Question
Several species of these animals practice maternal dermatophagy, in which the mother allows her young to peel off and eat the outer layer of her skin; this was first observed in Boulengerula taitana. For 10 points each:
[10h] Name this poorly understood group consisting of limbless, burrowing amphibians, whose members appear superficially similar to snakes and earthworms.
ANSWER: caecilians [or Apoda; or Gymnophiona]
[10m] Many caecilians’ larvae have particularly large instances of these feathery structures on their head that fall off soon after birth. Axolotls also have the external form of these structures protruding from the sides of their head.
ANSWER: external gills
[10e] Although about a quarter of caecilian species lay eggs, most use this reproductive method in which the embryo develops more inside the mother’s body and so can move around right away. A name or description is acceptable.
ANSWER: viviparity [or viviparous; or giving live birth; accept descriptive equivalents; reject “vivipary”]
<Gerhardt Hinkle, Biology>
Summary
| 2023 Penn Bowl @ Waterloo | 10/28/2023 | Y | 4 | 17.50 | 50% | 75% | 50% |
| 2023 Penn Bowl @ FSU | 10/28/2023 | Y | 2 | 20.00 | 100% | 50% | 50% |
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| 2023 Penn Bowl (UK) | 10/28/2023 | Y | 5 | 12.00 | 60% | 40% | 20% |
| 2023 Penn Bowl @ UNC | 10/28/2023 | Y | 3 | 16.67 | 67% | 67% | 33% |