Secretive Species Comes Out Of Hiding In New Study

Natália Ferreira Torello-Viera, Karina Rodrigues da Silva Banci & Michel Varajão Garey have extensively studied the elusive Purple Burrowing Caecilian Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis.

Caecilians, in case you were wondering, are snake-and-millipede-like creatures that like to burrow in humid forests. Most of them are blind and do not have limbs. They have sensory tentacles on their head and their skin folds are often toxic to ward off predators.

Since they like to remain underground, they have not been studied enough to warrant any proper research. To find these individuals can only be effectively done by excavating the land. Other methods, such as field surveys, would be ineffectual.

9 specimens were collected from Previdência Park in São Paul. They were taken back to a laboratory and kept in terrarium-style enclosures. 8 individuals were adult, 5 were male and the others unfortunately died so they couldn't be sexed.

From the above site, the authors find that small urban forest areas are important for conservation of Caecilians. They can monitor this site for further protection of the species and area. Other sites in the São Paulo, however, didn't find any Caecilians over the last two decades. The discovery, in said park, is the first in over 60 years. It is also, the smallest area known to be populated with Purple Burrowing Caecilian Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis.

Modern Urban Forest Land

Therefore, there can be promising conservational insights taken from the population in order to "predict potential occurrence areas". Any future studies can be done to determine survival and extinction chances.