Body length 45–55 cm. The rear end of the body of the worm is compressed laterally, which helps it swim. The color is grayish-pink with a light brown and beige hue. The dorsal side is noticeably darker than the abdominal. Sexual dimorphism is not expressed.
It lives in the north-west of South America : in the basins of the Magdalena and Cauca rivers in northern and western Colombia , as well as in the basin of Lake Maracaibo and its environs in north-western Venezuela . It may also be found in the Orinoco River Basin and Trinidad , but this requires confirmation. Distributed to an altitude of 1000 m above sea level .
A water animal that lives in rivers , lakes and swamps, usually in open areas, is only rarely found on land. Rarely rises to the surface of the water behind the air, as it breathes mainly in the skin. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle . In habitats it is quite common, the total number of species in nature is supposedly quite high. Extremely resistant to significant pollution and destruction of habitats, which often occurs within its range , can live in contaminated water bodies. Often found near fishing villages where it feeds on fish entrails. In nature, it feeds on invertebrates: insects , spiders and worms .
The wide-headed worm is a viviparous amphibian . Pregnancy lasts 6-7 months, in a litter from 2 to 11 cubs (usually from 3 to 7), which gives birth in water. The length of young worms at birth is 5-6 cm. Newborn cubs are fully developed and have large external gills. At the age of only one year, they reach a size of 25 cm, that is, almost half the length of adult worms.
A popular domestic amphibian is quite common in the international pet market, which, however, does not present a threat to this species. In captivity, the wide-headed worm is kept in aquariums and aquaterrariums with a volume of 200 l (120 × 40 × 50 cm) for several adults at a water temperature of + 24 ... + 30 ° C. Some authors consider this volume to be minimal for optimal conditions for keeping one worm. The depth of water in the aquarium is at least 30 cm, the thickness of the soil layer is about 20 cm. Worms like to dig into the ground and often sleep there. Particles of soil should not be sharp, as the animal can be easily injured. Artificial caves and other objects are placed in aquariums, inside or under which worms will hide. Especially for young animals, the presence of aquatic plants is important, for which they cling and which serve as their shelter. Despite the fact that the wide-headed worm is a fairly hardy animal, the water should be soft, clean and well aerated, for which powerful filters and compressors are installed in the aquariums. The pH of the water is adjusted to 6.5-6.6, softening it with peat . To prevent worms from crawling out of the aquarium, it must be covered with a securely fixed lid. They are fed with earthworms (such as Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrobena ), fresh and dried tubuleworms , flour worms , Zophobas beetle larvae , live and frozen bloodworms , other insect water larvae, live and dried small shrimps, Artemia crustaceans, freshwater mollusk, or their meat fresh or frozen fish, slices of lean beef . Preference should be given to live feed. For a long time, the worm can do without food. Cubs are fed with the same types of food, only in smaller fractions. Despite the fact that it is very difficult (almost impossible) to determine the sex of the worms, they are still often bred in captivity. Often a wide-headed worm is kept together with other aquarium animals - fish, frogs, etc., and not only large, but small, if they are sufficiently mobile and can evade the worm, which is almost blind and seeks food using its sense of smell and taste. However, sick and dying, as well as small bottom fish, can become its prey. She successfully finds earthworms even in the thickness of the soil thanks to well-developed organs of chemical senses.
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A wide-headed worm in an aquarium |
