Gegeneophis ramaswamii, common names Tenmalai caecilian,[1][2] Tenmalai blind caecilian,[3] Ramaswami's caecilian,[1][2] and forest caecilian[4][5] is a species of caecilian. It is endemic to the southern portion of the Western Ghats, India, and is recorded from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.[1][2] The specific name ramaswamii honours L. S. Ramaswami, an Indian herpetologist.[6]
Description
Gegeneophis ramaswamii is a relatively large caecilian with a total body length of Template:Convert. The colouration is greyish dorsally and light grey ventrally. The eyes are not visible. Its tentacles are placed just behind and below the level of the nostrils. The terminus of the body is wider than rest of the body.[7][4]
Habitat and conservation
Gegeneophis ramaswamii occurs in wet evergreen forests, plantations, low-intensity agricultural land, at forest fringes, and along streams and rivers at elevations below Template:Convert. It is largely subterranean and lives in soil. The eggs are laid terrestrially. The development is direct, without a free-living larval stage.[1]
This species can be very abundant locally,[1] and is considered the most abundant species of caecilian within its range.[8] It adapts to agricultural areas is not believed to be facing any significant threats. It is known to occur in some protected areas.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedIUCN - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedFrost - ↑ Tenmalai Blind Caecilian. Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAmphibiaWeb - ↑ Taxonomy - Gegeneophis ramaswamii (Forest caecilian). UniProt. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBeolens et al. 2013 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBhatta 1998 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedOommen et al. 2000