Typhlonectes ID / Question

How do you tell the difference between T. natans and T. compressicauda, and are there any significant differences in their care?

Second question, substrate for Typhlonectes: yes or no, and if yes, what?

Ta,

There are several differences in internal anatomy, tooth patterns/counts, etc. but the quickest way to differentiate is by cloacal denticulations. I'll try to dig up the reference for you and maybe try to draw a picture for you. It's easy to differentiate them.

There's probably no significant difference in care since they essentially occupy the same niche (only in different geographical regions), but then again, no one I know has ever had confirmed compressicauda so it's only guessing.

I use sand or fine gravel substrate for my animals, but it's not necessary. They seem to settle down though if you give them some sort of cave/hide to coil in/around. I've had some individuals in the past that would bury themseleves completely at all times.

(Message edited by nate on August 05, 2005)

Hi Alan,
According to Mark Wilkinson there have been no importations of compressicauda into the USA or Europe...
I have had a hard time getting them to sit still long enough to ensure the id (how do you do it Nate? we had to sedate them to get good consistant counts).

other than that I would agree with everything Nate said.

Ed

Thanks guys. "T. compressicauda" is presently being offered in the UK, but I suspect they are T.natans.

As far as substrate is concerned, I have heard arguments in favour in that it helps shedding. I presently have fine gravel, but since I'm worried about ingestion, I would either switch over to sand or just plain glass and leaves/peat. ?

Ed: I place the caecilian on a pane of glass and then cover it with a an opaque, plastic tray approximately 1cm deep. I then hold up the glass and look from underneath with a bright light. Sure, the caecilian still moves around, but you can see the denticulations well enough during the pauses.

Alan: I've got mine on fine gravel presently and I've never seen them come close to ingesting it. Even if they did, I suspect they'd pass it with no problems. It certainly does help shedding to have an object or objects in the tank that make for a tight squeeze should the caecilian want to pass by them.

Thanks again. Perhaps I'll go with the gravel then.

Photo tip:
A sheet of glass and a piece of damp foam rubber is a great help in photographing the ventral surface of amphibians!

Hi alan long time no speak, i've got mine on fine sand which they spend almost all their time buried in that or wrapped around a piece of bogwood. The sand is covered with beech leaves as well to help soften the water. A lot of the current imported females are gravid as usual and through my own trial and error proscess i've come to the conclusion that water softness is important for successful birthing! that is i've lost three now all the same way and the only abnormal parameter is the water hardness which seems to be staying quite high even though i've got the pH down to 6.5. So take care. oh and also if you come across potomotyphlus don't mix them, male Typhlonectes are quite capable of delivering mortal bites to the more slender Kaupii another of my discoveries!
Ben