Scientists Discover Strange Worm-Like Amphibian With No Limbs

Caecilians are limbless, worm-like amphibians with no limbs that have existed for hundreds of millions of years but have never been found in the wild in the United States.

The Rio Cauca caecilian (Typhlonectes natans) was discovered in the C-4 (or Tamiami) Canal in Florida in 2019. The species is only found in Colombia and Venezuela, and it may grow up to half a meter (20 inches) in length.

The captured amphibian recently died and was delivered to experts at the University of Florida, who determined that it was a caecilian after a thorough examination and DNA analysis.

Worm-like amphibians with No Limbs

Caecilians are known to spend a lot of time underground or in freshwater, according to scientists. Some species may grow up to 5 feet (152 cm) in length, making them deadly hunters. They do, however, have weak eyesight, thus the term 'caecilians,' which means 'blind ones' in Latin. They may be the earliest animal with a venomous bite in terms of evolutionary history.

According to Coleman Sheehy, a Herpetologist from the University of Florida, Caecilians are not deadly or significant predators they will only consume small animals and be devoured by larger predators.

They are the only amphibians known to contain snake-like venom glands with an amazing set of needle-like teeth in their mouth. The creature's rows of teeth help in the capturing of prey.

In reproduction, once their young hatch certain caecilians have developed a unique manner of caring for them. Female Caecilians allow their young to scrape off and consume a layer of their own skin rather of giving milk, as mammals do, or catching prey and bringing it back to the nest, as birds do.

There are also species that produce living offspring. Scientists have discovered that certain caecilians' young will begin feeding on their mother before they are born by chewing at the bulging oviduct lining. This is referred to as matriphagy by scientists.

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Caecilian-like animals appearing in South Florida

More reports of caecilian-like animals have surfaced in South Florida since the first encounter in 2019. Field investigation in the canal is being planned to determine the extent to which these species are present in the waterways.

"At this point, we really don't know enough to say whether caecilians are established in the C-4 Canal," Coleman Sheehy said. "That's what we want to find out."

The Typhlonectes natans species lives in shallow waters, warm and slow-moving in its native habitat.

These worm-like amphibians have technically visited the United States before, but not recently. 170-million-year-old fossilized remnants have been discovered in the American Southwest, but no living relatives have been discovered north of Mexico until now.

Another unresolved mystery is how caecilians got to Florida. Given that Typhlonectes natans is the most prevalent variety in the pet trade and can reproduce in captivity, Cole Sheehy believes the newly discovered specimen might have been an unwanted pet.

"This was not on my radar," Coleman Sheehy said. "I didn't think we'd one day find a caecilian in Florida. So, this was a huge surprise."

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