are all males, are similar in most respects to the holotype except for notably fewer PAs (143���145), narrower bodies at the level of the vent and smaller heads, all of which might be indicative of sexual dimorphism. Only one (the last) terminal PA lacks a SAG in MZUSP 153205. MZUSP 153206 has three SAGs that are complete ventrally just anterior to the vent (on PAs 139, 140, and 141). In life, body colour is pink to purple (Fig. 2 A). Remarks. A total of 21 specimens of this species were encountered at the type locality or in nearby forests within the limits of APA Aramana in three expeditions: May 2010 (16 specimens, in three days, including eight in approximately four hours on the first day, and six in about two and a half hours on the second day) and 2011 (four specimens) during the rainy season and October 2010 (the holotype) during the dry season. Only four of these specimens were fixed for use as taxonomic vouchers. Some other specimens are being used in histological studies at the Instituto Butantan. Etymology. The specific epithet is in honour of the Instituto Butantan, which enabled the discovery of the species through the Butantan na Amaz��nia (Butantan in Amazon) project. To promote stability the species epithet is considered to be noun in apposition for nomenclatural purposes. Suggested English name. Butantan microcaecilia., Published as part of Wilkinson, Mark, Antoniazzi, Marta Maria & Jared, Carlos, 2015, A new species of Microcaecilia Taylor, 1968 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) from Amazonian Brazil, pp. 425-431 in Zootaxa 3905 (3) on pages 426-430, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3905.3.8, http://zenodo.org/record/237230, {"references":["Wilkinson, M., Sherratt, E., Starace, F. & Gower, D. J. (2013 a) A new species of skin-feeding caecilian and the first report of reproductive mode in Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae). PLoS ONE, 8 (3), e 57756. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1371 / journal. pone. 0057756","Wilkinson, M. & Kok, P. J. R. (2010) A new species of Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from Guyana. Zootaxa, 2719, 35 - 40.","Maciel, A. O. & Hoogmoed, M. S. (2013) A new species of Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) from the Guianan region of Brazil. Zootaxa 3693 (3), 387 - 394. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3693.3.9","Donneley, M. A. & Wake, M. H. (2013) A new species of Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) from Guyana, with comments on Epicrionops niger. Copeia, 2013, 223 - 231. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1643 / ch- 12 - 094","Nussbaum, R. A. & Hoogmoed, M. S. (1979) Surinam caecilians, with notes on Rhinatrema bivittatum and the description of a new species of Microcaecilia (Amphibia, Gymnophiona). Zoologische Mededelingen Leiden, 54, 217 - 235."]}

Boulengerula uluguruensis Barbour and Loveridge 1928 Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 50: 183. Paratypes (2): PEM A 2947���2948 (formerly both AM 6011); Vituri, Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania; A. Loveridge, 30 October 1926. Remarks. The type description lists a total of 40 specimens collected from the Uluguru Mountains from 20 September ��� 30 October 1926. It clearly states that MCZ A- 12367 is designated as the holotype and the remainder as paratypes, all in the MCZ. Subsequently, paratypes were exchanged to other institutions, i.e. four to AMNH, three to FMNH (Marx 1958), one each to SMF, UIMNH (Smith et al. 1964), BMNH, and the Congo Museum. The MCZ online database shows that two paratypes (MCZ A- 12377 and A- 12378) were sent in exchange to Hewitt at the AMG, before subsequently being transferred to PEM. Both specimens have a longitudinal ventral incision., Published as part of Conradie, Werner, Branch, William R. & Watson, Gillian, 2015, Type specimens in the Port Elizabeth Museum, South Africa, including the historically important Albany Museum collection. Part 1: Amphibians in Zootaxa 3936 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3936.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/237278, {"references":["Barbour, T. & Loveridge, A. (1928) A comparative study of the herpetological faunae of the Uluguru and Usambara Mountains, Tanganyika Territory with descriptions of new species. Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 50, 87 - 265.","Marx, H. (1958) Catalogue of the type specimens of reptiles and amphibians in the Chicago Natural History Museum. Fieldiana, Zoology, 36 (4), 409 - 496.","Smith, H. M., Langebartel, D. A. & Williams, K. L. (1964) Herpetological type-specimens in the University of Illinois Museum of Natural History. Illinois biological monographs, 32, 1 - 80."]}

