caecilian

[see-sil-ee-uhn]

noun

1. Also called blindworm. a legless, wormlike tropical amphibian of the order Gymnophiona (formerly Apoda), spending most of its life underground and usually almost blind.

adjective

1. pertaining to or characteristic of a caecilian.

caecilian

/ siːˈsɪlɪən /

noun

1. any tropical limbless cylindrical amphibian of the order Apoda (or Gymnophiona ), resembling earthworms and inhabiting moist soil

Word History and Origins

Origin of caecilian¹

1875–80; < Latin caecili ( a ) blindworm + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of caecilian¹

C19: from Latin caecilia a kind of lizard, from caecus blind

Example Sentences

Two red-tailed coral snakes have been observed competing over a caecilian in the first documented wild case of kleptoparasitism within the family Elapidae.

Read more on Science Daily

Scientists studying the feeding behavior of caecilians—a group of limbless, egg-laying creatures—observed their offspring making a peculiar and rarely heard sound.

Read more on Science Magazine

It adds to the curiousness of caecilians, who were already known for feeding hatchlings skin ripped off mom’s back as a postnatal nutritious snack.

Read more on New York Times

When born, baby caecilians — legless amphibians that look like a mash-up of a snake and a worm — use their tiny hook-shaped teeth to scrape off their mother’s skin and feast.

Read more on New York Times

Amphibians, a class of animals able to live both on land and in the water, consist of three groups: frogs, salamanders and the wormlike animals called caecilians.

Read more on Washington Post

Related Words

• frog 
• salamander 
• toad