Tetradactylus ellenbergeri explained

Tetradactylus ellenbergeri, commonly known as Ellen's whip lizard and Ellenberger's long-tailed seps, is a species of lizard in the family Gerrhosauridae. The species is indigenous to Africa.

Etymology

The specific name, ellenbergeri, is in honor of Victor Ellenberger (1879–1972), who was an African-born Swiss missionary and naturalist.^[1]

Geographic range

T. ellenbergeri is found in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of T. ellenbergeri are savanna and grassland.

Description

T. ellenbergeri is a snake-like lizard. Its front legs are absent, and its back legs are reduced to minute spikes about 2 mm long. The tail is extremely long, more than three times the snout-to-vent length (SVL).^[2]

Behavior

T. ellenbergeri is terrestrial and diurnal.

Diet

T. ellenbergeri preys upon insects and other invertebrates.

Reproduction

T. ellenbergeri is oviparous.^[2]

Further reading

• Angel F (1922). "Sur un Lézard d'un genre nouveau de la famille des Gerrhosauridæ". Bulletin du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle 28: 150–152. (Paratetradactylus ellenbergeri, new species). (in French).
• 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. . (Tetradactylus ellenbergeri, pp. 181–182).
• Spawls S, Howell K, Hinkel H, Menegon M (2018). Field Guide to East African Reptiles, Second Edition. London: Bloomsbury Natural History. 624 pp. . (Tetradactylus ellenbergeri, p. 218).

Notes and References

1. [species:Bo Beolens|Beolens, Bo]
2. www.reptile-database.org.