Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni

Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Gymnophiona
Clade: Apoda
Family: Typhlonectidae
Genus: Chthonerpeton
Species:
C. markwilkinsoni
Binomial name
Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni
Santos, Pineschi & Zaher, 2025

Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni is a species of caecilian of the family Typhlonectidae. It is endemic to the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is currently known only from the type locality in the municipality of Itaboraí.[1] The species was described based on a single specimen.

Description

The species is a medium-sized representative of the genus Chthonerpeton, with an elongate, subcylindrical body lacking fins. Among the described species of the genus, Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni most closely resembles C. perissodus, from which it differs primarily in cloacal morphology, and C. braestrupi, which differs in having a bicolored coloration, whereas C. markwilkinsoni is uniformly black.

References

  1. ^ Santos, R.O., Pineschi, R.B. & Zaher, H. (2025). A new species of Chthonerpeton (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Zootaxa 5728(3): 561–570.