Amphibians Break New Ground: Passing Microbes to Offspring

Researchers have discovered that caecilians, a type of amphibian that resembles a worm-snake hybrid, pass microbes to their offspring through unique parenting behaviors such as skin-feeding and coiling. This is the first direct evidence of parental care in an amphibian playing a role in transmitting microbes from one generation to the next. The study focused on a caecilian species from central Africa and found that juveniles shared some part of their skin and gut microbiome with their attending mother. The research sheds light on caecilian biology and contributes to the understanding of African microbes. Future studies will explore the benefits of microbiomes for caecilians and their health.