7/7 Collaboration of
QCAZ Museum of the PUCE
the Natural History Museum of Berlin,
Natural History Museum of London
and the NGOs Tesoro Escondido and Jocotoco Congratulations to Sarah Bock and Talía Arroba for leading this beautiful work The publication is available at: tinyurl.com/j3aap56k

6/7 This map shows the geographical distribution of the new species. It is likely that they are also distributed in Colombia.

5/7 The Cecilia Tesoro species is named after the NGO Tesoro Escondido, for its efforts to protect the last remnants of humid tropical forest of the Chocó of Ecuador
The yellow color of this new species is very unusual among caecilias

4/7 This scan-CT shows the new species, Caecilia truncata
It was discovered hidden in the collections of the QCAZ Museum in Quito and then in the Candé Reserve of the Jocotoco foundation
It is closely related to C. volcani, from Panama, but its genetics confirm that it is a different species

3/7 This discovery was possible thanks to the use of DNA, scans-CT and morphology The scans-CT revealed characteristics never seen before of these animals This skull shows huge fangs in double rows, in both jaws The caecilias are predators of worms and other underground animals

2/7 🐍❌ Cecilias are not snakes. Although they may seem so, these fascinating creatures are amphibians adapted to underground life. Without legs, with moist skin and skin breathing, they are one of the least known groups of vertebrate animals. This is an Amazonian species.