A New Species of Skin-Feeding Caecilian and the First Report of Reproductive Mode in Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae)

A new species of siphonopid caecilian, Microcaecilia dermatophaga sp. nov., is described based on nine specimens from French Guiana. The new species is the first new caecilian to be described from French Guiana for more than 150 years. It differs from all other Microcaecilia in having fewer secondary annular grooves and/or in lacking a transverse groove on the dorsum of the first collar. Observations of oviparity and of extended parental care in M. dermatophaga are the first reproductive mode data for any species of the genus. Microcaecilia dermatophaga is the third species, and represents the third genus, for which there has been direct observation of young animals feeding on the skin of their attending mother. The species is named for this maternal dermatophagy, which is hypothesised to be characteristic of the Siphonopidae.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

A New Species of Skin-Feeding Caecilian and the First Report of Reproductive Mode in Microcaecilia (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae)

A new species of siphonopid caecilian, Microcaecilia dermatophaga sp. nov., is described based on nine specimens from French Guiana. The new species is the first new caecilian to be described from French Guiana for more than 150 years. It differs from all other Microcaecilia in having fewer secondary annular grooves and/or in lacking a transverse groove on the dorsum of the first collar. Observations of oviparity and of extended parental care in M. dermatophaga are the first reproductive mode data for any species of the genus. Microcaecilia dermatophaga is the third species, and represents the third genus, for which there has been direct observation of young animals feeding on the skin of their attending mother. The species is named for this maternal dermatophagy, which is hypothesised to be characteristic of the Siphonopidae

A New Species of Skin-Feeding Caecilian and the First Report of Reproductive Mode in 'Microcaecilia' (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae)

A new species of siphonopid caecilian, 'Microcaecilia dermatophaga' sp. nov., is described based on nine specimens from French Guiana. The new species is the first new caecilian to be described from French Guiana for more than 150 years. It differs from all other 'Microcaecilia' in having fewer secondary annular grooves and/or in lacking a transverse groove on the dorsum of the first collar. Observations of oviparity and of extended parental care in 'M. dermatophaga' are the first reproductive mode data for any species of the genus. 'Microcaecilia dermatophaga' is the third species, and represents the third genus, for which there has been direct observation of young animals feeding on the skin of their attending mother. The species is named for this maternal dermatophagy, which is hypothesised to be characteristic of the Siphonopidae

<i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov. head in dorsal and palatal views.

<p>Dorsal view of head of MNHNP 2010.0190 (left) showing six separate arthropodan exoskeletal remains (mouthparts of termites?) embedded in the skin. Palatal view of BMNH 2008.721 (right) showing disposition of tooth rows and choanae in the upper jaw. Scale bars = 1 mm.</p

Adult and juvenile <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov. in life.

<p>BMNH 2008.721 (top) and one of the three immature paratypes of <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov. (bottom).</p

Reproductive mode of <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov.

<p>Presumed mother with a connected string of five eggs (left) and with two hatchlings during the period of extended post-hatching parental care and maternal dermatophagy (right).</p

Morphometric and meristic data for the type series of <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov.

*<p> = holotype. All measures are in mm. Abbreviations given in text. Specimens without sex data are immature. Numbers in parentheses are lengths of living specimens.</p

BMNH 2008.715, holotype of <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov.

<p>Scale bars in mm.</p

Holotype of <i>Microcaecilia dermatophaga</i> sp. nov.

<p>(BMNH 2008.715) in life.</p