Systematics of the caecilian family Chikilidae (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) with the description of three new species of Chikila from northeast India
Author
Kamei, Rachunliu G.
Author
Gower, David J.
Author
Wilkinson, Mark
Author
Biju, S. D.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3666
4
401
435
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3666.4.1
ae8b490a-b325-4d9f-90ed-ba0721b3bf5b
1175-5326
246458
15114087-1781-4D4D-9B06-FD29490E0C25
Chikila
Kamei
et al.,
2012
Suggested English common name.
Chikila
.
Type
species.
Herpele fulleri
Alcock, 1904
by original monotypy.
Diagnosis
. As for the family.
Content.
Four species,
Chikila alcocki
sp. nov.
,
Chikila darlong
sp. nov.
,
Chikila fulleri
(Alcock, 1904)
,
Chikila gaiduwani
sp. nov.
The following characters are common to all species of
Chikila
described here, and are consequently not repeated in the species accounts: body subcylindrical; TAs closer to nares than CM; nares small (approximately same size as TAs), ovate with long axis directed toward TAs, in lateral view equidistant from tip and top of snout, closer to lip, visible laterally, barely visible dorsally, not visible ventrally; mouth strongly recessed; teeth pointed, very gently recurved, bicuspid, second (labial) cusp close to tip (lingual cusp), relatively uniform within each series, decreasing in size posteriorly in outer rows, none massive; PMs slightly smaller and more recumbent than corresponding OMs; VP and PM series slightly closer posteriorly than anteriorly; upper tooth series extending far behind choanae; fewer than ten IMs in short series; no tooth row diastemata; palate not strongly arched transversely; anterior margins of choanae approximately level with position or expected position of eye; tongue not attached anteriorly, paired paramedian longitudinal grooves on tongue extending posteriorly from a short distance behind narial plugs; palate and most of tongue smooth; large narial plugs; C1 and C2 well-marked, latter substantially longer; NG3 broadly incomplete ventrally; short TG on C1; longitudinal midline crease between mandibles extending onto C1; pale areas at CMs; midbody PAs longest; no AGs complete posterior to vent; no terminal keel; terminal annulus/cap ca. length of one preceding PA (lateral view); body terminus rounded; no subdermal scales.