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Creature Closeup: Aquatic Caecilian
If love is blind, then it makes sense that "caecilian" is Latin for "blind one." See why we're swooning for this endearing amphibian with a serious underbite.
September 15, 2023
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Aquatic caecilian (Typhlonectes natans)
Size: 18-22 inches
Range: Columbia, Venezuela, possibly Trinidad and Tobago
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical rivers, marshes, and lakes
IUCN Red List status: Least concern
It’s a worm! It’s a snake! No… It’s our aquatic caecilian! These amphibians are limbless and nearly blind, but their keen sense of smell and thick skull (no offense) are ideal for snuffling through sediment and slurping up prey. On today’s menu? Shrimp and bloodworms! *Chef’s kiss*
The three stages of caecilian snack time: Sniff, scarf, smile. All caecilian photos: Gayle Laird © California Academy of Sciences
Find it at the Academy
Our aquatic caecilian and Surinam toad habitat is between the rainforest exit and Amazon Flooded Forest Tunnel. View on our interactive map
