Monopeltis anchietae

Monopeltis anchietae

Anchieta's worm lizard, Anchieta's spade-snouted worm lizard, Angolan spade-snouted worm lizard

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SPECIES
Monopeltis anchietae

Monopeltis anchietae, also known commonly as Anchieta's worm lizard, Anchieta's spade-snouted worm lizard, and the Angolan spade-snouted worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to southern Africa.

Animal name origin

The specific name, anchietae, is in honor of Portuguese naturalist José Alberto de Oliveira Anchieta, who was an explorer of Africa.

Appearance

M. anchietae is reddish brown dorsally, and unpigmented ventrally. The head shields are yellowish tan. Adults usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 20–30 cm (7.9–11.8 in). The maximum recorded SVL is 34.5 cm (13.6 in).

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

M. anchietae is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia (including the Caprivi Strip), and Zambia.

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The preferred natural habitat of M. anchietae is savanna, at altitudes of 500–1,200 m (1,600–3,900 ft).

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Monopeltis anchietae habitat map

Biome

Monopeltis anchietae habitat map

Mating Habits

M. anchietae is viviparous.

References

1. Monopeltis anchietae Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopeltis_anchietae
2. Monopeltis anchietae on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/176243/120630562

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