Munoa worm lizard
The Munoa worm lizard (Amphisbaena munoai) is a small species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae of the reptilian order Squamata.[1][2] The species is endemic to southern South America.
| Munoa worm lizard | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Amphisbaenidae |
| Genus: | Amphisbaena |
| Species: | A. munoai |
| Binomial name | |
| Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1960 | |
Etymology
The specific name, munoai, is in honor of Uruguayan zoologist Juan Ignacio Muñoa (1925–1960).[3]
Habitat and behavior
A. munoai can be found hiding under stones or decomposing bark.[2] Hiding under stones allows the amphisbaenian to raise its body temperature without exposing itself to predators.[2]
Diet
The main component of the diet of A. munoai consists of termites, but it also consumes various types of small insect larva.[2]
Reproduction
A. munoai has a seasonal reproductive cycle. Females are able to be fertilized between June and October while males display a high testicle volume during this period.[2] Females carry eggs from November to December and thus it is believed that copulation occurs from September to November.[2] The eggs of A. munoai are frequently found in ant nests.[2] Sexually mature males have a significantly smaller snout-vent length than sexually mature females.[2]
Geographic range
A. munoai can be found in the pampas biome of southern Brazil, a temperate climate, and in Uruguay.[1][2]
References
- Amphisbaena munoai at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 28 September 2015.
- Andrade, Denis V.; Nascimento, Luciana B.; Abe, Augusto S. (2006). "Habits hidden underground: a review on the reproduction of the Amphisbaenia with notes on four neotropical species". Amphibia-Reptilia. 27 (2): 207–217. doi:10.1163/156853806777239995.
- Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Amphisbaena munoai, p. 185).
Further reading
- Klappenbach, Miguel A. (1960). "Notas herpetológicas, I. Amphisbaena munoai n. sp. (Amphisbaenidae)". Comunicaciones Zoológicas del Museo de Historia Natural de Montevideo 4 (84): 3. (in Spanish).