Researchers Find Snake-Like Venom Glands in Caecilian Amphibians

Scientists from Brazil and the United States has found the specialized oral glands in the jaws of the ringed caecilian (Siphonops annulatus), a snake-shaped amphibian related to frogs and salamanders.

Caecilians are blind and depend upon facial tentacles and slime to navigate. These creatures are found in areas of tropical climate Africa, Asia and America, researchers revealed. They also confirmed that they were poisonous; however, the amphibians "cannot inject their venoms and instead rely on an attacker pressing on their pointy bits.'

Professor Edmund Brodie, Utah state university professor and co-author of the study asserted that amphibians (like frogs) are basically harmless. However, he confirmed there were a number of amphibians that stored 'nasty" poisonous secretions in their skin to deter predators. Moreover, Senior author Dr. Carlos Jared added that since "caecilians are one of the least-studied vertebrates, their biology is a black box full of surprises'.

The snake was found during a herpetological expedition in the north-east state of Arunachal Pradesh that is renowned for its Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. Salazar's pit viper was located in the Pakke Tiger Reserve and was marked for its green colour, orange stripe on head, and dorsal scales that resembled two other snakes - Trimeresurus septentrionalis and Trimeresurus albolabris. However, the genomic DNA test confirmed Salazar's pit viper as a new species.

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