Range

Despite their name the Mexican caecilian is not only found in Mexico. They can also be found throughout El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Habitat

They make their home in burrows which are dug through loose soil. Mexican caecilians create their burrow themselves. They may also live under leaf litter. Typically they live under forest cover.

Mexican caecilians have shown some adaptability to secondary habitats such as coffee plantations though do seem to require some cover.

Reproduction

Breeding takes place in May and June during the rainy season.

As an amphibian their reproduction involves the young going through a lifecycle with an egg and larval stage. In Mexican caecilians the egg and larval stages occur inside the mother and she gives birth to the young at the fully developed stage of the lifecycle.

While the young are developing inside mom they rely on secretions from the oviduct wall. To stimulate these the embryos use specialized fetal teeth to scrape the oviduct wall.

This leads to an extended gestation period with young being born after 11 months.

Each litter is made up of between three and sixteen young. At birth the young are well developed already measuring 10-15cm (4-6in) long.

Females mature at two years old and males at three years old.

Behavior

Most of their time is spent underground though at dusk they may come to the surface to forage.

Predators and Threats

Humans affect the population of the Mexican caecilian through habitat loss and changes in agriculture.

On occasion they are confused with snakes and killed.

They are captured in small numbers for the pet trade.