Scientists Find Snake-like Venom Glands In New Species Of Amphibians

Scientists have detected snake-like dental glands in worm-like creatures called 'Caecilians'. The researchers were surprised to find some of these legless animals which have smooth and shiny skin may have venomous saliva. Generally, when we think of venom, 'Snakes' come into our minds, right! But the venom in caecilians is the first example ever found in amphibians. Over 200 caecilian species wiggle through tropical forests around the world, ranging from the 3.5-inch-long Idiocranium Russell in Cameroon to nearly five-foot-long Caecilia Thompsoni in Colombia.

Carlos Jared, an evolutionary biologist at the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and author of a new study on the animals said that "Most of the animals adapt underground life and this might be the reason for caecilians to be known as the most unknown group of vertebrates. Some species have completely lost their eyes as well."

It is already a known fact that caecilians have three rows of needle-nosed teeth, two on the top, and one on the bottom. This arrangement helps the predators catch and gulp down earthworms. But the caecilians that have been captured in Brazil, Jared discovered a new set of dental glands that produce saliva and most likely venomous enzymes. He added that scientists are doing further studies to confirm whether caecilian saliva is truly venomous or not. Jared said that the glands present on the caecilian's head produce a lubricant so that they can move easily into the earth. Another interesting thing is that caecilian tails have glands that can produce poison.

The team of Pedro Luiz Mailho-Fontana have euthanised four specimens to study the structure of glands and they performed analyses on saliva samples from two adult ringed caecilians. They found a family of enzymes called A2 phospholipase that is present in venomous organisms such as wasps, scorpions, and snakes.

Greening's Frog is another venomous amphibian found in Brazil. Utah State University’s Professor Edmund ‘Butch’ Brodie (Jr) stated that while most of the people think amphibians like frogs and salamanders are basically harmless but there are a few amphibians that store nasty, poisonous secretions in their skin to stop predators.