''Ichthyophis sendenyu'', the Sendenyu striped ichthyophis, is a species of caecilian found in India. This species of ''Ichthyophis'' possesses broad and solid lateral yellow stripes from about the level of the posterior of its disc to its eye level on the upper jaw, while arched yellow stripes extend to its nares. Its length does not exceed . Its head is U-shaped and short. Scales are present in anteriormost grooves, with five to eight rows placed posteriorly on its dorsum. It is named after Sendenyu village, Nagaland, where the species was first found.

Description

This species counts with 112 vertebrae. The head, nuchal region and trunk are dorsoventrally compressed, with its body's maximal girth being near the midbody. Its tail is upturned towards the tip. The animal's head is short, with a length of about . Its eyes are closer to the top of its head than to its lip, and are surrounded by an asymmetric whitish ring; its eye diameter approximates 0.8mm (its lens being larger than its

naris A nostril (or naris , plural ''nares'' ) is either of the two orifices of the nose. They enable the entry and exit of air and other gasses through the nasal cavities. In birds and mammals, they contain branched bones or cartilages called turbi ...

). Its nares are slightly posterior to level of the anterior margin of its mouth. Its teeth are very slender and recurved, while its tongue is strongly plicate posteriorly. Its choanae are wide, the distance between them being about three times their greatest width. It possesses seventeen denticulations around its vent. While in preservation, the animal is a dark brown colour, its venter being a paler tinge of grey. Bright yellow lateral stripes (with a varying width of between ) extend from about the fourth last

annulus Annulus (or anulus) or annular indicates a ring- or donut-shaped area or structure. It may refer to: Human anatomy * ''Anulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis'', spinal structure * Annulus of Zinn, a.k.a. annular tendon or ''anulus tendineus com ...

to about the eye level on the lower jaw. It presents a wide gap at the mandible's tip, giving a darker area between its throat's stripes a "mushroom" shape. In life, its dorsum is uniformly bright orange/brown, with a venter that is a pale lilac-grey, while its lateral stripe is bright yellow.

Distribution

This species has only been observed in its type locality, in Nagaland, India.

Description

Distribution

References

Further reading