AmphibiaWeb - Dermophiidae
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(Translations may not be accurate.)

Dermophiidae

15 species in 4 genera

Commonly Called Neotropical and Tropical African Caecilians
Gymnopis multiplicata
Photo by Todd Pierson
(Click for family gallery)

These are generally robust, terrestrial caecilians, and like the others of their order, are legless, tailless with visible annuli. Some species, like those in Schistometopum, are completely eyeless; others have bony coverings over their eye, which are not visible exernally. Species vary in color from gray, bluish or purplish gray to bright yellow.

They are sister to Siphonopidae.

Written by AmphibiaWeb.

Notable Family Characteristics

  • Secondary annuli and annular scales
  • Viviparous
  • Fossorial
  • Generally confined to the wet tropics
  • Distribution in Africa, Central America, and South America
Dermophiidae Richness map

Cartography Credit: Zoe Yoo, UC Berkeley
Range maps sources: AmphibiaWeb, UC Berkeley, and IUCN RedList

Relevant Reference

Wilkinson, M., San Mauro, D., Sherratt, E., and Gower, D. J. 2011. A nine-family classification of caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona). Zootaxa 2874: 41-64.

Genus Dermophis (7 species)
Dermophis costaricense no account photos no sound/video
Dermophis glandulosus no account no photos no sound/video
Dermophis gracilior account no photos no sound/video
Dermophis mexicanus account photos no sound/video
Dermophis oaxacae account photos no sound/video
Dermophis occidentalis no account photos no sound/video
Dermophis parviceps account photos no sound/video

Genus Geotrypetes (3 species)
Geotrypetes angeli no account no photos no sound/video
Geotrypetes pseudoangeli no account no photos no sound/video
Geotrypetes seraphini account photos no sound/video

Genus Gymnopis (2 species)
Gymnopis multiplicata account photos no sound/video
Gymnopis syntrema account no photos no sound/video

Genus Schistometopum (3 species)
Schistometopum ephele account photos no sound/video
Schistometopum gregorii account photos no sound/video
Schistometopum thomense account photos no sound/video

Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: https://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed:

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