What is Caecilian

Caecilian

A caecilian (seh-SILL-yen ) looks like a cross between an eel and an earthworm, but it is really an amphibian like frogs and salamanders. They have no arms or legs, and sometimes it’s hard to tell which end is the head and which is the tail! Their shiny skin is ringed with skin folds called annuli, and they usually come in shades of gray, brown, black, orange, or yellow. Some species have tiny, fishlike scales within the rings.

Most caecilians are burrowers, living in a network of tunnels underground. A hard, thick, pointy skull helps these amphibians dig in soft dirt. They may look soft on the outside, but inside a caecilian’s mouth are dozens of needle-sharp teeth which are used to grab their prey. All food is swallowed whole.

Because of their underground lifestyle, caecilians have little need to see or hear. Their eyes are very tiny in some species, or hidden under the skin or skull in other species. Caecilians don’t have ear openings, so they probably don't hear sounds the way we do. Sensitive tentacles, located between the nostrils and the eyes, let them locate their prey by touch and feel their way around.

Area: 

 Central Africa, Southeast Asia, southern Mexico to Argentina

Habitat: 

 Loose soil and ground liter in tropical forests, or in rivers or streams

Food: 

 Worms, termites, beetle pupae, snails, small snakes, frogs, lizards

Size: 

 From 3 1/2 inches to about 5 feet long, depending on the species

Babies: 

 In some species, larvae hatch from eggs then grow and change into adult form. Other types of caecilians give birth to live young that develop inside the mother before being born.

(source:google/http://adminkids.sandiegozoo.org/)