Caecilia inca facts for kids
Caecilia inca is a unique type of animal known as a caecilian. Caecilians are amphibians, similar to frogs and salamanders, but they have a long, snake-like body without legs. This particular species is found only in Peru. It is sometimes called the Fundo Sinchona caecilian. Scientists are still learning about this creature, and there are some questions about how it fits into the caecilian family tree.
Quick facts for kids Caecilia inca |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Caecilia
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| Species: |
inca
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Contents
What Does Caecilia inca Look Like?
The very first Caecilia inca ever found, which scientists call the "holotype," was a male. It was about 107 cm (42 in) long, which is a bit over 3.5 feet! Its body was about 16 mm (0.6 in) wide, or roughly half an inch.
This caecilian has 158 folds or rings around its body, but they don't go all the way around. It does not have any secondary folds. Its eyes are tiny but you can just barely see them from the outside. The head is a bit narrow, ending in a rounded snout. Its nostrils are small but easy to spot from above.
Instead of a tail, it has a special unsegmented "shield" at the very end of its body. Parts of its body are covered in small scales, which is unusual for an amphibian. Its color is a grayish-slate, with a hint of yellowish-olive on its belly and sides.
Where Does Caecilia inca Live and Is It Safe?
Caecilia inca is a subterranean animal, meaning it lives underground. It makes its home in moist tropical forests in lowland areas. The exact place where the first one was found is not perfectly clear. This also means scientists aren't sure about the exact height above sea level where it lives.
The areas around where this caecilian was first discovered might have changed a lot. People might have cleared land for farming or built new towns. However, scientists don't have enough information to know if the number of Caecilia inca is going up or down. Because of this lack of information, its conservation status is listed as "Data Deficient" (DD). This means we need more research to understand how to protect this unique Peruvian amphibian.
Images for kids
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Robot mascot for Kiddle encyclopedia
See also
- In Spanish: Caecilia inca para niños
