A new species of Rhinatrema Duméril & Bibron (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Rhinatrematidae) from Guyana

Abstract

The first new species of rhinatrematid caecilian in more than 50 years, 'Rhinatrema shiv' sp. nov., is described from Guyana. The type series of 10 specimens differs from the only other species in the genus, 'R. bivittatum', in having a longer tail, different colour pattern, more acuminate and relatively shorter head, and in several features of the skull and mandible including dentition. Sequence data for 1572 aligned base pairs of mitochondrial DNA are > 15% different between the two species. 'Rhinatrema shiv' is known only from Guyana, and 'R. bivittatum' from French Guiana and far northeastern Brazil. The only reported specimen of the genus from Suriname is not clearly referable to either of the named species.