Yahoo – AFP,
16 Jan 2015
Phnom Penh
(AFP) - A new species of legless amphibian resembling a giant earthworm or a
snake has been discovered in a remote but threatened area of Cambodian
rainforest, conservationists said on Friday.
The
grey-brown creature -- Ichthyophis cardamomensis -- was found in Cambodia's
southwest Cardamom Mountains, an area under threat from habitat loss, according
to Fauna and Flora International (FFI).
The new
species is often mistaken for a snake, with larger species known to grow up to
1.5 metres (nearly five feet) in length, FFI said.
It was
confirmed by scientists earlier this month according to leading Cambodian FFI
herpetologist Neang Thy.
"These
discoveries are important to demonstrate that much of Cambodia's biodiversity
remains unknown and unstudied by science, and many more areas need to be
searched," Thy, who has been researching amphibians and reptiles since
2003, told AFP.
The
creature is caecilian -- an order of amphibians that look like snakes or
earthworms and are generally found underground.
Once a
stronghold of the toppled Khmer Rouge regime, the bio-diverse Cardamom
Mountains are home to an array of rare species, including the Asian elephant,
but the area faces widespread deforestation.
Conservationists
warn that illegal logging and other habitat destruction could mean new species
become extinct shortly after discovery.
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