Herpele Explained

Herpele is a genus of caecilians in the family Herpelidae. They are endemic to Central and Western Africa (from southeastern Nigeria east to western Central African Republic and south to western Democratic Republic of the Congo, possibly to Angola).^[1]

At least Herpele squalostoma is probably oviparous and provides parental care: the young feed on their mother's skin (they are "dermatophagous").^[2]

Species

There are two recognized species:^[1]

Binomial name and authority	Common name
Herpele multiplicata	Victoria caecilian
Herpele squalostoma	Congo caecilian

Notes and References

1. Web site: Herpele Peters, 1880 . Frost, Darrel R. . 2013 . Amphibian Species of the World 5.6, an Online Reference . American Museum of Natural History . 13 January 2014.
2. Kouete . M. T. . Wilkinson . M. . Gower . D. J. . First reproductive observations for Herpele Peters, 1880 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Herpelidae): evidence of extended parental care and maternal dermatophagy in H. squalostoma (Stutchbury, 1836) . 10.5402/2012/269690 . ISRN Zoology . 2012 . 269690. 2012 . free .