Abstract

ASSIS, Clodoaldo L.; MENDONCA, Lucas R.; FEIO, Renato N.  and  COSTA, Henrique C.. Amphisbaena mertensii (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae): Notes on natural history, distribution, and morphology. Caldasia [online]. 2022, vol.44, n.3, pp.653-660.  Epub June 06, 2024. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v44n3.91800.

Amphisbaena mertensii is a worm lizard species from South America. Because of its subterranean lifestyle, data on its biology are scarce. In this paper, we present the first record of A. mertensii as prey of a bird, the wood rail Aramides cajaneus. We also review the geographic range of this species, reporting it for 114 localities from west-central Brazil to northeastern Argentina. We update the range of precloacal pores in A. mertensii from 5-8 to 4-8, and report the largest individual of this species with a 458 mm snout-vent length.

Keywords : Amphisbaenia; geographic range; predation; maximum size; worm lizard.

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