Wildlife Macro-Photographer

I just wanted to let more people know about this photographer I follow on Deviantart.

I'm using one of his images as my background for this blog and I would really recommend having a look at his gallery.  Pretty amazing stuff.

New Amphibian Species 'Unearthed'

A new species of caecilians, Chikila fulleri, was found in the soils of northeastern India, which is a pretty big deal for taxonomists and conservationists.


(photograph S.D. Biju)

First impressions is that it's just a massive earthworm, but on closer inspection there is a jaw, nose and eye structures.  There's not much need for eyes if you spend the majority of your time below the surface so they aren't really visible
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Chikila fulleri's closest relative is the African family Herpelidae and it is believed the two groups split approximately 140 m years ago.

As with a lot of newly discovered living species nowadays the area in which Chikila fulleri was found is under threat from human overpopulation and deforestation.  Areas in developing countries that have become available for exploration are often in danger of being developed, thus putting undiscovered or newly discovered species under threat.  Hopefully with conservation of biodiversity slowly becoming a more important political issue, the discovery of an important species like Chikila fulleri might help to preserve similar areas for decades to come.