Long-headed caecilian

Long-headed caecilian
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Gymnophiona
Family:	Ichthyophiidae
Genus:	Ichthyophis
Species:	I. longicephalus
Binomial name
*Ichthyophis longicephalus* Pillai, 1986

The long-headed caecilian, Ichthyophis longicephalus, is a species of caecilian in the family Ichthyophiidae. The body is dark violet-brown, and lighter ventrally. A yellow lateral stripe starts at the neck and reaches the tip of the tail. Small, yellow patches are also found on the sides of the neck. A midventral line formed by the breaking of annulli ventrally extends from the neck to the vent. The long head has distinct eyes, and the tentacles are close to the lip and eye. The nostrils are at the tip of the snout and visible from above. The upper jaw overhangs the lower jaw. The species is found in Kerala (known from Silent Valley National Park).

References

Bhatta, G. 1998. A field guide to the caecilians of the Western Ghats, India. Journal of Biosciences, Vol. 23(1): 73-85

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