Hi Nate,
While Typhlonectes are not listed on the CITES etc, they are illegal to export out of Columbia at this time. The issue comes about with USF&W's position that they enforce all other countries laws about exporting wildlife into the USA under the LACY Act. If animal or wildlife product is illegally exported from the country of origin into the USA (see below), then it and all of its offspring are illegal under the LACY Act.
With regards to Typhlonectes, the question that should be asked of USF&W is, if the caecilian was exported in violation of the country of origin's laws into the USA, is it legal to sell, or own the caecilian. For example with the exception of farmed boas and iguana's and tropical fish it is illegal to export any animals from Columbia without special collection permits. As the caecilians are sold as a species of tropical fish without those special permits this violates the Columbian laws and has resulted in confiscations of Typhlonectes in the past..
(See Dr. Wake's comments in Captive Management and Conservation of Amphibians and Reptiles). If you contact the Columbian authorities, you would find that they have not granted permits for thier export.
If you read the LACY act you will find the following snip "Today, the Lacey Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, buy, or possess fish, wildlife, or plants taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any federal, state, foreign, or Native American tribal law, treaty, or regulation."endsnip (from
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/news/2000/2000-98.htm ). As the caecilians are exported in violation of a foreign law they are illegal.
In addition, the importation of Typhlonectes into the USA as a type of fish is technically a violation of the LACY Act...
The correct question to ask with respect to thier legality is as I stated above.. simply asking them if they are illegal won't get the correct answer and could be potentially an issue if someone points out what Dr. Wake etc have told them or the goverment of Columbia starts to make a fuss about it like Brazil is currently doing over the illegal dendrobatids in the pet trade....
I suspect that given the current administration's policies, this will not be addressed however I would not be surprised to see a different administration place a higher emphasis on illegal central and south american animals/products due to the fuss being made by our southern neighbors...
Ed