Chikilidae

The Chikilidae are a family of amphibians crawl that includes only one genus ( Chikila ) is currently described. It was in 2012 described on the basis of molecular biological studies as a new family.

Features

Chikilidae have such as the genera Boulengerula and Herpele from the sister family of Herpelidae no Septomaxilla in the area of the nostrils. They have like these two genera perforated stapes. However, they differ from them in that the frontal, sphenoid and ethmoid behind does not contribute to the roof of the braincase that they have only an undivided foramen opposite the ear opening. They also have two rows of teeth in the lower jaw and no prefrontal.

The species are oviparous with direct development.

System

The only kind described the family and thus the type species of the genus Chikila was at the time the description of the Chikila fulleri family (previously Herpele fulleri Alcock, 1904). In addition, the family includes a number of previously undescribed Chikila species that are phylogenetically closer with this type species as squalostoma with the native to Africa Herpele. Meanwhile described with Chikila alcocki, C. and C. darlong gaiduwani three other species.

Occurrence

Chikila species are relatively common in the northeastern Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.