Morphometric Study of Some Caecilians in Thailand
Abstract
Six species of the caecilian genus Ichthyophis have been reported in Thailand. At present, besides the numbers of teeth, there is no unambiguous criteria, which can be used in the classification and identification of the caecilians in Thailand. We used 4 species of caecilians which were identified as Ichthyophis acuminatus, I. larutensis, I. supachaii, and I. kohtaoensis (2, 2, 10 and 43 specimens, respectively). Thirty-eight externally morphometric characters were examined. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses were conducted. The results showed that 1) the juveniles of I. kohtaoensis could be separated from I. supachaii. 2) the adult samples of I. acuminatus could be separated from I. larutensis without using the criterion of the splenial teeth as previously reported and 3) the adult specimens of I. supachaii and I. kohtaoensis were not conclusively classified, which was different to the previous identification. Since the pattern of lateral stripe and teeth, the important characters of Ichthyophis identification, of most adult I. kohtaoensis and I. supachaii specimens were unusable, we therefore suggest that molecular analysis is required to confirm species all of specimens first. Next, morphological data of this study will be added to all species descriptions to fulfill the species variations. Finally, molecular and morphological data will be used for the key of Thai caecilians. Keywords : Ichthyophis acuminatus, Ichthyophis larutensis, Ichthyophis supachaii, Ichthyophis kohtaoensis, external morphologyReferences
Chan-ard, T. (2003). A photographic guide to amphibians in Thailand. Bangkok: Darnsutha Press. (in Thai).
Chuaynkern, Y. and Chuaynkern, C. (2012). A checklist of amphibians in Thailand. Journal of Wildlife
in Thailand, 19(1), 163-211. (in Thai).
Datong, Y. (1984). A new species of Ichthyophis – I. bannanica. Acta Herpetologica Sinica, 3(2), 73-76.
Dünker, N., Wake, M.H. and Olson, W.M. (2000). Embryonic and larval development in the caecilian
Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (Amphibia, Gymnophiona): a staging table. Journal of Morphology,
243(1), 3-34.
Friedheim, S. (2016). Comparison of species identification methods DNA barcoding versus morphological
taxonomy. Manoa Horizons, 1, 74-86.
Geissler, P., Poyarkov Jr, N.A., Grismer, L., Nguyen, T.Q., An, H.T., Neang, T., Kupfer, A., Ziegler, T., Böhme,
W. and Müller, H. (2015). New Ichthyophis species from Indochina (Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae): 1. The unstriped forms with descriptions of three new species and the redescriptions of I. acuminatus
Taylor, 1960, I. youngorum Taylor, 1960 and I. laoensis Taylor, 1969. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 15(1), 143-174.
Gower, D.J., Kupfer, A., Oommen, O.V., Himstedt, W., Nussbaum, R.A., Loader, S.P., Presswell, B., Krishna,
S.B., Müller, H., Boistel, R. and Wilkinson, M. (2002). A molecular phylogeny of ichthyophiid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae): out of India or out of South East Asia?. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 269(1500), 1563-1569.
Hillis, D.M. (1987). Molecular versus morphological approaches to systematics. Annual Review of Ecology,
Evolution, and Systematics, 18, 23-42.
Jones, D.T., Loader, S.P. and Gower, D.J. (2006). Trophic ecology of East African caecilians (Amphibia:
Gymnophiona), and their impact on forest soil invertebrates. Journal of Zoology, 269(1), 117-126.
Khonsue, W., Pansook, A., Laotaeo, S., Danaisawat, S., Thammachote, P., Thitiphuri, T., Maneeintha, R.,
Pariyanont, P. and Sensorn, S. (2011). Amphibians on Thai Islands. Bangkok: Siributra Printing.
(in Thai).
Kupfer, A. and Müller, H. (2004). On the taxonomy of ichthyophiid caecilians from southern Thailand: A
reevaluation of the holotype of Ichthyophis supachaii Taylor 1960 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 25(1), 87-97.
Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M. and Yambun, P. (2012a). A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona:
Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Current Herpetology, 31(2), 67-77.
Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M., Yong, H-S., Ahmad, N., Yambun, P., Belabut, D.M., Sudin, A., Hamidy, A., Orlov,
N.L., Ota, H., Yoshikawa, N., Tominaga, A. and Shimada, T. (2012b). Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of caecilians from Southeast Asia (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae), with special reference to high cryptic species diversity in Sundaland. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63(3), 714-723.
Oommen, O.V., Measey, G.J., Gower, D.J. and Wilkinson, M. (2000). Distribution and abundance of the
caecilian Gegeneophis ramaswamii (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) in southern Kerala. Current Science, 79(9), 1386-1389.
