Ringworm
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Ringwool ( Siphonops annulatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Siphonops annulatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Mikan , 1820) |
The marigold ( Siphonops annulatus ) is a subterranean species of the sneak amphibian (blindworms; Gymnophiona ) that occurs in South America. She practices a cannibalistic form of brood care, in which the young eat off the skin of the mother animal.
This amphibian species is not to be confused with reptiles from the genus Blanus , which, misleadingly, are sometimes also referred to as "ring burrows". Ring burrows have existed for about 250 million years.
features
The 20 to 40 centimeter long ringworm has a worm-like or snake-like stretched, limb-free body that is relatively short-stocked for sneak amphibians. The color is a dark blue, the trunk is divided by numerous white cross bands (rings). Marigolds can secrete mucus at their front end in order to be able to escape into the ground more quickly when they escape. At the rear end they can secrete a poisonous secretion to deter possible pursuers. Marigolds have poison glands in their upper and lower jaws that can inject poison through their teeth.
Occurrence, way of life
The ringwheel lives completely terrestrially in northern South America east of the Andes , usually in areas below 800 m above sea level. Regionally it still occurs quite frequently; however, in Argentina , whose territory it only reaches in the extreme northeast, the species is considered endangered. The nocturnal animal feeds on earthworms and other invertebrates . In the event of danger it secretes a foul tasting secretion.
Reproduction, brood care
Eggs are laid in the ground for reproduction; the young hatch fully developed. In this species there is a direct development without an aquatic larval stage. The hatchlings initially feed on their mother's skin for two months by tearing out parts of the skin with their jaws. The skin regenerates and is then eaten away again by the young. The offspring only leave the mother when they are about 15 centimeters long. The former remains emaciated and has to recover from this extreme form of brood care. This may explain why the animals are likely to reproduce only every two years.
Already during the breeding season, fats and proteins are stored in the mother's skin. As a result, the cells enlarge and the nutrient richness of the skin increases significantly. Over a period of two months, this nutrient skin is then "grazed" twice a week by 8 to 16 young animals.
From the nature of the teeth of the young marigolds it is concluded that the species and their behavior could be an evolutionary precursor to other viviparous caecums. In such cases, it is typical that the boys hatching in the womb feed primarily on cell material from the fallopian tube wall.
literature
- Mark O'Shea, Tim Halliday: Reptiles & Amphibians. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London 2001, 2002. ISBN 978-3-8310-1015-8
Web links
- Pictures of the torrent at tropicalfrogs.net
- Species portrait at Amphibiaweb (Engl.)
- IUCN Redlist: Siphonops annulatus (Engl .; including distribution map)
- idw-online.de : "Cannibalism saves the offspring - young marigolds eat their mother's skin"
Individual evidence
- ↑ The bite of the marigold
- ↑ a b c Mark Wilkinson, Alexander Kupfer, Rafael Marques-Porto, Hilary Jeffkins, Marta M. Antoniazzi, Carlos Jared: One hundred million years of skin feeding? Extended parental care in a Neotropical caecilian (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Biology Letters, June 2008. Online summary (German)