Chthonerpeton is a genus of semiaquatic caecilian amphibians in the family Typhlonectidae. They occur in South America east of the Andes, with most species occurring along the Brazilian Atlantic coast.
With ten currently recognized species, Chthonerpeton is the most speciose genus within Typhlonectidae. Species are characterized by having several diagnostic traits, including small ovate external nares, tentacular apertures located at an intermediate position between the eye and naris, and unroofed tentacular grooves.
Phylogenetically, Chthonerpeton is often recovered as the sister taxon to all other typhlonectids and retains plesiomorphic features, such as a subcylindrical body and the absence of fins.
Species Chthonerpeton contains the following species: Chthonerpeton arii Cascon and Lima-Verde, 1994 Chthonerpeton braestrupi Taylor, 1968 Chthonerpeton exile Nussbaum and Wilkinson, 1987 Chthonerpeton indistinctum (Reinhardt and Lütken, 1862) Chthonerpeton markwilkinsoni Santos, Pineschi, and Zaher, 2025 Chthonerpeton noctinectes Silva, Britto-Pereira, and Caramaschi, 2003 Chthonerpeton onorei Nussbaum, 1986 Chthonerpeton perissodus Nussbaum and Wilkinson, 1987 Chthonerpeton tremembe Maciel, Leite, Silva-Leite, Leite, and Cascon, 2015 Chthonerpeton viviparum Parker and Wettstein, 1929
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