The Ghana worm lizard (Cynisca kraussi) is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to Ghana.[2]

Ghana worm lizard
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Amphisbaenidae
Genus: Cynisca
Species:
C. kraussi
Binomial name
Cynisca kraussi
(W. Peters, 1878)
Synonyms[2]
  • Amphisbaena kraussi
    W. Peters, 1878

Etymology

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The specific name, kraussi, is in honor of German naturalist Christian Ferdinand Friedrich von Krauss.[3]

Description

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C. kraussi has 208–226 body annuli, and 16–19 tail annuli. At midbody an annulus has 14–20 dorsal segments, and 12–16 ventral segments. There are eight precloacal pores, which are large and round.[2]

Geographic range

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C. kraussi is found in southeastern Ghana.[1][2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitat of C. kraussi is forest, at altitudes from sea level to 500 m (1,600 ft).[1]

Behavior

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C. kraussi is terrestrial and fossorial.[1]

Reproduction

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C. kraussi is oviparous.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Chirio, L. (2013). "Cynisca kraussi ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T174090A17217799. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T174090A17217799.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Cynisca kraussi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 24 February 2019.
  3. ^ Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Cynisca kraussi, p. 146).

Further reading

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  • Gans C (1987). "Studies on Amphisbaenians (Reptilia). 7. The Small Round-headed Species (Cynisca) from Western Africa". American Museum Novitates (2896): 1–84. (Cynisca kraussi, p. 43).
  • Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (289): 1–130. (Cynisca kraussi, p. 28).
  • Loveridge A (1948). "The Lizard Amphisbaena kraussi Rediscovered in the Gold Coast". Copeia 1948 (3): 213–214.
  • Peters W (1878). "Über zwei Scincoiden aus Australien und eine neue Amphisbaena von Westafrika". Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin 1878: 191–192. (Amphisbaena kraussi, new species). (in German).