Gegeneophis Valmiki

Gegeneophis Valmiki Latest News

Indian scientists recently discovered a rare subterranean amphibian species in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra and named it Gegeneophis valmiki.

About Gegeneophis valmiki

• It is a rare, subterranean amphibian species, discovered in the northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra.
• The name Gegeneophis valmiki honors the historic Maharshi Valmiki Mandir located near the discovery site. 
• It belongs to the genus Gegeneophis, commonly called blind caecilians.
  • Caecilians, often called “hidden amphibians”, are limbless, worm-like creatures that spend most of their lives underground. 
  • They look and move so much like earthworms.
  • They do not croak or call like frogs, and their eyes are buried beneath layers of skin and bone, making field identification exceptionally difficult.
  • Beyond rarity, caecilians play an important ecological role. 
  • Their burrowing improves soil aeration and structure, their feeding helps regulate soil invertebrates, and they form part of the food web for birds, reptiles and small mammals.
  • They also represent a key evolutionary link between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates.
  • Globally, caecilians account for just 231 of the world’s 8,983 known amphibian species. 
  • India records 42 caecilian species among its 457 amphibians.
  • The Western Ghats alone are home to 26 endemic caecilians, with 11 belonging to the Gegeneophis group.
  • Gegeneophis valmiki is the first addition to its genus in more than a decade.

Source: TOI

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