Witte's worm lizard (''Monopeltis remaclei'') is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
amphisbaenian
Amphisbaenia (called amphisbaenians or worm lizards) is a group of usually legless squamates, comprising over 200 extant species. Amphisbaenians are characterized by their long bodies, the reduction or loss of the limbs, and rudimentary eyes. As ...
in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Amphisbaenidae
The Amphisbaenidae (common name: worm lizards) are a family of amphisbaenians, a group of limbless vertebrates.
Geographic range
Amphisbaenids occur in South America, some Caribbean islands, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa.
Taxonomy
One deep- ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to the
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
.
Etymology
The
specific name, ''remaclei'', is in honor of
David L. Remacle who collected the
holotype
A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...
.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Monopeltis remaclei'', p. 219).]
Reproduction
The
mode of reproduction of ''M. remaclei'' is unknown.
[
]
References
Further reading
* Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". ''Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History'' (289): 1–130. (''Monopeltis remaclei'', p. 37).
* de Witte G-F (1933). "''Description de deux amphisbaenides du Congo Belge'' ". ''Revue de Zoologie Africaine'' 23 (2): 168–171. (''Monopeltis remaclei'', new species). (in French).
*de Witte G-F, Laurent RF (1942). "''Contribution à la systématique de Amphisbaenidae du Congo belge'' ". ''Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines'' 36 (1): 67–86. (in French).
Monopeltis
Endemic fauna of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Reptiles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Reptiles described in 1933
Taxa named by Gaston-François de Witte
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