India, Sept. 15 -- Scientists have described a new legless amphibian, Gegeneophis chandgadi, from backyard leaf litter in Buzawade village in Maharashtra's Western Ghats.

The species is a caecilian, a group of elusive, limbless amphibians that spend much of their lives underground and are often mistaken for earthworms.

The species has been named after the Chandgadi dialect of Marathi, spoken predominantly in and around the Chandgad region.

Researchers say the discovery highlights the hidden biodiversity of agricultural and residential landscapes, and the need for more surveys in the northern Western Ghats.

Unlike many newly discovered species found in remote wilderness, scientists have described a new legless amphibian from backyard l...