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New Legless Amphibian Found in Western Ghats
14 Sep
Summary
- A new species of subterranean amphibian, Gegeneophis chandgadi, was discovered.
- The discovery occurred in human-modified landscapes, not just protected forests.
- This finding highlights biodiversity survival outside formally protected habitats.
A new species of rare, legless amphibian has been discovered by scientists in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. This subterranean creature, named Gegeneophis chandgadi, is a type of caecilian that lives most of its life underground and can be mistaken for a worm or a small snake. The specimens were found near Buzawade village in the Kolhapur district, with the species formally described in the Records of the Zoological Survey of India.
The discovery is particularly noteworthy because Gegeneophis chandgadi was found in areas modified by human activity, including homes and farms, rather than deep within a protected forest. This finding emphasizes that biodiversity can persist and thrive in the soil even outside of formally protected habitats. Researchers utilized both scientific examination and local knowledge to locate the elusive amphibian.
Further analysis, including molecular studies of mitochondrial DNA, was crucial to establish G. chandgadi as a distinct species, given the similarity of caecilians to one another. This discovery reinforces the conservation significance of the Western Ghats, recognized globally as a biodiversity hotspot with a high rate of amphibian endemism. India now has 41 recognized caecilian species, with G. chandgadi being the 12th species in the Gegeneophis genus.
