Caecilian: Herpele squalostoma (© Danté Fenolio - www.anotheca.com)

Caecilian: Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (© Danté Fenolio - www.anotheca.com)

Caecilians (she-SILL-yens) are amphibians that look like a large worm and have no arms or legs. It is often times difficult to tell which end of the caecilian is the head and which is the tail! They have very shiny skin and are usually gray, brown, black, yellow or orange. The brightly colored species often have toxic glands that give them some protection from predators.

Depending on the species, caecilians produce young in one of two different ways. Some species give birth to live babies which are fully developed inside the mother before being born, others lay eggs in a shallow pool of water. The eggs then hatch and feed off the algae in the water until they begin to grow. Through metamorphosis, the young caecilian's gills are replaced by lungs, their skin becomes thicker and then they can return to land.

Many caecilian species burrow under ground. Their hard, pointy skulls help them to dig in soft dirt. Living in dirt, caecilians have very little need to hear or see. Their eyes are very small and sometimes covered by skin. Caecilians 'hear' by relying on their tentacles, located between their nostrils and eyes, to find their way around. Other caecilians live entirely underwater. You can see one of these species on display at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo!

While these worm-like creatures appear gentle, watch out for their teeth. Inside their mouth are dozens of sharp, needle-like teeth. They use these teeth to grab worms, small snakes, frogs, lizards and yes, even other caecilians! Although caecilians use their teeth to grab food, they do not use them to chew, but rather swallow their food whole.

Although there are many caecilian species in the world, very little is known about the habits and lifestyle of this unusual amphibian.