Gegeneophis chandgadi

Gegeneophis chandgadi Latest News

Scientists have discovered a new species of legless, worm-like amphibian from a rural village in Maharashtra and named it as Gegeneophis chandgadi.

About Gegeneophis chandgadi

• It is a caecilian species discovered in the state of Maharashtra.
• Caecilians may look like oversized earthworms or small snakes and this group of amphibians live mostly underground.
• The species name, chandgadi, is a tribute to the local culture.
• It is named after the ‘Chandgadi language,’ a distinct dialect of Marathi spoken by the people living in the region where the animal was found.
• Distribution: The researchers noted that the northern Western Ghats is a hotspot for these elusive animals.
• Features
  • It has a slender, flesh-colored body and a specific pattern of rings (called annuli) that encircle its trunk.
  • It has primary rings along its entire length, its secondary rings are concentrated only on the back half of its body.
  • It is legless, worm-like amphibian.

What are Caecilians?

• These are tropical amphibians that look like large worms or slick snakes.
• They have no arms or legs, and their shiny skin is ringed with skin folds called annuli. 
• Most caecilians are burrowers, living in a network of tunnels underground. A hard, thick, pointy skull helps these amphibians dig in soft dirt. 
• Habitat
  • Most caecilians inhabit moist tropical and subtropical regions of South and Central America, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
  • Almost all caecilians are terrestrial, but they are elusive as they spend the majority of their lives underground.

Source: RM

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