Herpele squalostoma | |
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Female (36 cm (14 in) long) with young | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Family: | Herpelidae |
Genus: | Herpele |
Species: | H. squalostoma |
Binomial name | |
Herpele squalostoma (Stuchbury, 1836) |
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Synonyms | |
Caecilia squalostoma Stutchbury, 1836 |
Caecilia squalostoma Stutchbury, 1836
Herpele squalostoma is a species of amphibian in the Herpelidae family. It is also known by the common name Congo caecilian. It is found in Central and Western Africa (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, and possibly Angola). Its natural habitats are tropical moist lowland forests, plantations, rural gardens, and heavily degraded former forest.
Herpele squalostoma is probably oviparous and provides parental care: the young feed on their mother's skin (they are "dermatophagous").