ORDER GYMNOPHIONA J. M��ller 1832, 198 (1 family, 2 genera, 2 species), Published as part of Mccranie, James R., 2015, A checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Honduras, with additions, comments on taxonomy, some recent taxonomic decisions, and areas of further studies needed, pp. 352-386 in Zootaxa 3931 (3) on page 363, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3931.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/240338

Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov. (Figs. 1���2; Tables 1���2) Gegeneophis sp. ���sample 40 ���: Gower et al. (2011: 702, 705, fig. 2, tables 1, 2, 5) Holotype. BNHS 5420 (Fig. 1), adult female, collected from the village of Bedoor, near Kakkadav Bridge, near Cheemeni, Hosdurg Taluk, Kasaragod District, Kerala, India (12 ˚ 16 ' 06'' N, 75 ˚ 17 ' 14 '' E, c. 50 m a.s.l.) by R. Kotharambath, Hareesh K., C. B. Binu and M. Wilkinson on 0 7 July 2010. Paratopotypes (n = 7). ZSI 2532 (male) collected by R. Kotharambath, O.V. Oommen, Hareesh K. and Narayan P. on 10 April 2008; ZSI 2533 (male) collected by R. Kotharambath, Hareesh K. and Krishnan K. on 10 August 2008; BNHS 5421 (female) collected by R. Kotharambath, Hareesh K. and Sreerag K. on 0 4 September 2009; ZSI 2534 (male), BNHS 5422 (female), BNHS 5423 (male), and ZSI 2535 (male) collected by R. Kotharambath, Hareesh K., C. B. Binu and M. Wilkinson on 0 7 July 2010; all collected at the same locality as the holotype. Diagnosis. Indotyphlids are the only teresomatan (non-rhinatrematid, non-ichthyophiid) caecilians in peninsular India (Wilkinson et al. 2011). The new species is clearly a teresomatan by virtue of having distinct primary and secondary AGs and a tentacle lying between eye and naris, and it is identified as a Gegeneophis on the basis that this is the only genus of indotyphlid in which the eye is under bone (Wilkinson et al. 2011). Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov. is an attenuate Gegeneophis with many primary annuli and relatively few SAGs. Differs from G. seshachari Ravichandran, Gower & Wilkinson, 2003, G. pareshi Giri, Gower, Gaikwad & Wilkinson, 2011 and G. primus Kotharambath, Gower, Oommen & Wilkinson, 2012 in having SAGs. Differs from G. carnosus, G. ramaswamii Taylor, 1964, G. madhavai Bhatta & Srinivasa, 2004, and G. orientalis Agarwal, Wilkinson, Mohapatra, Dutta, Giri & Gower, 2013 in having more than 120 (versus fewer than 116) primary annuli. Differs from G. danieli Giri, Wilkinson & Gower, 2003 and G. goaensis Bhatta, Dinesh, Prashanth & Kulkarni, 2007 in having many fewer SAGs (versus > 60). Differs from G. mhadeiensis in having more primary annuli (125���131 versus 117���122) and more primary annuli anterior to the first SAG (98���111 versus 88���93); eye much less visible (generally invisible versus clearly visible); more pink (less brown) body colour in larger specimens. Differs from G. krishni in usually having more SAGs (18-28 versus 11���18, see remarks) and in having more SAGs that are ventrally complete (5-7 versus 0���3); smaller ratios of head length to head widths (LH/WH versus > 1.5, see remarks) and of total length to head width (usually versus > 48, see remarks). Description of holotype. Some meristic and morphometric data are given in Table 2. Condition good; c. 7 mm ventral incision into coelom c. 50 mm anterior to vent; mouth preserved slightly open causing a transverse crease dorsally in front of NG 1; stratum corneum missing in a few small patches; some scale pockets opened on dorsum posteriorly. Overall shape fairly cylindrical, slightly dorsoventrally compressed and uniform throughout. In dorsal view head neither notably U- or V-shaped, its sides straight and converging substantially from back of head to distinct bulges of TPs, converging more substantially in front of TAs to blunt snout tip. In ventral view lower jaw and upper lip a little more rounded than snout, upper jaws visible anterior to CMs. In lateral view upper lip slightly concave. Eyes faintly visible as tiny dark spots (c. half size of nares, TAs). TAs below imaginary lines between nares and CMs; approximately halfway between lips and imaginary lines between eyes and nares. In lateral view, CMs very slightly