De Coster's worm lizard explained

De Coster's worm lizard (Monopeltis decosteri), also known commonly as De Coster's spade-snouted worm lizard and De Coster's worm-lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is indigenous to southern Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, decosteri, is in honor of Belgian Consul Juste De Coster, who was stationed at Delagoa Bay, Mozambique.^[1]

Geographic range

M. decosteri is found in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of M. decosteri is moist savanna with sandy soil.

Description

In life M. decosteri is pinkish white dorsally and ventrally. Preserved specimens in alcohol are yellowish white.^[2] Adults usually have a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 20–, but the maximum recorded SVL is 29cm (11inches).^[3]

Reproduction

M. decosteri is viviparous.^[3]

Further reading

• Bates MF, Branch WR, Bauer AM, Burger M, Marais J, Alexander GJ, de Villiers MS (editors) (2014). Atlas and Red List of the Reptiles of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Suricata 1. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). xvii + 485 pp. . (Monopeltis decoster, p. 153).
• Boulenger GA (1910). "A Revised List of the South African Reptiles and Batrachians, with Synoptic Tables, special reference to the specimens in the South African Museum, and Descriptions of New Species". Annals of the South African Museum 5: 455–538. (Monopeltis decosteri, new species, p. 495).
• Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (289): 1–130. (Monopeltis decosteri, p. 35).

Notes and References

1. [species:Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]
2. [George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]
3. [William Roy Branch|Branch, Bill]