Western Congo worm lizard

The Western Congo worm lizard (Monopeltis guentheri) is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[2]

Western Congo worm lizard
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertoidea
Clade:	Amphisbaenia
Family:	Amphisbaenidae
Genus:	Monopeltis
Species:	M. guentheri
Binomial name
Monopeltis guentheri Boulenger, 1885
Synonyms[2]
Monopeltis guentheri Boulenger, 1885 Monopeltis boulengeri Boettger, 1887 Monopeltis güntheri — de Witte, 1954 Monopeltis guentheri — Broadley, 1998

Etymology

The specific name, guentheri, is in honor of German-born British herpetologist Albert Günther.^[3]

Geographic range

M. guentheri is found in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of M. guentheri is forest.^[4]

Description

M. guentheri may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 25 cm (9.8 in), with a tail length of 3 cm (1.2 in). It has 250–254 annuli on the body.^[5]

Reproduction

The mode of reproduction of M. guentheri is unknown.^[2]