Rediscovery and Range Extension of the Malatgan River Caecilian (Ichthyophis Weberi Taylor, 1920) in Palawan, Philippines

A herpetological survey was undertaken in the Cleopatra’s Needle Mountain Range in Palawan, Philippines, on December 3-12, 2015 organized by the Center for Sustainability – a non-government, non-profit environmental organization in Palawan. The survey aimed to gather initial data on wildlife, including reptiles and amphibian populations from this biogeographically distinct region as supplementary requirements for its declaration as an officially protected area. The survey led to the rediscovery of Malatgan River Caecilian (Ichthyophis Weberi Taylor, 1920) in Palawan, Philippines – an elusive caecilian that has not been observed since 1961. We described here several aspects of the biogeography of the species in Palawan biogeographic region, Philippines.