BASILAN ISLAND

CAECILIANS
Ichthyophis glandulosus
IUCN Classification: Data Deficient
BASILAN ISLAND
CAECILIANS
Ichthyophis glandulosus
 TAXONOMY
KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Chordata
CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Gymnophiona
FAMILY: Ichthyophiidae
GENUS: Ichthyophis
SPECIES: Ichthyophis glandulosus
 Ichthyophis glandulosus, the
Basilan Island caecilian, is a
species of amphibian in the
family Ichthyophiidae endemic
to the Philippines. Its presence
is only known with certainty in
one locality on the island of
Basilan.
PICTOWORD!
LEGLESS
TENTACLES
+OUS
 +OUS

VENOMOUS
+ERS
 +ERS

BURROWERS
+IAL
 +IAL

VESTIGIAL
 NO LEGS!

Caecilians are tropical amphibians that look like

large worms or slick snakes. They have no arms
or legs, and sometimes it’s hard to tell which
end is the head and which is the tail!
 CRAWLING WITHOUT
SIGHT

Basilan Island caecilians are burrowers, living in a

network of tunnels underground. A hard, thick,
pointy skull helps these amphibians dig in soft
dirt. So, their eyes are tiny in some or hidden
under the skin or skull in others, making just
gray bumps for eyes.
 I CAN'T HEAR SOMETHING!

Audition is limited because caecilians lack outer

and middle ear cavities, but they are capable of
detecting low-frequency vibrations to help them
detect predators and prey.
 LIKE SQUIDWARD

Caecilians are the only amphibians to have

tentacles that help Basilan Island caecilians find
food or their way around.
 SHARP AS A NEEDLE

They may look soft on the outside, but inside a

caecilian’s mouth are dozens of needle-sharp
teeth. The teeth can grab worms, termites,
beetle pupae, mollusks, small snakes, frogs,
lizards, and even other caecilians.
 USELESS LEFT!

They have lungs. The right lung is functional,

but the left one is vestigial, which is an
adaptation for an elongate body shape. The skin
is probably important for gas exchange.
 I THINK I'M MISSING
SOMETHING

Caecilians lack bone marrow and are thus

dependent on the liver, spleen, thymus, and
kidneys to produce red and white blood cells.
 WE EAT OUR MAMA!

The youngsters tear strips of skin from the

surface of their mother. The process is known as
dermatophagy.
 VENOM!

Basilan Island Caecilians have toxic glands in

their skin that sometimes protect them from
being eaten by other wildlife. Researchers have
found what appear to be venom glands in the
mouth of caecilians. They have also found that
the secretion from the glands contains
chemicals found in snake venom.
 DENR-BMB, ACTION
STAR

Through intensified wildlife protection effects

and the sustainable management of ecosystem,
the species from “vulnerable” to “other
threatened.”

BREAK THE
CODE
Behavior where they peel off the outer layer of the
mother's thick skin for food.

E F S N B U P U S P Q I Z
Behavior where they peel off the outer layer of the
mother's thick skin for food.

E F S N B U P U S P Q I Z
D E R M A T O T R O P H Y
Organs they are dependent for the production of red
blood cells and white blood cells.

12 9 22 5 18, 19 16 12 5 5 14,
20 8 25 13 21 19, & 11 9 4 14 5 25
Organs they are dependent for production of red blood
cells and white blood cells.

12 9 22 5 18, 19 16 12 5 5 14,
20 8 25 13 21 19, & 11 9 4 14 5 25
LIVER, SPLEEN, THYMUS, & KIDNEY
References:
https://animalia.bio/ichthyophis-glandulosus
https://www.sci.news/biology/caecilian-venom-glands-08603.html
https://owlcation.com/stem/Caecilians-Unusual-Poisonous-and-Perhaps-Venomous-Amphibians
https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/caecilian
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/25382/58475060
https://denr.gov.ph/index.php/news-events/press-releases/4725-denr-bmb-cites-significant-strides-in-protected-area-
wildlife-conservation
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/01/10/2020-a-bright-year-for-phl-biodiversity/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/caecilians
https://www.gbif.org/species/5218331