A new species of Chthonerpeton (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) from Bahia, Brazil

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) describing intersexual size differences of a given taxon is a widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom. SSD plays a significant role in understanding life history and mating system evolution. The snakelike morphology of limbless caecilian amphibians lacking obvious secondary sexual characters (in contrast to frogs and salamanders) impedes an accurate comparison between sexes.Here, the phylogenetically derived teresomatan and viviparous caecilianGeotrypetes seraphini seraphiniwas analysed for patterns of sexual dimorphism. In terms of body size females were the larger sex, but when body length was adjusted male-biased intersexual differences in cloacal shape appeared. The larger female size is likely explained by fecundity selection as clutch size was positively correlated to female body length. Unexpectedly a cryptic, ontogeny related variation of the nuchal collars was found. An overview of SSD in caecilians including data for 27 species of nine out of ten existing families revealed a quite high number of taxa showing sexually dimorphic head size dimensions exclusively present among phylogenetically derived teresomatan caecilians. Still further research including insights into the behavioural ecology and molecular ecology of mating systems is warranted to better understand the evolution of sexual size dimorphism of caecilian amphibians.

show abstract

Sexual size dimorphism in the viviparous caecilian amphibian Geotrypetes seraphini seraphini (Gymnophiona: Dermophiidae) including an updated overview of sexual dimorphism in caecilian amphibians

Maerker

Reinhard

Pogoda

et al. 2016

Amphib Reptilia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Taxonomy and distribution of caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) of Brazilian Amazonia, with a key to their identification

Maciel

Hoogmoed

2011

Zootaxa

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

First records of Chthonerpeton arii Cascon and Lima-Verde, 1994 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) out of the type locality

Maciel¹,

Silva²,

Nascimento³

et al. 2013

Check List

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

is a family of Gymnophiona, which includes the aquatic and semiaquatic caecilians of South America (Taylor 1968). There are five recognized genera up till now, for which Chthonerpeton Peters, 1880 is the most speciose, with eight known species (Wilkinson and Nussbaum 2006). Chthonerpeton arii Cascon and Lima-Verde, 1994 was described based on 60 specimens collected in the municipality of Limoeiro do Norte, state of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. Here, we report the first records of this species out of the type locality, in the state of Bahia and in its border with the state of Pernambuco, in the São Francisco river (Figure 1). We found three specimens of C. arii in two Brazilian herpetological collections. One male specimen in the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, state of Ceará (UFC A2465; 282 mm total length; collected by J. S. Lima-Verde; September 1988) from the hydroelectric of Itaparica (current hydroelectric of Luiz Gonzaga), on the border between the states of Pernambuco and Bahia; and two female specimens in the Herpetological collection of the Museu de História Natural of Universidade Federal de Alagoas (MUFAL), Maceió, state of Alagoas (MUFAL 8363-64; respectively, 385 mm and 457 mm total length, Figure 2; collected by CHESF officials; July 1982) from a fish breeding station in the municipality of Paulo Afonso, state of Bahia. These two new localities are approximately 30 km apart from each other, and 440 km and 470 km, respectively, from the type locality. The species identification was made by comparison to the type series. Specimens from Paulo Afonso are more robust than the other known specimens of C. arii but we do not have an explanation about, since we have few specimens from it locality to test geographic variation. Chthonerpeton arii is the species in the genus with the most septentrional Abstract: Chthonerpeton arii was described from a large series of specimens from Limoeiro do Norte municipality, state of Ceará, Brazil. Here we provide the first records of the species out of the type locality, in the state of Bahia, and in its border with the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. We also provide color photographs of a preserved specimen.

show abstract

scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact Info

customersupport@researchsolutions.com

10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614

Henderson, NV 89052, USA

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Blog Terms and Conditions API Terms Privacy Policy Contact Cookie Preferences Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Made with 💙 for researchers

Part of the Research Solutions Family.

A new species of Chthonerpeton (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) from Bahia, Brazil

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Sexual size dimorphism in the viviparous caecilian amphibian Geotrypetes seraphini seraphini (Gymnophiona: Dermophiidae) including an updated overview of sexual dimorphism in caecilian amphibians

Sexual size dimorphism in the viviparous caecilian amphibian Geotrypetes seraphini seraphini (Gymnophiona: Dermophiidae) including an updated overview of sexual dimorphism in caecilian amphibians

Taxonomy and distribution of caecilian amphibians (Gymnophiona) of Brazilian Amazonia, with a key to their identification

First records of Chthonerpeton arii Cascon and Lima-Verde, 1994 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) out of the type locality

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About