Caeciliidae

family of amphibians

Caeciliidae is the family of common caecilians. They are found in Central and South America, equatorial Africa and India. Like other caecilians, they look like worms or snakes.

Caeciliidae
Siphonops annulatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Caeciliidae

Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1814
Genera

Boulengerula
Brasilotyphlus
Caecilia
Dermophis
Gegeneophis
Geotrypetes
Grandisonia
Gymnopis
Herpele
Hypogeophis
Idiocranium
Indotyphlus
Luetkenotyphlus
Microcaecilia
Mimosiphonops
Oscaecilia
Parvicaecilia
Praslinia
Schistometopum
Siphonops

Although they are the most diverse of the caecilian families, the caeciliids do have a number of features in common that make them different from other caecilians. In particular, their skulls have few bones. The ones tey have are fused to form a solid ram. This helps in digging through the soil. The mouth is beneath the nose area. There is no tail.[1]

Many caeciliids lay their eggs in moist soil. The eggs then hatch into aquatic larvae. However, some species do not have a larval stage. The eggs hatch into juveniles with the same form as the adults. In some they lack eggs and give birth to live young.[1]

Species

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References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 Nussbaum, Ronald A. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. p. 57. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)