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BOA2.2 Caecilian Taxonomy and Biodiversity.Key The Biology of Amphibians Agnes Scott College Mark Mandica Executive Director The Amphibian Foundation [email protected] 678 379 TOAD (8623) Centrolenidae: Cochranella euknemos 2.2: Caecilian Taxonomy & Biodiversity Caeciliidae: Caecilia sp. Apoda no feet CLassification of Order: Gymnophiona † Eocaecilia Rhinatrematidae Ichthyophiidae Scolecomorphidae Chikilidae Herpelidae Caeciliidae Typhlonectidae Indotyphiidae Dermophiidae Siphonopidae † † † † Actinopterygian Coelacanth, Tetrapodomorpha †Amniota *Gerobatrachus (Ray-fin Fishes) Lungfish (stem-tetrapods) (Reptiles, Mammals)Lepospondyls † (’frogomander’) Eocaecilia GymnophionaKaraurus Caudata Triadobatrachus Gymnophiona Anura (including Apoda Urodela Prosalirus †) Salientia Apoda Batrachia Lissamphibia *Gerobatrachus may be the sister taxon Temnospondyls † to Batrachia Tetrapods Osteichthyes Sarcopterygian (Bony Fishes) (Lobe-fin Fishes) Lissamphibia The Biology of Amphibians amphibbio.amphibianfoundation.org Eocaecilia micropodia † CLassification of Order: Gymnophiona † Eocaecilia Rhinatrematidae Ichthyophiidae Scolecomorphidae Chikilidae Herpelidae Caeciliidae Typhlonectidae Indotyphiidae Dermophiidae Siphonopidae † † † † Actinopterygian Coelacanth, Tetrapodomorpha †Amniota *Gerobatrachus (Ray-fin Fishes) Lungfish (stem-tetrapods) (Reptiles, Mammals)Lepospondyls † (’frogomander’) Eocaecilia GymnophionaKaraurus Caudata Triadobatrachus Gymnophiona Anura (including Apoda Urodela Prosalirus †) Salientia Apoda Batrachia Lissamphibia *Gerobatrachus may be the sister taxon Temnospondyls † to Batrachia Tetrapods Osteichthyes Sarcopterygian (Bony Fishes) (Lobe-fin Fishes) Lissamphibia The Biology of Amphibians amphibbio.amphibianfoundation.org Eocaecilia micropodia † CLassification of Order: Gymnophiona † Eocaecilia Rhinatrematidae Ichthyophiidae Scolecomorphidae Chikilidae Herpelidae Caeciliidae Typhlonectidae Indotyphiidae Dermophiidae Siphonopidae † † † † Actinopterygian Coelacanth, Tetrapodomorpha †Amniota *Gerobatrachus (Ray-fin Fishes) Lungfish (stem-tetrapods) (Reptiles, Mammals)Lepospondyls † (’frogomander’) Eocaecilia GymnophionaKaraurus Caudata Triadobatrachus Gymnophiona Anura (including Apoda Urodela Prosalirus †) Salientia Apoda Batrachia Lissamphibia *Gerobatrachus may be the sister taxon Temnospondyls † to Batrachia Tetrapods Osteichthyes Sarcopterygian (Bony Fishes) (Lobe-fin Fishes) Lissamphibia The Biology of Amphibians amphibbio.amphibianfoundation.org Gymnophiona naked snake Order: Gymnophiona (10 Families, 207 sp.) Family: Rhinatrematidae (11 sp.) Family: Ichthyophiidae (57 sp.) Family: Scolecomorphidae (6 sp.) Family: Chikilidae (4 sp.) Family: Herpelidae (10 sp.) Family: Caeciliidae (42 sp.) Family: Typhlonectidae (14 sp.) Family: Indotyphlidae (23 sp.) Family: Dermophiidae (14 sp.) Family: Siphonopidae (26 sp.) Family: Rhinatrematidae. Nussbaum, 1977 (11 sp.) Neotropical tailed caecilians, American tailed caecilians or beaked caecilians, are found in the equatorial countries of South America Genera: Epicrionops Boulenger, 1883 (8 sp.) Rhinatrema Duméril and Bibron, 1841 (3 sp.) The most primitive and sister taxon to all other caecilians Numerous characteristics lacking They still possess tails Have no sub-terminal mouth They lay their eggs in cavities in the soil The larvae have external gills until they metamorphose Lack second set of jaw adductor muscles present in all other families Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Rhinatrematidae Epicrionops sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Rhinatrematidae Epicrionops sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Rhinatrematidae Epicrionops sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Rhinatrematidae Rhinatrema bivittatum Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Rhinatrematidae Rhinatrema bivittatum Family: Ichthyophiidae. Taylor, 1968 (57 sp.) Asiatic tailed caecilians or fish caecilians found in South and Southeast Asia as well as southernmost China Genera: Ichthyophis Fitzinger, 1826 (50 sp.) Uraeotyphlus Peters, 1880 (7 sp.) They are primitive caecilians, lacking many of the derived characters found in the other families Numerous characteristics lacking They still possess tails They have no sub-terminal mouth They lay their eggs in cavities in the soil. The larvae have external gills until they metamorphose. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Ichthyophiidae Uraeotyphlus interruptus Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Ichthyophiidae Uraeotyphlus narayani Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Ichthyophiidae Uraeotyphlus oxyurus Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Ichthyophiidae Ichthyophis kohtaoensis Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Ichthyophiidae Ichthyophis bombayensis Family: Scolecomorphidae. Taylor, 1969 (6 sp.) The Scolecomorphidae are the family of tropical caecilians or African caecilians. They are found in Cameroon in West Africa, and Malawi and Tanzania in East Africa Genera: Crotaphatrema Nussbaum, 1985 (3 sp.) Scolecomorphus Boulenger, 1883 (3 sp.) Scolecomorphid synapomorphies Scolecomorphids have only vestigial eyes, which are attached to the base of a pair of tentacles underneath the snout. Unlike other caecilians, they have only primary annuli; these are grooves running incompletely around the body, giving the animal a segmented appearance. All other caecilians have a complex pattern of grooves, with secondary or tertiary annuli present. Also uniquely amongst tetrapods, the scolecomorphids lack a stapes bone in the middle ear. