they are mostly distributed in the tropics of south and central america, africa, and south asia. the diet of caecilians is not well known. they live in the moist, lower habitats. in south america they can be found well into the temperate north of argentina. they can be seen as far south as buenos aires, when they are carried by the flood waters of the paraná river coming from farther north. no studies have been made in central africa, but it is likely that caecilians are found in the tropical rainforests there. the northernmost distribution is of the species "ichthyophis sikkimensis" of northern india. in africa caecilians are found from guinea bissau ("geotrypetes") to northern zambia ("scolecomorphus"). in south-east asia the wallace line is not crossed, and they are not found in australia or the islands in between. "ichthyophis" is also found in south china and north-vietnam.