Van Dam's dwarf worm lizard (''Zygaspis vandami''), also known commonly as the sand-dwelling dwarf worm lizard and Van Dam's round-headed worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to southern Africa. There are two recognized

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''vandami'', is in honor of South African Herpetologist Gerhardus Petrus Frederick Van Dam (died 1927).

Geographic range

''Z. vandami'' is found in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of ''Z. vandami'' are sand, sandy-soils, and humus-rich soils.

Description

One of the smaller species in its genus, ''Z. vandami'' usually has a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of . The maximum recorded SVL is . It is uniformly dark purplish brown dorsally, and light purple ventrally. The chin and the anal area are white. Branch, Bill (2004). ''Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa''. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. . (''Zygaspis vandami'', p. 123 + Plate 100).

Behavior

A burrowing species, ''Z. vandami'' is usually found under logs and stones.

Reproduction

''Z. vandami'' is

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. *'' Zygaspis vandami arenicola'' *''Zygaspis vandami vandami'' '' Nota bene'': A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''

Zygaspis ''Zygaspis'' is a genus of Amphisbaenia, amphisbaenians in the Family (biology), family Amphisbaenidae. Species in the genus are commonly known as purple round-headed worm lizards, and are native to equatorial and southern Africa. Species The ge ...

''.

References

* Broadley DG, Broadley S (1997). "A revision of the African genus ''Zygaspis'' Cope (Reptilia: Amphisbaenia)". ''Syntarsus'' 4: 1–24. (''Zygaspis vandami arenicola'', new subspecies). * FitzSimons V (1930). "Descriptions of New South African Species of Reptilia and Batrachia, with Distribution Records of Allied Species in the Transvaal Museum Collection". ''Annals of the Transvaal Museum'' 14 (1): 20–48. (''Amphisbaena vandami'', new species, pp. 32–33, Figures 11–14). Zygaspis Reptiles of South Africa Endemic reptiles of South Africa Taxa named by Vivian Frederick Maynard FitzSimons Reptiles described in 1930 {{reptile-stub