Ghana worm lizard

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

Etymology

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

Description

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.

Geographic range

C. kraussi is found in southeastern Ghana.

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of C. kraussi is forest, at altitudes from sea level to .

Behavior

C. kraussi is terrestrial and fossorial.

Reproduction

C. kraussi is oviparous.

References

Further reading

• 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).