closer to bottom than to top of head, nares approximately equidistant from top and front of snout, slightly further from bottom. In dorsal view nares barely visible, very slightly inset, not visible in ventral view. TAs approximately same size as nares, marginally visible in ventral but not in dorsal view; TPs visible in dorsal and ventral views. Midventral crease from NG 1 to close to tip of lower jaw. No diastema between vomerine and palatine teeth. OMs monocusped; PMs smaller, more numerous, probably monocusped; elements of inner tooth rows small, number of cusps not ascertained; palate moderately concave; tongue unattached anteriorly, with two paramedian grooves posteriorly, narial plugs weakly developed; choanae subcircular, interchoanal distance a little more than twice width of each choana. C 2 but not C 1 slightly more massive than head and anterior body. C 1 approximately same length as first PA, much shorter than (approximately half length of) C 2. NG 1 faint except laterally, widely incomplete ventrally, narrowly incomplete dorsally. NG 2 conspicuous, complete ventrally, perhaps narrowly incomplete dorsally. NG 3 fainter than NG 2, clearer than NG 1, very faint ventrally where possibly widely incomplete. All NGs orthoplicate, with no obvious curvature. Single TGs very faintly indicated on both collars, that on C 2 longer. AGs well marked laterally, fainter but mostly complete or nearly so middorsally and midventrally, more conspicuous posteriorly; no substantial regional variation in lengths of PAs. Each AG with single row of pale enlarged granular glands posterior to narrow dark band. First SAG dorsolateral on 108 th PA, none on 109 th PA, dorsally complete on 110 th PA, ventrally complete on 119 th to 125 th PAs. Posteriorly two to three rows of scales dorsally in pockets about 0.75 times as deep as length of PA. Small terminal cap, approximately same length as one and a half adjacent PAs. Posteriormost AG marginally behind level of centre of vent. No AGs unambiguously posterior to vent. Terminus bluntly rounded, slightly more so than head; no terminal keel. Disc fairly well circumscribed, subcircular, slightly wider than long, with 10 (five posterior, five anterior) slightly irregular denticulations, those posterior longer than those anterior; vent more or less circular. Body grey in preservative, paler anteriorly, darker posteriorly, slightly paler ventrally. Some irregular pale markings. Faintly indicated, slightly darker longitudinal middorsal stripe apparent under microscope. Head whitish, paler than adjacent body, mostly lacking pigment anterior to bulges corresponding to the Mm. depressor mandibulares, some very small flecks of pigment middorsally, laterally to level of TAs, and under back of lower jaw; whitish lip lines and broad paler spots surrounding tentacles and (narrower around) nares, tip of snout separately pale. AGs mostly inconspicuous, slightly darker than body except posteriorly where relatively paler (whitish). Small pale patch at TT. Disc pale, with small darker streaks along midline of some denticulations. Immediately anterior to disc, row of granular glands along AG not complete across midline such that pale area of disc appears to extend anteriorly about the length of half the closest PA. Variation and additional information from paratypes. See Table 2 for meristic and morphometric data. Generally good to fair condition, some (ZSI 2532, 2533) somewhat brown, dehydrated. External morphology of paratypes mostly very similar to holotype. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the small sample size, multiple regressions of head length and of head width at CM on total length reveal no significant differences between the sexes (t-test, p = 0.852 and 0.112 respectively). None of type series has papillae (= anal glands of Taylor, 1968: 18) on the disc. Teeth examined in greater detail in ZSI 2532. Teeth in upper jaw strongly recurved, IMs and anterior OMs moderately recurved, posterior OMs slightly more recurved. Anteriormost PMs longest, OMs shorter but thicker with anterolateral elements stoutest. IMs closely spaced at midline, approximately half size of posteriormost OMs. VPs more uniform, anteriormost two or three slightly larger. Tips of crowns of VPs visible in lateral view. Among paratypes, ZSI 2534 and possibly BNHS 5423 lack TGs on C 1. Where clearly detectable, NG 3 widely incomplete midventrally with possible exception of ZSI 2532 (where it bends notably posteromedially) and BNHS 5421 (offset). As in holotype, AGs mostly clearly marked throughout; PAGs faint on venter but clear laterally and dorsally, except in ZSI 2535 where faintly marked except close to terminus. Posteriormost AG approximately level with centre of vent. All specimens more or less grey throughout, paler on head and slightly darker at tail end. Head whitish with little pigmentation in all paratypes, more notable but still diffuse (and paler than collars) pigmentation in slightly dehydrated ZSI 2532 and ZSI 2533. In ZSI 2535 body darker than other paratypes, with uneven dark and pale patches distributed throughout body. Eyes barely visible in ZSI 2532, 2533, BNHS 5422, 5423, not visible in BNHS 5421, ZSI 2534, 7472. Denticulations around vent unpigmented with possible exception of BNHS 5422. Observations were made of BNHS 5421 in anaesthesia (MS 222) before fixation. Head unpigmented, whitish at anterior, becoming pale pinkish towards collars. Body pink anteriorly, darkening posteriorly to purple, slightly paler grey on terminus. Body slightly darker above than below, more so posteriorly (including terminus) with weak, darker, broad middorsal stripe. Body surface spotted with glands throughout, AGs bordered with whitish colour, more conspicuous towards tail end. Eye faintly visible upon close observation. Disc around vent whitish. In smaller specimens anterior half of body pale pink, reducing intensity posteriorly, posteriormost quarter almost greyish. A photograph of the species in life is shown in Fig. 2. TABLE 1. Details of fieldwork conducted within 25 km radius from the holotype locality (Bedoor) of Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov. All localities are in Kasaragod district of Kerala state. Locality Coordinates Elevation Distance to Date of General habitat Caecilian taxa found Person hours (m) Bedoor (km) fieldwork (number of specimens) digging/no. of persons Bedoor N 12.275069, c. 50 0 10 /04/ 2008 Mixed (coconut, Gegeneophis tejaswini (1) 8 / 3 E 75.292987 arecanut and banana) 10 /08/ 2008 plantation and home Gegeneophis tejaswini (2) 3 / 1 04/09/ 2009 gardens Gegeneophis tejaswini (3) 7 / 2 Taxonomic remarks. The new species is differentiated readily (using annulation characters) from all other described species of Gegeneophis except G. kr i s h n i and G. mhadeiensis, for which differences in annulation are generally not (or barely) absolute, in part because of outliers. For example, whereas the new species usually has more SAGs than G. krishni, this is not strictly true for one specimen of the latter species (BNHS 4176) which has a tiny isolated SAG on the 104 th PA but otherwise has its anteriormost SAG on 110 th PA. Similarly, whereas total length/LH = 48.4���60.3 (mean 53.93) in G. kr i s h n i versus 33.3���47.8 (mean 42.3) in most of the new species, this ignores one seemingly abnormal outlier, a specimen of the new species (ZSI 2535) for which this ratio is 56. LH/ WH in the new species is 1.18���1.44 (mean 1.34) versus 1.57���1.69 (mean 1.63) in G. krishni. Whereas overlap in ranges of morphometric variables is expected to increase with larger samples, we suspect that interspecific differences in the numbers of PAs and (relative and/or absolute) position of anteriormost SAGs, and ratios of head and body dimensions will be significantly different when larger samples are available. We are also impressed by the difference between G. tejaswini sp. nov. and G. k r i s h n i in the number of ventrally complete SAGs, although substantially greater, possibly overlapping, variation in this feature should not be unexpected also when larger samples are examined. Molecular data (Gower et al., 2011) provide additional evidence that these three nominal species are distinct. This is particularly the case for the superficially similar G. mhadeiensis and G. tejaswini sp. nov. which are not each other���s closest relatives (Gower et al., 2011: fig. 2) and which differ by more than 9.5 % in 883 aligned sites of mitochondrial 12 S and 16 S (Gower et al., 2011: table 5). The molecular difference between G. tejaswini sp. nov. and the other superficially most similar (in terms of annulation) species G. k r i s h n i are less extreme and they are much more closely related (Gower et al., 2011: fig. 2), but they are nonetheless separated by a large uncorrected pdistance of 6.1 % (Gower et al. 2011). Molecular data have yet to be published for G. pareshi and G. orientalis but these two species are easily distinguished from G. tejaswini sp. nov. in