Taita Hills Caecilian

About the Taita Hills Caecilian

Boulengerula taitana (common names: Taita African caecilian, Taita Hills caecilian, Taita Mountains caecilian) is a species of caecilian. It is endemic to the Taita Hills region of southeast Kenya. Boulengerula taitana are unique caecilians in appearance, fertilization type, and parental care. From their similar shape and presentation to worms, and their internalized fertilization, they set themselves apart from many other amphibians. D. taitana interactions between mothers and newly hatched young are unique in that the mother uses her own skin as a food resource for offspring. This species also has physiological adaptations in place to increase oxygen uptake and affinity to fit their underground lifestyle. The Boulengerula taitana differentiates itself from its close relatives in ways rarely documented and researched before.

As stated above, B. taitana are caecilians, which are amphibians who are limbless and long in length; this amphibians' skin is divided into ring shapes, which gives the animal a similar appearance to that of an earthworm. Hatchling B. taitana are about 28 mm in length and have an inadequately ossified axial and skull skeleton in contrast to other... Wikipedia →