''Boulengerula changamwensis'', the Changamwe caecilian, is a species of

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

in the family

Herpelidae Herpelidae are a family of caecilians, sometimes known as the African caecilians. They are found in Sub-Saharan Africa. Like other caecilians, they superficially resemble worms or snakes. They are the sister group to the newly discovered Chikili ...

. It is also known as Changamwensis African caecilian and Changamwe lowland caecilian. It is found in southern

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

(

Changamwe Changamwe is a suburb of Mombasa, in Mombasa County, in the former Coast Province of Kenya. Geography The area is primarily industrial, with a number of modern concrete tower blocks housing residents. Industries include refineries and variou ...

and the

Shimba Hills The Shimba Hills National Reserve is a small National Reserve in the former Coast Province of Kenya, 33 km from Mombasa and 15 km from the coast. The reserve is an area of Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, coastal rain ...

) and

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

, and possibly in the intervening

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...

and

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi ...

. It is threatened by

habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

for deforestation and collecting of firewood, agriculture and farming, herbicides and pesticides and expanding human settlement. It is protected by the Shimba Hills and parts of

Shire Highlands The Shire Highlands are a plateau in southern Malawi, located east of the Shire River. It is a major agricultural area and the most densely populated part of the country. Geography The highlands cover an area of roughly 7250 square kilometers. t ...

but its protection in Kaya Forest may also be threatened by the deforestation and collecting of firewood. In 2012, the IUCN changed the status from Data Deficient to Endangered because it had a range of and was only known from three or four localities which have threats.

References

amphibians described in 1932 amphibians of Kenya changamwensis Amphibians of Malawi taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Caecilian-stub