that the latter has, for example, SAGs (absent in G. pareshi) and more than 120 PAs (G. orientalis). Gower et al. (2011: tables 1, 2) mistakenly reported their G. tejaswini sp. nov. voucher specimen as ��� UK MW 3421 ��� ��� it should have been UK MW 3417, which is now paratype ZSI 2532. Etymology: The specific epithet is in reference to the type locality, which lies close to (less than 1 km north of) the Tejaswini (= Thejaswini) river. The origin of the river���s name is the Sanskrit word tejas, meaning spiritually splendorous radiance. The Tejaswini river is associated historically with agricultural communities rising up against feudalism and British imperialism. For nomenclatural purposes the specific epithet is considered to be a noun in apposition. Suggested common name: Tejaswini Geg (English). Distribution and Natural History: Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov. is known only from the type locality. Animals were found during four field visits conducted 2008���2010, between April and September, but none was found in June 2014 when the ground was dry before the monsoon. All the specimens were dug from soil in mixed (including coconut, arecanut, banana) home gardens bordering commercial rubber (to the north and west) and arecanut (to the south) plantations and the disturbed Kamballur Reserve Forest (to the east). Specimens were mostly dug from around the bases of trees, on sloping, partly terraced ground among housing (Fig. 3). Below the slope and away from housing lies a flat area with more intensive agriculture and regular drainage channels though no specimens were found here in the small amount of digging carried out (only in June 2014). Three poorly preserved specimens of G. tejaswini sp. nov. were neither included in the type series nor yet deposited in a permanent collection. These are smaller than any of the types, with total lengths of approximately 85���95 mm (fresh lengths approximately 95���105 mm). They were collected from the type locality on 10 August 2008 and 0 4 September 2009. One was found approximately 0.5 m from an adult female and is shown in Fig. 2. Conservation Status: Given that Gegeneophis tejaswini sp. nov. is known only from a small series of specimens from a single locality, and that very little is known of its general ecology and nothing of its reproductive biology, we expect that it is likely to qualify for ���Data Deficient��� status under IUCN criteria. The species is able to tolerate some agricultural habitats close to human habitation, which are extensive in this region, and it has been recorded at the type locality on four separate occasions between April 2008 and July 2010, such that we are hopeful it might qualify for a Least Concern categorization if additional localities are discovered. Clearly it is not very abundant in the region given that 39 person hours of digging in localities less than 20 km from the type locality failed to yield additional specimens (Table 1)., Published as part of Kotharambath, Ramachandran, Wilkinson, Mark, Oommen, Oommen V. & Gower, David J., 2015, A new species of Indian caecilian highlights challenges for species delimitation within Gegeneophis Peters, 1879 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Indotyphlidae) in Zootaxa 3948 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3948.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/242123, {"references":["Giri, V., Wilkinson, M. & Gower, D. J. (2003) A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from the Western Ghats of southern Maharashtra, India, with a key to the species of the genus. Zootaxa, 351, 1 - 10.","Giri, V., Gower, D. J., Gaikwad, K. & Wilkinson, M. (2011) A second species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) lacking secondary annular grooves. Zootaxa, 2815, 49 - 58.","Bhatta, G. & Srinivasa, R. (2004) A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from the surroundings of Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka, India. Zootaxa, 644, 1 - 8.","Agarwal, I., Wilkinson, M., Mahapatra, P. K., Dutta, S. K., Giri, V. & Gower, D. J. (2013) The first teresomatan caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) from the Eastern Ghats of India - a new species of Gegeneophis Peters, 1880. Zootaxa, 3696 (4), 534 - 546. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3693.4.7","Taylor, E. H. (1968) The caecilians of the World: a taxonomic review. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, KA, USA. 848 pp."]}