Ichthyophis paucisulcus Taylor, 1960

Figueroa, Alex, Low, Martyn E. Y. & Lim, Kelvin K. P., 2023, Singapore’s herpetofauna: updated and annotated checklist, history, conservation, and distribution, Zootaxa 5287 (1), pp. 1-378 : 23

Ichthyophis paucisulcus Taylor, 1960 — Native.

Ichthyophis paucisulcus Taylor, 1960: 103–107 , figs. 34, 35. Holotype: USNM 103565 , by original designation. Type locality: “Siantar, Sumatra ” (also known as Pematangsiantar ), Indonesia.

Sumatran Striped Caecilian

( Figure 4A )

Singapore records.

Ichthyophis glutinosus (non Linnaeus, 1758)— Hanitsch, 1905: 23 (Impounding [MacRitchie] Reservoir [MR]).—Hanitsch, 1908: 49.— Hanitsch, 1912b: 19.—J. Aw & M.E.Y. Low, 2020: 53.

Icthyophis [sic] paucisulcus —P.K.L. Ng et al., 1988: 36, 37 (Jungle Fall Valley [BTNR]).

Ichthyophis? paucisulcus —K. Lim, 1989a: 4.— Chou et al., 1994: 93.

Ichthyophis paucisulcus —P.K.L. Ng, 1989: 13 (Jungle Fall Valley [BTNR]).—K.K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 1992: 19, 143.—K.K.P. Lim, 1994a: 209, 330.—K.K.P. Lim, 1994: 209, 330.—L.M. Chou, 1995: 145.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 1995: 111.—K.K.P. Lim, 1996: 50.—K.P. Lim & F.L.K. Lim, 2002: 143.— N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2008: 158.—K.K.P. Lim & T.M. Leong, 2008: 156, 264.—D.C.J. Yeo et al., 2010: 152.—D.C.J. Yeo & K.K.P. Lim, 2011: 55.—P.K.L. Ng et al., 2011: 257.—N. Baker & K.P. Lim, 2012: 158.—W.H. Lim et al., 2015: 73 (Bukit Timah Nature Reserve).—T.J. Li et al., 2019: 568.—R.C.H. Teo & Thomas, 2019: 149, 179.

Ichthyophis cf. paucisulcus —K. Lim, 1990b: 12 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest).—K.K.P. Lim & L.M. Chou, 1990: 56.—K.K.P. Lim & Yang, 1991: 217, 218. P.K.L. Ng & K.K.P. Lim, 1992: 260 (Nee Soon Swamp Forest).—R.C.H. Teo & Rajathurai, 1997: 394 (Rifle Range Forest).

Ichthyophis sp. (part)—T.M. Leong, 2000: 4.

Remarks. A consequence of urban development, I. paucisulcus was first discovered in Singapore in 1904 ( Hanitsch 1905) when Bell collected one during excavations of the MacRitchie (then known as the Impounding) Reservoir (Hanitsch 1908). Ichthyophis paucisulcus was not recorded again until 80 years later when one was found in mud in a stream at Jungle Fall Valley on 29 March 1984 (Ng et al. 1988). However, CAS 7424 apparently went overlooked as it was collected on 10 October 1940 from an unknown location. The third reported specimen was of a larva seen on a student’s shoe on 14 February 1989, also at Jungle Fall Valley (Ng et al. 1989a). After the fourth specimen was observed at NSSF on 7 September 1990 ( Lim 1990b), I. paucisulcus went unreported for another 25 years, until freshwater biodiversity surveys at BTNR detected two individuals. The first was a juvenile found hiding in submerged leaf litter on 23 February 2015 ( Fig. 4A ) and the second was a smaller individual that was found at the same location on 25 March 2015 (Lim et al. 2015).

Occurrence. Restricted, known only from BTNR and NSSF, and the historical record from MR. Rare.

Singapore conservation status. Critically Endangered.

Conservation priority. Highest.

IUCN conservation status. Least Concern [2018].

LKCNHM & NHMUK Museum specimens. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve: ZRC.1.1360 (29-Mar-1984), ZRC.1.1703 (14-Feb-1989).

Additional Singapore museum specimens. Singapore (no locality): CAS.

Singapore localities. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve—MacRitchie Reservoir—Nee Soon Swamp Forest—Rifle Range Forest.

Figures

FIGURE 4. A) Ichthyophis paucisulcus, B) Duttaphrynus bengalensis, C) Ingerophrynus quadriporcatus, D) Pelophryne ingeri, E) Fejervarya cancrivora, F) Fejervarya limnocharis, G) Limnonectes blythii, and H) Limnonectes malesianus. Photographs by: Cai Yixiong [A], Alex Figueroa [B, D–H], and Kelvin K.P. Lim [C].