Amphisbaena mertensii

Amphisbaena mertensii
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Clade:	Amphisbaenia
Family:	Amphisbaenidae
Genus:	Amphisbaena
Species:	A. mertensii
Binomial name
Amphisbaena mertensii Strauch, 1881
Synonyms [2]
Amphisbaena Mertensii Strauch, 1881 Amphisbaena bohlsii Boulenger, 1894 Amphisbaena mattogrossensis Peracca, 1898 Amphisbaena carrucci Masi, 1911 Amphisbaena boulengeri Masi, 1911 Amphisbaena albissima Amaral, 1932 Amphisbaena mertensi — Cei, 1993 Amphisbaena mertensii — Gans, 2005

Amphisbaena mertensii, also known as the Mertens' worm lizard or Mertens's worm lizard, is a species of worm lizard in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to South America.

Defensive behavior

Amphisbaenians are fossorial reptiles with few predators due to their powerful bite and writhing defensive tactics. ^[3] However, some snakes have been found feeding on amphisbaenians including A. mertensii. ^[3] This species is also able to defend itself against dangerous predators such as snakes by releasing a foul discharge from its cloacal region. ^[3]

Etymology

The specific name, mertensii, is in honor of a Dr. Mertens who collected the holotype. ^{[4] [5]}

Geographic range

A. mertensii is found in northern Argentina, southeastern Brazil, and eastern Paraguay. ^[2]

Reproduction

A. mertensii is oviparous. ^[2]

See also

• List of reptiles of Brazil

References

1. Montero, R. (2019). "Amphisbaena mertensii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T56039194A56039199. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T56039194A56039199.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Species Amphisbaena mertensii at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
3. Barbo, Fausto Errito & Marques, Otavio A. V. (2003). "Do aglyphous colubrid snakes prey on live amphisbaenids able to bite?". Phyllomedusa. 2 (2): 113–114. doi: 10.11606/issn.2316-9079.v2i2p113-114 .
4. Strauch A (1881). " Bemerkungen über die Eidechsenfamilie der Amphisbaeniden ". Mélange biologiques tirés du Bulletin physico-mathématique de l'Académie des Sciences de Saint-Pétersburg11: 355-479. (Amphisbaena mertensii, new species, p. 385). (Reprinted from Bulletin de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg28: 45-131). (in German).
5. Gans, Carl (1966). "Redescription of Amphisbaena mertensi Strauch, with comments on its geographic variation and synonymy (Amphisbaenia: Reptilia)". Copeia. 1966 (3): 534–548. doi:10.2307/1441079. JSTOR   1441079.

Further reading

• Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume II. ... Amphisbænidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 497 pp. + Plates I-XXIV. (Amphisbæna mertensii, p. 441).
• Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (289): 1–130. (Amphisbaena mertensii, p. 17.)