Hello And A Question

[Pitter]

I currently live in Colombia at 2100 meters in the western cordillera and this morning found this fellow on my patio. He´s about 60 cm long. Is he a leg less salamander?

 

[taherman]

Hi Pitter,

You have found a caecilian, actually not a salamander but a completely different order of amphibian. Though I am no expert on caecilians, you have found a terrestrial/burrowing species which spends most of its time in the soil and under leaf litter, probably feeding on earthworms and other invertebrates, and possibly small vertebrates given the substantial size of the animal you found.

You might want to check out www.gymnophiona.org or www.amphibiaweb.org for more information. Some other members here may be able to identify the species for you.

Congratulations on your neighbor, I am jealous!

-Tim

 

[Kaysie]

I second the jealousy! Nice caecilian!

 

[Pitter]

Thank you very much for the ID. A completely new animal for me.