# Cayenne caecilian (*Typhlonectes compressicauda*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/cayenne-caecilian  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The cayenne caecilian (Typhlonectes compressicauda) is an amphibian in the order Gymnophiona and the family Typhlonectidae. It is a small amphibian with an adult body mass of 600 g and a body length of up to 80 cm. This nocturnal invertivore feeds on arthropods and uses aquatic, fossorial and terrestrial microhabitats. It gives live birth with a litter size of 20, and the IUCN Red List classifies it as Least Concern, not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | 600 g |
| Length | up to 80 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Invertivore |
| Longest recorded lifespan | 4.9 years |
| Main food | arthropods |
| Habitat | forest, riverine, wetland |
| Young per litter or clutch | 20 |
| Reproduction | Live birth |
| Active | At night (nocturnal) |
| Lifestyle | Aquatic |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Amphibia
- order: Gymnophiona
- family: Typhlonectidae
- genus: Typhlonectes
- species: *Typhlonectes compressicauda* (Duméril & Bibron, 1841)

Synonyms: *Caecilia compressicauda*, *Coecilia compressicauda*, *Nectocaecilia ladigesi*, *Thyphlonectes compressicauda compressicauda*, *Typhlonectes anguillaformis*, *Typhlonectes compressicaudus*, *Typhlonectes cunhai*, *Typhlonectes obesus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the cayenne caecilian?

The cayenne caecilian is an amphibian in the order Gymnophiona and the family Typhlonectidae.

### How big is the cayenne caecilian?

It is a small amphibian with an adult body mass of 600 g and a body length of up to 80 cm.

### What does the cayenne caecilian eat?

It is an invertivore whose main foods are arthropods.

### Is the cayenne caecilian endangered?

No. The IUCN Red List classifies it as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

### How long does the cayenne caecilian live?

Its lifespan is up to 4.9 years.

### How does the cayenne caecilian reproduce?

It gives live birth, with a litter size of 20.

### What habitat does the cayenne caecilian use?

Its microhabitats are aquatic, fossorial and terrestrial, and it is nocturnal.

### Who named the cayenne caecilian?

Its scientific name, Typhlonectes compressicauda, is attributed to (Duméril & Bibron, 1841).

## Sources

- [AmphiBIO, a global database for amphibian ecological traits](https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4644424.v5), CC BY 4.0, v1. Oliveira, B.F., São-Pedro, V.A., Santos-Barrera, G., Penone, C. & Costa, G.C. (2017) AmphiBIO, a global database for amphibian ecological traits. Scientific Data 4: 170123. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2017.123. Data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4644424.v5
- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Cayenne caecilian (Typhlonectes compressicauda). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/cayenne-caecilian