Biology:Indotyphlus

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Short description: Genus of amphibians

Indotyphlus
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Gymnophiona
Clade: Apoda
Family: Grandisoniidae
Genus: Indotyphlus
Taylor, 1960
Type species
Indotyphlus battersbyi
Taylor, 1960
Species

2 species (see text)

Indotyphlus is a small genus of caecilians in the family Grandisoniidae.[1][2][3] As caecilians in general, they superficially resemble earthworms.[3] The genus is endemic to the Western Ghats, India.[1][4][5] They are sometimes known as Battersby's caecilians.[1]

Description

Indotyphlus are small caecilians, with the largest specimen (a female Indotyphlus battersbyi) measuring 24 cm (9.4 in) in total length.[5] The eyes are visible in sockets, instead of under bone.[3][4][5] Other diagnostic characters are absence of temporal fossae, mesethmoid not being exposed dorsally, presence of splenial teeth, secondary grooves, and scales, tentacular opening that is closer to the eye than to the external nostril, no unsegmented terminal shield, smallish narial plugs on tongue, absence of diastema between vomerine and palatine teeth, and absence of terminal keel.[4][5]

Development is probably direct, without aquatic larvae.[5]

Habitat

The genus is unusual among caecilians in that both species have been recorded from relatively open, shallow-soiled areas with long dry season.[5]

Species

The genus contains two species:[1][2][6]

Binomial name and author Common name
Indotyphlus battersbyi Taylor, 1960 Battersby's caecilian
Indotyphlus maharashtraensis Giri, Wilkinson, and Gower, 2004 Humbarli caecilian, Maharashtra caecilian

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Frost, Darrel R.. "Indotyphlus Taylor, 1960". American Museum of Natural History, New York. https://amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org/Amphibia/Gymnophiona/Grandisoniidae/Indotyphlus. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Grandisoniidae". University of California, Berkeley. https://amphibiaweb.org/lists/Grandisoniidae.shtml. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Vitt, Laurie J.; Caldwell, Janalee P. (2014). Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles (4th ed.). Academic Press. pp. 447, 454. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nussbaum, Ronald A.; Wilkinson, Mark (1989). "On the classification and phylogeny of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona), a critical review". Herpetological Monographs 3: 1–42. doi:10.2307/1466984. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Giri, V. B.; M. Wilkinson; D. J. Gower (2004). "A new species of Indotyphlus Taylor (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from the Western Ghats, India". Zootaxa 739: 1–19. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.739.1.1. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2004f/z00739f.pdf. 
  6. "Indotyphlus Taylor, 1960". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=208542. 

Wikidata ☰ Q735860 entry