Leposternon kisteumacheri is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to Brazil.
Common names
Common names for L. kisteumacheri, in Brazilian Portuguese, include cobra-de-duas-cabeças (meaning "two-headed snake") and cobra-cega (meaning "blind snake").
Etymology
The specific name, kisteumacheri, is in honor of Brazilian herpetologist .
Description
Dorsally, L. kisteumacheri is bright yellow. Ventrally, it is grayish white. It has five series of large head shields. It lacks supraoculars, preoculars, and infraoculars. It has two precloacal pores.
Geographic range
L. kisteumacheri is found in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Minas Gerais.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat of L. kisteumacheri is forest with sandy soil.
Reproduction
L. kisteumacheri is oviparous.
References
Further reading
- Gans C (2005). "Checklist and Bibliography of the Amphisbaenia of the World". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (289): 1âÂÂ130. (Leposternon kisteumacheri, p. 32).
- , (2009). "Molecular phylogenetics reveals extreme morphological homoplasy in Brazilian worm lizards challenging current taxonomy". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 51 (2): 190âÂÂ200. (Amphisbaena kisteumacheri, new combination).
- , , Caramaschi U (2000). "A new species of Leposternon Wagler, 1824 from Minas Gerais, Brazil, with a key to the species of the genus (Amphisbaenia, Amphibaenidae)". Boletim do Museo Nacional, Nova Séria, Zoologia (Rio de Janeiro) (412): 1âÂÂ10. (Leposternon kisteumacheri, new species).