Hypogeophis – Frigate Island caecilians

These burrowing worm-like critters are egg-laying amphibians, with the female guarding the eggs until they hatch. Caecilians spend their days swimming in rivers and streams or burrowing beneath the earth. In the dirt, they don’t need to be able to hear or see very well.

As they feed, they employ sensory tentacles on either side of their heads to navigate. They use their keen senses of smell and taste to identify chemical signals from their prey. They are currently threatened by the removal of natural vegetation and the resulting soil erosion in their habitat.