Gymnophiona caecilians Apoda 10 families 33 genera 204

Gymnophiona (caecilians; Apoda) 10 families, 33 genera, 204 species

Caecilian synapomorphies • • • No limbs, girdles Reduced tail Annuli Solidified skull Tentacle Phallodeum Siphonops annulatus

Caecilian synapomorphies • • • No limbs, girdles Reduced tail Annuli Solidified skull Tentacle Phallodeum

Caecilian synapomorphies • • • No limbs, girdles Reduced tail Annuli Solidified skull Tentacle Phallodeum

Caecilian synapomorphies • • • No limbs, girdles Reduced tail Annuli Solidified skull Tentacle Phallodeum

Caecilians as burrowers • Skull domed, fusiform, pointed snout • Skin fused to skull • Increased fusion, ossification of skull • Reduced/covered eyes • Subterminal mouth

Caecilian skull (Epicrionops)

Rotational feeding

Rotational feeding

Caecilian reproduction Internal fertilization Oviparity or viviparity Eggs aquatic or terrestrial Larvae or direct development • Parental care • •

"Old" caecilian families (Duellman and Trueb 1986) • • • Rhinatrematidae – 2 genera, 9 species, many 'primitive' characters Ichthyophiidae – 2 genera, 39 species Uraeotyphlidae – 1 genus, 5 species Scolecomorphidae – 2 genera, 6 species Typhlonectidae – 5 genera, 14 species, Caeciliadae – 21 genera, 103 species, 'garbage can' family

Frost et al. (2006) Results congruent with San Mauro et al. (2004) -complete mt genomes, one nuclear gene; Bayesian, distance, parsimony

Frost et al. (2006) Results congruent with San Mauro et al. (2004) -complete mt genomes, one nuclear gene; Bayesian, distance, parsimony

Pyron and Wiens (2011)

Wilkinson et al. (2011)

Wilkinson et al. (splitting) Pyron and Wiens/Frost (lumping) • Rhinatrematidae • Icthyophiidae • Caeciliadae (includes Wilkinson et al. 's Dermophiidae, Herpelidae, Indotyphlidae, Scolecomorphidae, Siphonopidae, Typhlonectidae)

Variability between caecilian species • • Position of tentacle Position of mouth Primary, secondary, tertiary annuli Skull – Zygokrotaphic/stegokrotaphic – Presence/absence of bones • • Presence/absence of tail Teeth monocuspid/bicuspid Jaw closure Aquatic/fossorial Z S

Eocaecilia micropodia

Scolecomorphidae Scolecomorphus kirkii

Rhinatrematidae Epicrionops bicolor

O'Reilly, J. C. , Nussbaum, R. A. , and Boone, D. 1996. Vertebrate with protrusible eyes. Nature 382: 33.

Ichthyophiidae Ichthyophis glutinosus Uraeotyphlus menoni

Dermophiidae Dermophis oaxacae

Typhlonectidae Typhlonectes natans

Chikilidae

Chikilidae

Chikilidae

Chikilidae

Field Notes

Things to bring to Cuba: --2 photocopies of passport --flashlight or headlamp. Brighter is better, but you don't need an especially bright light for this trip. --at least one small backup flashlight/headlamp. It is good to have something that is able to run on batteries (i. e. , not necessarily rechargeable) for those times when recharging doesn't work or is unavailable. --one set of field pants. REI style field pants work well—get something light that dries easily. --two-three field shirts, at least one with long sleeves. Again, something light that dries easily. --one set of clothes (e. g. , shorts and a shirt), to be kept more or less undirty for nonherping time. --clothes to sleep in. --light rain jacket --rubber boots and tevas/chacos. These are all the shoes you need. The rubber shell fireman-style are best, available at (e. g. ) Wal. Mart. Normal hiking boots are OK, but may get wet and heavy under the conditions we will be in. --socks. 5 pairs. --bathroom stuff --food. Food will be provided. But if you have some snack food you like that travels easily (candy bars, powerbars, etc. ) you should bring it. Some nights you will be awake a long time with no real meal, so this kind of food becomes important. --field notebook and pencils or pens with non-smudge ink. --bug repellent--nonaerosol, low-deet (<30%). --backpack to be used when searching to carry light, bags, repellent, etc. --batteries. Get duracell Ultras or similar if possible. Only bring as much as you need for your light, gps, etc. --small towel --sheet for sleeping --antibacterial face wipes, hand sanitizer --cash. Everything essential will be paid for, but you may want money along to get gifts, snacks etc. It is not likely you will be able to get cash or use credit cards in Cuba. --desirable optional things: gps, hat, camera, bathing suit, bug netting. --what NOT to bring: a computer, lots of clothes, a jive attitude, anything big/bulky/heavy.