Common Name: Cayenne caecilian
Scientific Name: Typhlonectes compressicauda
Family: Typhlonectidae
Location: Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela
Size: Around 20 inches or 523 mm
The Cayenne Caecilian lives in permanent rivers and marshes in the lowland forests of South America. Like most species of the family Typhlonectidae, it is fully aquatic. Like all caecilians, the Cayenne Caecilian lacks any arms or legs.
During the day, the Cayenne Caecilian hides in it’s mud burrows and then come out at night to hunt. They hunt for aquatic invertebrates but often eat dead fish found in permanent fishing nets. If the caecilian is attacked while hunting, they can produce mucus to hopefully scare off the predators.
The Cayenne Caecilian likes to breed during the rainy season like most amphibians do. Fertilization is internal for the Cayenne Caecilian and for all caecilians. They are viviparous and give birth to live baby caecilians.
Just wanted to say thanks for doing these posts! They are always really informative and show a little bit more of the world of amphibians 🙂