AMPHIBIA: APODA: TYPHLONECTIDAE: Typhlonectes

Typhlonectes compressicauda Author and date

Rubber caecilian

Photos by Dr. Robert Sprackland.

Range:

Diagnosis:

Description:

Natural History: Rubber caecilians are primarily aquatic, living in slow-moving bodies of fresh water. They actively forage for live foods, including worms, insect nymphs, and tadpoles.

Reproduction: Two to six live caecilians are produced per year. The young are miniatures of the adults, and lack external gills.

Taxonomy & Relationships:

Variation: Virtually none.

Additional Comments: This species is frequently offered for sale in pet shops as "rubber eels." They can do well in a community aquarium, but are excellent escape artists. Aquaria must have very secure lids to keep caecilians in!

Type Specimen:

Literature:

Hofricher, Robert (editor). 2000. Amphibians: the world of frogs, toads, salamanders and newts. Firefly Books. ISBN: 1-55209-541-X.

Sprackland, Robert. 1991. The eels that aren’t: caecilians. Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Feb.: 132-136.

Sprackland, Robert. 1982. Typhlonectes compressicaudus (aquatic caecilian) reproduction. Herpetological Review 13(3):18.

Taylor, E. H. 1968. The caecilians of the world. University of Kansas Press, Lawrence.

Wallays, Henk. 2000. Raising captive-born caecilians. Reptile and Amphibian Hobbyist 5(9):60-64.