Amphisbaena fuliginosa

Amphisbaena fuliginosa
	Museum specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Amphisbaenidae
Genus:	Amphisbaena
Species:	A. fuliginosa
Binomial name
	Amphisbaena fuliginosa; Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms [1]
	Amphisbaena vulgaris Laurenti, 1768; Amphisbaena magnifica Laurenti, 1768; Amphisbaena flava Laurenti, 1768; Amphisbaena americana Gray, 1844;

Amphisbaena fuliginosa, also known as the black-and-white worm lizard, speckled worm lizard or spotted worm lizard,^[2] is a species of amphisbaenian in the genus Amphisbaena. The ecology of A. fuliginosa is poorly known due to its fossorial habits.^[3] However, this species can be easily distinguished from others because of its characteristic white and black mosaic pattern that covers both the dorsal and ventral side.^[3]

Geographic range

It is found in northern South America including the island of Trinidad, and southwards to the Brazilian Cerrado biome.^[3] The southernmost areas of the Brazilian Cerrado where A. fuliginosa is found is Minas Gerais, and Goiás.^[3]

Description

A. fuliginosa grows to a total length (body + tail) of 30–45 centimetres (12–18 in).

Habitat

It inhabits Amazonian forest areas.^[3]

Behavior and diet

It is a burrowing nocturnal species and spends most of its time underground. A. fuliginosa will feed on any small invertebrate, or insect, that it can find while burrowing. When it finds its prey it will use its strong jaws to catch and kill it.

Reproduction

This species is oviparous.

References

↑ "Amphisbaena fuliginosa Linnaeus, 1758". The Reptile Database. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
↑ M. Wrobel (2004). "Amphisbaena fuliginosa". Elsevier's Dictionary of Reptiles: in Latin, English, German, French and Italian. London: Elsevier. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-444-51499-8.
1 2 3 4 5 Paulo Nogueira-Costa; Flávia Vieira de Oliveira Aguiar; Guilherme Ramos da Silva; Mariana Campelo Afonso; José Thiago Barbosa Baldine & Marcos Ferreira Venâncio (2013). "Reptilia, Squamata, Amphisbaenidae, Amphisbaena fuliginosa wiedi Vanzolini, 1951: distribution extension" (PDF). CheckList. 9 (1): 167–168.

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[1] "Amphisbaena fuliginosa Linnaeus, 1758". The Reptile Database. Retrieved December 3, 2013.

[2] M. Wrobel (2004). "Amphisbaena fuliginosa". Elsevier's Dictionary of Reptiles: in Latin, English, German, French and Italian. London: Elsevier. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-444-51499-8.

[Nogueira-Costa-3] 1 2 3 4 5 Paulo Nogueira-Costa; Flávia Vieira de Oliveira Aguiar; Guilherme Ramos da Silva; Mariana Campelo Afonso; José Thiago Barbosa Baldine & Marcos Ferreira Venâncio (2013). "Reptilia, Squamata, Amphisbaenidae, Amphisbaena fuliginosa wiedi Vanzolini, 1951: distribution extension" (PDF). CheckList. 9 (1): 167–168.