Rhinatrematidae

family of amphibians

Rhinatrematidae is the family of neotropical tailed caecilians or beaked caecilians. They are found in the equatorial countries of South America.

Neotropical tailed caecilians
Epicrionops sp.
Scientific classification
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Phylum:
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Family:
Rhinatrematidae

Nussbaum, 1977
Genera

Epicrionops
Rhinatrema

They are usually said to be the most primitive of the caecilian families. They have many features other groups do not. For example, they still have a tail, and the mouth is not to the back on the underside of the head. They lay their eggs in small holes in the soil. The larvae have external gills. They live in seepages until they change into adults. The adults live in moist soil and leaf litter.[1]

Taxonomy

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There are nine species in two genera.

Family Rhinatrematidae

References

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  1. Nussbaum, Ronald A. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 54–55. ISBN 0-12-178560-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  2. Gower et al. (2010) "A new species of Rhinatrema Duméril & Bibron (Amphibia: Gymnophiona:Rhinatrematidae) from Guyana"