Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your UPSC Current Affairs knowledge nugget for today on a new species of underground amphibian- Gegeneophis chandgadi.A new legless amphibian species that spends most of its life underground, Gegeneophis chandgadi, is discovered in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. Researchers found the animal in Buzawade village in Chandgad taluka, Kolhapur district, during the monsoon in August 2025. The Zoological Survey of India published the findings. Let’s know about the species in detail.1. The species belongs to a group of amphibians called caecilians. These elusive creatures have no limbs and are often mistaken for earthworms because of their elongated bodies and underground lifestyle. The species was named after the Chandgadi dialect of Marathi, spoken predominantly in and around the Chandgad region.2. The animal was discovered beneath wooden piles, decaying logs, organic waste and bamboo leaf litter in the backyard of Sahil Shikalgar, the study’s lead author, who lives in Buzawade village.3. Gegeneophis chandgadi belongs to the family Grandisoniidae. Its cylindrical body has distinctive rings or grooves running around it, a feature characteristic of this group of caecilians.4. The animal has a dark flesh-coloured to dark brown upper body, a light pinkish head and a translucent pinkish belly through which its internal organs can be faintly seen. Adults measure between 105 and 185 millimetres in length and have no tail.5. Scientists counted between 132 and 135 primary rings, known as annuli, along its body. Smaller secondary rings appear only along the rear half. Identifying these amphibians can be difficult because they resemble earthworms and blind snakes.Story continues below this ad6. Researchers noted that the species appears capable of surviving in agricultural and residential landscapes, provided there is sufficient organic matter and heavy pesticide use is avoided.7.“Gegeneophis is a fascinating yet highly elusive group of amphibians, restricted to peninsular India and showing a remarkable concentration of species in the Northern Western Ghats,” said K P Dinesh, senior scientist at the Zoological Survey of India.What is the significance of this discovery ?8. The Western Ghats are home to a remarkable diversity of amphibians, including many species found nowhere else in the world.9. India has documented 41 caecilian species among its 458 amphibian species, including 12 species belonging to the genus Gegeneophis. Eleven of these are endemic to the Western Ghats. With the discovery of G. chandgadi, researchers now report seven species of the genus from the northern Western Ghats.Story continues below this adALSO READ | UPSC Issue at a Glance | Nobel Prize 2026: Key discoveries, winners and their significance10. Genetic analysis also suggests that the region may contain additional, as-yet-undescribed species. Researchers identified four other lineages that could represent species new to science, highlighting the need for more field surveys.11. The newly described amphibian is currently known only from the area around Buzawade village. Researchers have recommended classifying it as Data Deficient under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List criteria until more information becomes available about its distribution and population.12. “The discovery of Gegeneophis chandgadi highlights the hidden biodiversity beneath our feet and underscores the importance of field exploration and scientific documentation of these elusive, subterranean amphibians,” said Dhriti Banerjee, director of the Zoological Survey of India, in a press statement.13. The finding also shows that important discoveries need not come from remote forests or protected areas. Sometimes, a village backyard can reveal species that science has yet to document.Story continues below this adBEYOND THE NUGGET: What is the ecological significance of Western Ghats?1. Western Ghats are among the four of the world’s 36 biodiversity hotspots located in India. The other three biodiversity hotspots are the Himalayas, the Indo-Burma region, and the Sundaland.2. Older than the Himalaya mountains, the 1,600 km long Western Ghats mountain chain was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as one of the world’s eight hotspots of biological diversity in 2018.3. The Western Ghats, also known as the Shayadari hills, hold immense ecological and biodiversity value, making them one of the most critical natural assets of India and the World. The region has outstanding universal value due to its exceptional biodiversity, endemism, and its role in maintaining vital ecological and climatic processes.4. It stretches along the western coast of the Indian peninsula, spanning six states – Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.Story continues below this ad5. Ecologically, the Western Ghats serve as a crucial climatic regulator for peninsular India. Acting as a barrier to the South-West monsoon, the range ensures high supporting lush forests and numerous rivers that sustain millions of people.6. The Ghats are also home to diverse ecosystems, including tropical evergreen forests, grasslands, Myristica swamps, and the distinctive shola forest. These ecosystems harbour a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic. Western Ghats are the habitat for several threatened species, such as lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri Tahr, and tiger.Post Read QuestionConsider the following statements with reference to Gegeneophis chandgadi, recently discovered in Maharashtra:1. It belongs to a group of amphibians known as caecilians.Story continues below this ad2.It is a limbless amphibian that spends most of its life underground.3. It is endemic to the Eastern Ghats.How many of the statements given above is/are correct?(a) Only one(b) Only two(c) All three(d) NoneAnswer key (b)(Sources: New species of underground amphibian named after Chandgadi dialect of Marathi, Knowledge Nugget: Why are the Western Ghats back in headlines?)Click here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for October 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or write to us at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com.Story continues below this adSubscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X