{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "caecilian",
  "name": "Caecilian",
  "scientificName": "Gymnophiona",
  "category": "Amphibian",
  "summary": "Caecilians are a group of limbless, worm-like amphibians that live mostly hidden in damp soil and leaf litter across the tropics of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They range from a few centimeters to over 1.5 m (5 ft) long, have tiny or skin-covered eyes, and rely on a pair of sensory tentacles to find prey underground. Long-lived for amphibians, some caecilians survive well over a decade.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Amphibia",
    "order": "Gymnophiona",
    "family": null,
    "genus": null
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 0.1,
    "lengthM": 0.4,
    "topSpeedKmh": 2,
    "lifespanYears": 12
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Gymnophiona"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore (worms, insects, small invertebrates)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Damp soil and leaf litter in the tropics"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Often more than a decade"
    },
    {
      "label": "Length",
      "value": "From a few cm up to 1.5 m (5 ft)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Varies by species"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Damp soil and leaf litter across the wet tropics of Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Gymnophiona.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Gymnophiona&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Caecilian.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caecilian"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/caecilian/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/caecilian/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}