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Mexican Burrowing Caecilian
Dermophis mexicanus
A massive terrestrial burrowing caecilian from Central America. Typically dark grey or purplish-brown with lighter grey annuli. An expert burrower and voracious earthworm predator.
Class:Amphibia
Order:Gymnophiona
Family:Dermophiidae
Genus:Dermophis
Species:Dermophis mexicanus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
80 - 90 %
Day temperature
25 - 28 °C
Night temperature
20 - 24 °C
Ambient temperature
25 - 28 °C
Minimum enclosure
>= 45 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: A cryptic, strictly terrestrial and fossorial species endemic to the moist tropical forests, soft soils, and coffee or banana plantations of Central America (from Mexico to Panama). The Mexican caecilian lives deep underground, avoiding direct sunlight.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belongs to the Gymnophiona order (caecilians). Commonly known as the Mexican caecilian or Tapalcua. Unlike many other amphibians, it is completely limbless, has primitive vision, and exhibits viviparity, with females giving birth to fully formed young after an 11-month gestation period.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly fossorial and nocturnal. They spend months burrowed deep in loose soil or rotting leaf litter. They emerge at night, particularly during heavy tropical rains, to hunt for earthworms, snails, and other soil invertebrates.
Morphology: Large, worm-like body reaching 40–60 cm in length. The skin is smooth, thick, and highly grooved with distinct rings (annuli). Coloration is lead-grey, dark grey, or purplish-brown on the back, with a noticeably lighter, whitish belly. Eyes are tiny, vestigial, and covered by skin. They possess sensory tentacles near the nostrils for chemical detection.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a horizontal terrarium with ample floor space (at least 80x45x30 cm). Provide a very deep, loose, and burrowable substrate (at least 20–25 cm) composed of peat moss, organic soil, and damp coconut fiber. Do not include deep water bowls, as they cannot swim and may drown.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures warm and stable between 25–28°C. Cold temperatures are lethal. Use a lateral heating mat connected to a thermostat rather than heating from below to prevent substrate desiccation. UVB lighting is not required due to their underground lifestyle. Maintain a night drop to 20–24°C.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity of 80–90%. The substrate must remain damp but not soggy or waterlogged, which causes skin infections and suffocation of burrow tunnels. Perform deep watering of the soil periodically to simulate tropical rains.
Feeding and Supplementation: Strictly carnivorous. Feed primarily with large earthworms, snails, and large roaches. Dust prey with calcium and vitamin supplements once or twice a week to prevent metabolic bone disease and support skeletal health.
Compatibility: Highly tolerant and peaceful. Can be housed in groups or harems. Do not mix with other species (frogs, snakes, or other amphibians) to avoid stress or predation.
Health and Common Diseases: Extremely sensitive to chemical residues, pesticides, and chlorine in water. Susceptible to ammonia toxicity and fungal skin infections if the substrate is dirty or poorly ventilated. Avoid handling with bare hands as skin oils and salts can damage their sensitive skin; they can also secrete mild skin toxins when stressed.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
A cryptic, strictly terrestrial and fossorial species endemic to the moist tropical forests, soft soils, and coffee or banana plantations of Central America (from Mexico to Panama). The Mexican caecilian lives deep underground, avoiding direct sunlight.
Origin
Central America and CaribbeanAfrica and Madagascar
Amphibian profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 60 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Toxicity
- No verified data available
- Life stage
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 60 cm. The AmphiBIO v1 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 60 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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