Weird skin-eating amphibians have no legs due to snake-like mutation

Worm-like amphibians known as caecilians may have lost their legs thanks to the same genetic tweaks that snakes have.

An analysis of the amphibians’ genomes suggests that caecilians and snakes – separated by hundreds of millions of years of evolution – converged on the same mutations when ditching their limbs. The findings provide insights into the genetic underpinnings of the evolution of limblessness.

The 200-some species of caecilian are totally limbless, and live secretive lives in tropical soils or waterways. They have small or nonexistent eyes and …