Things to bring to Panama:
--Flashlight or headlamp. Brighter = happier.
--at least one backup flashlight/headlamp. It is good to have something that is able to run on batteries (i.e., not
necessarily rechargeable) for those times when recharging doesn't work or is unavailable.
--one set of field pants. REI style field pants work well—-get something light that dries easily.
--two-three field shirts, at least one with long sleeves. Again, something light that dries easily. --one set of clothes
(e.g., shorts and a shirt), to be kept more or less undirty for nonherping time.
--clothes to sleep in.
--light rain jacket
--rubber boots and tevas/chacos. These are all the shoes you need. The rubber shell fireman-style are best,
available at (e.g.) WalMart. Normal hiking boots get wet and heavy under the conditions we will be in. And they will
allow ants to climb up to you.
--socks. 4 pairs.
--bathroom stuff
--food. Food will be provided. But if you have some snack food you like that travels easily (candy bars, powerbars,
etc.) you should bring it. Some nights you will be awake a long time with no real meal, so this kind of food becomes
important.
--field notebook and pencils or pens with non-smudge ink.
--bug repellent--nonaerosol, low-deet (<30%).
--backpack to be used when searching to carry light, bags, repellent, etc.
--batteries. Get duracells--Ultras if possible. Only bring as much as you need for your light, gps, etc.
--small towel
--sheet for sleeping
--money and credit/bank cards. Everything essential will be paid for, but you may want money along to get gifts,
snacks etc. ATMs are present in Panama, but we won't be around them much.
--desirable optional things: gps, hat, camera, very small portable fan.
--what NOT to bring: a computer, lots of clothes, a jive attitude, anything big/bulky/heavy.
Gymnophiona
(caecilians; Apoda)
10 families, 33 genera, 204 species
Caecilian synapomorphies
• No limbs, reduced or
absent girdles
• Reduced tail
• Annuli
• Solidified skull
• Tentacle
• Phallodeum
Siphonops annulatus
Caecilian synapomorphies
• No limbs, reduced or
absent girdles
• Reduced tail
• Annuli
• Solidified skull
• Tentacle
• Phallodeum
Caecilian synapomorphies
• No limbs, reduced or
absent girdles
• Reduced tail
• Annuli
• Solidified skull
• Tentacle
• Phallodeum
Caecilian synapomorphies
• No limbs, reduced or
absent girdles
• Reduced tail
• Annuli
• Solidified skull
• Tentacle
• Phallodeum
Caecilians as burrowers
• Skull domed, fusiform,
pointed snout
• Skin fused to skull
• Increased fusion,
ossification of skull
• Reduced/covered eyes
• Subterminal mouth
Caecilian skull
(Epicrionops)
Rotational feeding
Caecilian reproduction
•
•
•
•
Internal fertilization
Oviparity or viviparity
Eggs aquatic or terrestrial
Larvae or direct
development
• Parental care
"Old" caecilian families
(Duellman and Trueb 1986)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rhinatrematidae
– 2 genera, 9 species, many 'primitive' characters
Ichthyophiidae
– 2 genera, 39 species
Uraeotyphlidae
– 1 genus, 5 species
Scolecomorphidae
– 2 genera, 6 species
Typhlonectidae
– 5 genera, 14 species,
Caeciliadae
– 21 genera, 103 species,
'garbage can' family
Frost et al. (2006)
Results congruent with San Mauro et al. (2004)
-complete mt genomes, one nuclear gene; Bayesian, distance, parsimony
Frost et al. (2006)
Results congruent with San Mauro et al. (2004)
-complete mt genomes, one nuclear gene; Bayesian, distance, parsimony
Pyron and Wiens (2011)
Wilkinson et al. (2011)
Wilkinson et al. (splitting)
Pyron and Wiens/Frost (lumping)
•Rhinatrematidae
•Icthyophiidae
•Caeciliadae (includes Wilkinson et al.'s Dermophiidae,
Herpelidae, Indotyphlidae, Scolecomorphidae,
Siphonopidae, Typhlonectidae)
Variability between caecilian species
•
•
•
•
Position of tentacle
Position of mouth
Primary, secondary, tertiary annuli
Skull
– Zygokrotaphic/stegokrotaphic
– Presence/absence of bones
•
•
•
•
Presence/absence of tail
Teeth monocuspid/bicuspid
Jaw closure
Aquatic/fossorial
Z
S
Eocaecilia micropodia
Rhinatrematidae
Epicrionops bicolor
Scolecomorphidae
Scolecomorphus kirkii
O'Reilly, J. C., Nussbaum, R. A., and Boone, D. 1996. Vertebrate with
protrusible eyes. Nature 382:33.
Ichthyophiidae
Ichthyophis glutinosus
Uraeotyphlus menoni
Dermophiidae
Dermophis oaxacae
Typhlonectidae
Typhlonectes natans
Chikilidae
Chikilidae
Chikilidae