First Reproductive Observations for Herpele Peters, 1880 (Amphibia : Gymnophiona: Herpelidae): Evidence of Extended Parental Care and Maternal Dermatophagy in H. squalostoma (Stutchbury, 1836)
Joint Authors
Kouete, Marcel T.
Wilkinson, Mark
Gower, David J.
Source
Issue
Vol. 2012, Issue 2012 (31 Dec. 2012), pp.1-7, 7 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2012-11-25
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
7
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
An adult (presumably female) Herpele squalostoma was found attending 16 young in Cameroon.
Four young that were preserved one day after collection have multicusped teeth and skin-like material in their gut.
The adult and remaining young were maintained in captivity without provision of food for one month.
During this period the young gained more than 10% in mass.
Twenty-nine days after collection one additional young was preserved, this has adult-like dentition.
We conclude that H.
squalostoma resembles the oviparous caecilians Boulengerula taitanus and Siphonops annulatus in having young that receive extended parental care and that remove and eat the stratum corneum of maternal skin using specialized deciduous teeth.
This discovery matches a prediction that maternal dermatophagy is widespread (and homologous) among teresomatan caecilians.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Kouete, Marcel T.& Wilkinson, Mark& Gower, David J.. 2012. First Reproductive Observations for Herpele Peters, 1880 (Amphibia : Gymnophiona: Herpelidae): Evidence of Extended Parental Care and Maternal Dermatophagy in H. squalostoma (Stutchbury, 1836). ISRN Zoology،Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459056
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Kouete, Marcel T.…[et al.]. First Reproductive Observations for Herpele Peters, 1880 (Amphibia : Gymnophiona: Herpelidae): Evidence of Extended Parental Care and Maternal Dermatophagy in H. squalostoma (Stutchbury, 1836). ISRN Zoology No. 2012 (2012), pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459056
American Medical Association (AMA)
Kouete, Marcel T.& Wilkinson, Mark& Gower, David J.. First Reproductive Observations for Herpele Peters, 1880 (Amphibia : Gymnophiona: Herpelidae): Evidence of Extended Parental Care and Maternal Dermatophagy in H. squalostoma (Stutchbury, 1836). ISRN Zoology. 2012. Vol. 2012, no. 2012, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-459056
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-459056