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Scolecomorphidae Scolecomorphus vittatus Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Scolecomorphidae Larva Adult Scolecomorphus kirkii Family: Chikilidae. Kamei, San Mauro, Gower, Van Bocxlaer, Sherratt, Thomas, Babu, Bossuyt, Wilkinson, and Biju, 2012 (4 sp.) The Chikilidae are the family of Indian Caecilians Genera: Chikila Kamei, San Mauro, Gower, Van Bocxlaer, Sherratt, Thomas, Babu, Bossuyt, Wilkinson, and Biju, 2012 (4 sp.) Chikilid synapomorphies They have very limited eyesight and skulls adapted for burrowing. Their eggs hatch into adult caecilians, with no larval stage in between. The mothers stay wrapped around their developing eggs for two to three months, apparently not eating at all during this period. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Chikilidae Chikila sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Chikilidae Chikila sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Chikilidae Chikila sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Chikilidae Chikila fulleri Family: Herpelidae. Laurent, 1984 (10 sp.) The Herpelidae are the family of African Caecilians Genera: Boulengerula Tornier, 1896 (8 sp.) Herpele Peters, 1880 (2 sp.) Herpelid synapomorphies Herpelids are distinguished by the following combination of characters: perforate stapes, multiple small antotic foramina, and no separate septomaxillae or separate prefrontals. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Boulengerula niedeni Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Boulengerula niedeni Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Boulengerula niedeni Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Boulengerula fischeri Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Boulengerula taitanus Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Herpelidae Herpele squalostoma Family: Caeciliidae. Rafinesque, 1814 (42 sp.) The Caeciliidae are the family of Common Caecilians. They are found in Central and South America, equatorial Africa and India Genera: Caecilia Linnaeus, 1758 (33 sp.) Oscaecilia Taylor, 1968 (9 sp.) Caecilia guntheri Caeciliid synapomorphies Although they are the most diverse of the caecilian families, the caeciliids do have a number of features in common that distinguish them from other caecilians. In particular, their skulls have relatively few bones, with those that are present being fused to form a solid ram to aid in burrowing through the soil. The mouth is recessed beneath the snout, and there is no tail. Many caeciliids lay their eggs in moist soil. The eggs then hatch into aquatic larvae. However, some species lack a larval stage, with the eggs hatching into juveniles with the same form as the adults, or else lack eggs and give birth to live young. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia attenuata Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia nigricans Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia sp. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia tentaculata Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Caecilia tentaculata Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Oscaecilia ochrocephala Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Oscaecilia ochrocephala Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Caeciliidae Oscaecilia osae Family: Typhlonectidae. Taylor, 1968 (14 sp.) The Typhlonectidae are the family of Aquatic Caecilians and Rubber Eels. They are found east of the Andes in South America Genera: Atretochoana Nussbaum and Wilkinson, 1995 (1 sp.) Chthonerpeton Peters, 1880 (9 sp.) Nectocaecilia Taylor, 1968 (1 sp.) Potamotyphlus Taylor, 1968 (1 sp.) Typhlonectes Peters, 1880 (2 sp.) Typhlonectid synapomorphies They are viviparous animals, giving birth to young that possess external gills. Of the five genera in the family, Atretochoana, Potomotyphlus and Typhlonectes are entirely aquatic, while Chthonerpeton and Nectocaecilia are semiaquatic. Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Chthonerpeton indistinctum Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Chthonerpeton indistinctum Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Typhlonectes natans Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Typhlonectes natans Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Typhlonectes natans Order: Gymnophiona | Family: Typhlonectidae Typhlonectes compressicauda
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