Mertens' worm lizard
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.
The specific name, mertensii, is in honor of a Dr. Mertens who collected the holotype.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
A fossorial animal is one adapted to digging which lives primarily but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, ...
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starts withAmphisbaenians are fossorial reptiles with few predators due to their powerful bite and writhing defensive tactics. However, some snakes have been found feeding on amphisbaenians including A. mertensii. This species is also able to defend itself against dangerous predators such as snakes by releasing a foul discharge from its cloacal region.
A. mertensii is oviparous.