One of the strangest meal-times in the animal kingdom has been caught on film by a BBC crew. The team recorded footage of a female worm-like amphibian, called a caecilian, allowing her young to peel off and eat her skin.
Scientists have only recently discovered this bizarre parental behaviour.
The female caecilian's skin becomes thicker and more nutrient-rich when she bears offspring. And the young have specialised teeth for tearing and removing it.
The crew was able to catch this behaviour on camera by building a set which resembled the shallow, humid underground chambers that the creatures live in.
It took several attempts to capture the footage; the caecilian babies would only eat their mother's skin for about 10 minutes, once every three days, and often at night.
Video after the jump.
Video: BBC
Source: BBC via Arbroath
Tags: Worm | Skin | Caecilian
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