CAECILIANS Meaning and
Definition
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Caecilians are legless amphibians belonging to the order Gymnophiona. They are characterized by their serpent-like appearance and elongated bodies, with highly reduced or absent limbs. Typically found in tropical regions, especially in Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, caecilians are primarily fossorial, living underground or in damp soil. They have adapted to a burrowing lifestyle by developing skull and jaw modifications for effective digging.
Caecilians are diverse in terms of size, ranging from a few centimeters to over a meter in length. They possess sensory tentacles located on their heads, which help them detect vibrations and chemical cues in their environment. Eyesight in caecilians is often limited, as their habitats lack light, leading to the evolution of other compensatory sensory systems.
Despite being amphibians, caecilians lack lungs and instead respire through their skin, allowing them to extract oxygen from the surrounding environment. They have a specialized structure called the tentacle, which is used for respiration and as an accessory organ during mating. Reproduction in caecilians is primarily internal, with some species exhibiting live birth, while others lay eggs that develop outside the female's body. Newly hatched caecilians resemble adults in terms of body shape, although they are often more brightly colored.
Caecilians are predominantly carnivorous, feeding on a variety of invertebrates such as worms, insects, and small crustaceans. They capture their prey using modified teeth and a protrusible jaw. Some caecilian species are known to display parental care, guarding their eggs or young until they are capable of independent survival. Owing to their secretive nature and cryptic habitats, caecilians have not been extensively studied compared to other amphibian groups.
Common Misspellings for CAECILIANS
Etymology of CAECILIANS
The word "caecilian" is derived from the Latin term "Caecilia", which means "blind". This is because caecilians, which are amphibians found in tropical regions, have small, often non-functional eyes, and some species are blind.
Similar spelling word for CAECILIANS
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