Flower's blind lizard (Dibamus floweri) is a legless lizard endemic to peninsular Malaysia. It is between 8–13 cm (3.1–5.1 in) long and is gray-brown in color with a lighter ventral surface and a silver-gray band. It burrows beneath rocks, leaf-litter and rotting logs.
| Flower's blind lizard | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Dibamidae |
| Genus: | Dibamus |
| Species: | D. floweri
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| Binomial name | |
| Dibamus floweri Quah, Anuar, Grismer & Grassby-Lewis, 2017
| |
Description
editFlowers's blind lizard is a legless lizard with a wormlike body and smooth scales. Its snout is rounded, the eyes are covered by scales, and it lacks external ear openings. It is gray-brown in color with a lighter ventral surface and a wide silver-gray band.[1]
There are a few differences between the sexes, such as males being approximately 13 cm (5.1 in) long and females being approximately 8 cm (3.1 in) long and males having a larger number of scales. The main external difference is the absence of two short, flattened hindlimbs in females.[1]
Distribution and habitat
editFlower's blind lizard has so far only been found on Mount Korbu, on Fraser's Hill, Malaysia[2] between heights of 1,207 and 1,500m. It can be found burrowing beneath rotting logs, leaf-litter and rocks.[1]
Taxonomy and etymology
editFlower's blind lizard was named in honour of Major Stanley Smyth Flower. It was first described in 2017. The holotype was discovered while digging through leaf litter.[1] It was the 23rd species of Dibamus that was discovered,[3] and the first montane species of Dibamus.[1]
Behavior
editWhen threatened Flower's blind lizard will flare up the scales on its body, so it appears to be covered in bristles. This might be an attempt to look similar to inedible earthworms.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Quah, Evan S. H.; Shahrul Anuar, M. S.; Grismer, L. Lee; Grassby-Lewis, Rupert (17 November 2017). "A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from a hill station in Peninsular Malaysia" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 65: 681–690.
- ^ Chan, Kin Onn; Muin, Mohd Abdul; Anuar, Shahrul; Andam, Joel; Razak, Norazlinda; Aziz, Mohd Azizol (2019-12-06). "First checklist on the amphibians and reptiles of Mount Korbu, the second highest peak in Peninsular Malaysia". Check List. 15 (6): 1055–1069. doi:10.15560/15.6.1055.
- ^ Koppetsch, Thore; Böhme, Wolfgang; Koch, André (2019-02-14). "A new species of Dibamus Duméril & Bibron, 1839 (Squamata: Dibamidae) from Pulau Manado Tua, Northern Sulawesi, Indonesia". Zootaxa. 4555 (3): 331–345. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4555.3.3. PMID 30790920. S2CID 73469225.