Dalophia longicauda (Werner, 1915)

Pietersen, Darren W., Pietersen, Errol W. & Conradie, Werner, 2017, Preliminary herpetological survey of Ngonye Falls and surrounding regions in south-western Zambia, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 148) 11 (1), pp. 24-43 : 30

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13226803
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0389D162-7558-8B36-FF22-A791FE13FAAF
treatment provided by	Felipe (2024-07-03 21:03:25, last updated 2024-08-05 19:30:34)
scientific name	Dalophia longicauda (Werner, 1915)
status

Treatment

Dalophia longicauda (Werner, 1915) View in CoL

Long-tailed Worm Lizard

Photograph: VMUS 163523

A single individual ( Fig. 2c View Fig ) was found on the soil surface in the vicinity of Park Headquarters. It is uniform fleshpink in color with 326 dorsal and 37 caudal annuli, with the tail ending in a calloused pad. There is no constricted caudal autotomy site, and the dorsal caudal annuli form a “herring-bone” pattern. The cephalic shield consists of a single large plate, with lateral sulci. This individual is distinguished from D. angolensis and D. ellenbergeri by the absence of a constricted caudal autotomy site ( Broadley et al. 1976). It is further distinguished from both D. angolensis and D. pistillum by the high subcaudal counts (usually 20–27 caudal annuli in D. angolensis and 19–33 in D. pistillum ). It is distinguished from D. angolensis , D. ellenbergeri , and D. pistillum by the dorsal caudal annuli forming a “herring-bone” pattern ( Broadley et al. 1976). This represents the first record of this fossorial species in Zambia ( Branch 1998; Broadley 1971a; Broadley et al. 1976; Uetz et al. 2017).

References

Branch WR. 1998. Field Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town, South Africa. 368 p.

Broadley DG. 1971 a. The reptiles and amphibians of Zambia. The Puku 6: 1 - 143.

Broadley DG, Gans C, Visser J. 1976. Studies on amphisbaenians (Amphisbaenia, Reptilia) 6: The genera Monopeltis and Dalophia in southern Africa. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 157 (5): 313 - 485.

Uetz P, Freed P, Hosek J. (Editors). 2017. The Reptile Database. Available: http: // www. reptile-database. org [Accessed: 12 October 2017].

Figures

Fig. 2. Selection of amphibians and reptiles photographed in the vicinity of Ngonye Falls, south-western Zambia. (A) View of Ngonye Falls from the eastern side of the Zambezi River. (B) Mapacha Grass Frog (Ptychadena cf. mapacha, VMUS 5990), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (C) Long-tailed Worm Lizard (Dalophia longicauda), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters.(D) Zambezi Rough-scaled Lizard (Ichnotropis grandiceps, TM 86237), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (E) Barotse Blind Legless Skink (Acontias jappi, TM 86232), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters. (F) Eastern Black-lined Plated Lizard (Gerrhosaurus intermedius), Sioma Ngwezi National Park Headquarters.