(Siphonopidae)
South American Caecilians
Кільчасті черв'яги
The Siphonopids, small to medium sized (112 mm to 120 mm total length) caecilians, burrow in moist humid tropical forest floors of South America. They are distinguished by the following combination of characters: oviparity, imperforate stapes and lack of inner mandibular teeth. Species in this family may have forms of parental care but much remains unknown. Many species exhibit maternal dermatophagy, a reproductive behavior in which the young feed on a highly specialized lipid-rich outer layer of their mothers skin using a unique set of “fetal” multicuspid teeth (e.g., Microcaecilia dermatophaga, Siphonops annulatus).
They are the sister group to Dermophiidae, also of South America. Siphonopids are oviparous caecilians, meaning they lay eggs. They have imperforated stapes and no inner mandibular teeth. Like species of some other caecilian families, their skulls have relatively few bones, with those present being fused to form a solid ram to aid in burrowing through the soil. The mouth is recessed beneath the snout, and there is no tail.
(Luetkenotyphlus brasiliensis)
Sao Paulo Caecilian
Черв’яга сан-паульська
It is found in Misiones Province in northern Argentina and northwards to São Paulo state in Brazil; it likely occurs in adjacent Paraguay. It inhabits tropical and subtropical forests.
(Luetkenotyphlus fredi)
Its type locality is Mata do Ouvidor, a locality in Itapemirim, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. This region is a privately-owned semideciduous remnant of the Atlantic Forest.
The genus (Luetkenotyphlus) also includes: Insular caecilian (Luetkenotyphlus insulanus).
(Microcaecilia albiceps)
Tiny White Caecilian
Черв’яга білоголова
It is found in the Amazonian lowlands and slopes of the eastern Andes in Colombia (Caquetá and Putumayo Departments) and Ecuador (Napo Province). It occurs in tropical primary forests where it lives underground.
(Microcaecilia rabei)
Tiny Venezuelan Caecilian
Крихітна венесуельська черв'яга
It is known from Suriname and the Bolívar State in eastern Venezuela; it is likely to occur in intervening Guyana and adjacent Brazil. It inhabits tropical moist environments, especially lowland rainforests.
(Microcaecilia unicolor)
Tiny Cayenne Caecilian
Крихітна каєнська черв'яга
It is endemic to French Guiana. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, plantations, rural gardens, urban areas, and heavily degraded former forest.
(Microcaecilia taylori)
Tiny Taylor's Caecilian
Черв’яга Тейлора
It is known from two widely separated populations, one in southern Suriname and other one in Pará, Brazil, south of the Amazon River. Its natural habitats are primary tropical rainforest and forest islands in the savanna.
(Microcaecilia dermatophaga)
Angoulême Microcaecilia
It is currently known to occur in Angoulême in French Guiana. It has also been found in two other localities, one in the settlement of Saint Jean, and the other in Cascades Voltaires.
(Microcaecilia nicefori)
Honda Caecilian
It is endemic to Colombia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, and irrigated land.
(Microcaecilia marvaleewakeae)
Known specimens have been collected within the municipalities of Urucará and Oriximiná, in the states of Amazonas and Pará, Brazil, respectively. Specimens were all collected in forested areas at elevations of 50 to 160 m.
(Microcaecilia pricei)
It is endemic to Colombia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, and irrigated land.
(Microcaecilia butantan)
Butantan Microcaecilia
It is found in the State of Pará, Brazil, specifically in forests within the limits of Área de Proteção Amiental, Aramana, municipality of Belterra.
The genus (Microcaecilia) also includes: (Microcaecilia grandis), (Microcaecilia iwokramae), Commemorative Microcaecilia (Microcaecilia iyob), (Microcaecilia trombetas), Tiny Brazilian Caecilian (Microcaecilia supernumeraria), (Microcaecilia savagei), (Microcaecilia rochai).
(Siphonops annulatus)
Ringed Caecilian
Кільчаста черв'яга звичайна
It is widely distributed in central and northern South America, east of the Andes. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and heavily degraded former forest.
(Siphonops paulensis)
Boettger's Caecilian
Черв'яга паранська
It is found in northern Argentina, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil. It lives subterraneously in forests, savannas, shrublands, and grassland. It also adapts to anthropogenic disturbance and can even live in urban gardens.
(Siphonops hardyi)
Hardy's Caecilian
Черв’яга Харді
It is endemic to southeastern Brazil where it occurs in the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais, possibly wider. This species lives in soil and under leaf litter or stones in primary forest, plantations, and rural gardens.
The genus (Siphonops) also includes: Salvador caecilian (Siphonops leucoderus).
(Brasilotyphlus dubium)
It is endemic to the state of Roraima in northern Brazil. It inhabits rainforest.
The genus (Brasilotyphlus) also includes: Brazilian Caecilian (Brasilotyphlus braziliensis), (Brasilotyphlus guarantanus).
(Mimosiphonops reinhardti)
Reinhardt's Caecilian
Черв’яга Райнхардта
It is endemic to Brazil. It is only known from the holotype collected from “Brasilia” in 1878, probably somewhere in eastern Brazil.
The genus (Mimosiphonops) also includes: Worm-patterned caecilian (Mimosiphonops vermiculatus).
