# Mexican caecilian (*Dermophis mexicanus*)

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

The mexican caecilian (Dermophis mexicanus), also called Tapalcua or Mexican burrowing caecilian, is an amphibian in the order Gymnophiona and the family Dermophiidae. It reaches a body length of up to 60 cm and has a lifespan of up to 13.8 years. Its microhabitat is listed as aquatic, fossorial, terrestrial, and it reproduces by live birth. The IUCN Red List assesses the mexican caecilian globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | up to 60 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Longest recorded lifespan | 13.8 years |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Reproduction | Live birth |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Amphibia
- order: Gymnophiona
- family: Dermophiidae
- genus: Dermophis
- species: *Dermophis mexicanus* (Duméril & Bibron, 1841)

Synonyms: *Amphisbaena versatilis*, *Dermophis eburatus*, *Dermophis mexicanus clarki*, *Dermophis mexicanus eburatus*, *Dermophis mexicanus mexicanus*, *Dermophis septentrionalis*, *Gymnophis clarkii*, *Siphonops mexicanus*

## Common questions

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

The mexican caecilian is an amphibian. It belongs to the order Gymnophiona and the family Dermophiidae.

### How big does the mexican caecilian get?

The mexican caecilian reaches a body length of up to 60 cm.

### How long does the mexican caecilian live?

The mexican caecilian has a lifespan of up to 13.8 years.

### Is the mexican caecilian endangered?

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

### How does the mexican caecilian reproduce?

The mexican caecilian reproduces by live birth.

### What is the mexican caecilian's microhabitat?

Its microhabitat is listed as aquatic, fossorial, terrestrial.

### Who named the mexican caecilian and when?

The scientific name Dermophis mexicanus is attributed to (Duméril & Bibron, 1841).

### What other names does the mexican caecilian have?

The mexican caecilian is also called Tapalcua and Mexican burrowing caecilian.

## 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: Mexican caecilian (Dermophis mexicanus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/mexican-caecilian