Life history and reproduction of the neotropical caecilian Siphonops annulatus (Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Siphonopidae), with special emphasis on parental care

Abstract

Due to their mainly fossorial way of life, caecilian amphibians are the least known order of terrestrial vertebrates. Here, we present new observations on the natural history and reproductive biology of the neotropical oviparous, siphonopid caecilian Siphonops annulatus from a long‐term study of this species in the field and in captivity. In the studied population, mating occurs between the end of August and beginning of October, and oviposition between November and December, when rainfall peaks. Egg hatching occurs between the end of December and beginning of January. The complete cycle of maternal care, from oviposition to independent, self‐sufficient offspring lasts about 3 months. After eclosion, the altricial young feed on the mother's specially modified skin (maternal dermatophagy) and are also supplied by a fluid released from coming from the maternal cloaca. Also presented are observations on the burrows, feeding and social behaviour of S. annulatus.

Morphological Evidence for an Oral Venom System in Caecilian Amphibians

“…With 214 species, the order Gymnophiona is divided into 10 families ( Frost, 2020 ), which represents only 2.65% of all amphibians. Owing to their distribution and fossorial habits, caecilians consist in one of the least known vertebrate groups ( Torres-Sánchez et al., 2019 ), especially with regard to their biology, ecology, natural history, and behavior ( Jared et al., 2019 ).…”

“…The active collection of specimens is only possible through manual excavation, which undertakes great energy. It is estimated that 4–20 h of excavation is necessary, depending on the season, to localize one single specimen ( Jared et al., 2019 ). Moreover, during aleatory manual excavation of the soil, severe injuries or even death of specimens are frequent ( Jared et al., 2019 ).…”

“…It is estimated that 4-20 h of excavation is necessary, depending on the season, to localize one single specimen (Jared et al, 2019). Moreover, during aleatory manual excavation of the soil, severe injuries or even death of specimens are frequent (Jared et al, 2019). iScience 23, 101234, July 24, 2020 iScience Article Because of the difficulty in collecting data on caecilian biology, the restrict scientific knowledge available, in general, comes from sparse reports, indirectly obtained mainly through specimens deposited in zoological museums.…”

From Oviparity to Marsupialism: Strange Modes of Reproduction in Amphibians

“…In oviparous species such as Ichthyophis sp., the eggs are protected by the female which surrounds itself around the clutches of eggs. In several species, the young animals feed on the secretions emitted by the maternal skin (Schistometopum thomense, Boulengerula taitanus, Sipohnops annulatus) [53][54][55][56][57][58].…”

Morphology of the Cutaneous Poison and Mucous Glands in Amphibians with Particular Emphasis on Caecilians (Siphonops annulatus)

“…They also show reduced eyes, a pair of sensory tentacles, and an intromittent copulatory organ [7,8]. In addition, many oviparous species have a unique type of parental care, known as "skin feeding" (or dermatophagy), in which the young feed on the maternal skin during their development [9][10][11][12]. With only 214 species [13], these animals constitute the least known group of Class Amphibia [11,14,15].…”