Taylor, E.H. (1960). On the caecilian species Ichthyophis monochrous and Ichthyophis glutinosus and related
species. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 40, 37-120.
Taylor, E.H. (1962). The amphibian fauna of Thailand. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 43, 265-599.
Taylor, E.H. (1965). New Asiatic and African caecilians with redescriptions of certain other species. University
of Kansas Science Bulletin, 46, 253-302.
Taylor, E.H. (1971). The caecilian fauna of Thailand with an examination of scale characters. Natural History
Bulletin of the Siam Society, 24, 33-39.
Chuaynkern, Y. and Chuaynkern, C. (2012). A checklist of amphibians in Thailand. Journal of Wildlife
in Thailand, 19(1), 163-211. (in Thai).
Datong, Y. (1984). A new species of Ichthyophis – I. bannanica. Acta Herpetologica Sinica, 3(2), 73-76.
Dünker, N., Wake, M.H. and Olson, W.M. (2000). Embryonic and larval development in the caecilian
Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (Amphibia, Gymnophiona): a staging table. Journal of Morphology,
243(1), 3-34.
Friedheim, S. (2016). Comparison of species identification methods DNA barcoding versus morphological
taxonomy. Manoa Horizons, 1, 74-86.
Geissler, P., Poyarkov Jr, N.A., Grismer, L., Nguyen, T.Q., An, H.T., Neang, T., Kupfer, A., Ziegler, T., Böhme,
W. and Müller, H. (2015). New Ichthyophis species from Indochina (Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae): 1. The unstriped forms with descriptions of three new species and the redescriptions of I. acuminatus
Taylor, 1960, I. youngorum Taylor, 1960 and I. laoensis Taylor, 1969. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 15(1), 143-174.
Gower, D.J., Kupfer, A., Oommen, O.V., Himstedt, W., Nussbaum, R.A., Loader, S.P., Presswell, B., Krishna,
S.B., Müller, H., Boistel, R. and Wilkinson, M. (2002). A molecular phylogeny of ichthyophiid caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae): out of India or out of South East Asia?. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 269(1500), 1563-1569.
Hillis, D.M. (1987). Molecular versus morphological approaches to systematics. Annual Review of Ecology,
Evolution, and Systematics, 18, 23-42.
Jones, D.T., Loader, S.P. and Gower, D.J. (2006). Trophic ecology of East African caecilians (Amphibia:
Gymnophiona), and their impact on forest soil invertebrates. Journal of Zoology, 269(1), 117-126.
Khonsue, W., Pansook, A., Laotaeo, S., Danaisawat, S., Thammachote, P., Thitiphuri, T., Maneeintha, R.,
Pariyanont, P. and Sensorn, S. (2011). Amphibians on Thai Islands. Bangkok: Siributra Printing.
(in Thai).
Kupfer, A. and Müller, H. (2004). On the taxonomy of ichthyophiid caecilians from southern Thailand: A
reevaluation of the holotype of Ichthyophis supachaii Taylor 1960 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Ichthyophiidae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 25(1), 87-97.
Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M. and Yambun, P. (2012a). A new unstriped Ichthyophis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona:
Ichthyophiidae) from Mt. Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Current Herpetology, 31(2), 67-77.
Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M., Yong, H-S., Ahmad, N., Yambun, P., Belabut, D.M., Sudin, A., Hamidy, A., Orlov,
N.L., Ota, H., Yoshikawa, N., Tominaga, A. and Shimada, T. (2012b). Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of caecilians from Southeast Asia (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Ichthyophiidae), with special reference to high cryptic species diversity in Sundaland. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 63(3), 714-723.
Oommen, O.V., Measey, G.J., Gower, D.J. and Wilkinson, M. (2000). Distribution and abundance of the
caecilian Gegeneophis ramaswamii (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) in southern Kerala. Current Science, 79(9), 1386-1389.
Taylor, E.H. (1960). On the caecilian species Ichthyophis monochrous and Ichthyophis glutinosus and related
species. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 40, 37-120.
Taylor, E.H. (1962). The amphibian fauna of Thailand. University of Kansas Science Bulletin, 43, 265-599.
Taylor, E.H. (1965). New Asiatic and African caecilians with redescriptions of certain other species. University
of Kansas Science Bulletin, 46, 253-302.
Taylor, E.H. (1971). The caecilian fauna of Thailand with an examination of scale characters. Natural History
Bulletin of the Siam Society, 24, 33-39.
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2019-03-26
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