Amphisbaena ridleyi
Encyclopedia
Amphisbaena ridleyi, known by the common names Ridley's worm lizard or the Noronha worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the genus Amphisbaena
that is endemic to the island of Fernando de Noronha
off the coast of Brazil
. It is one of two indigenous reptile
s on the island.
may have visited Fernando de Noronha in 1503. In an account of his voyage, the authenticity of which is doubtful, he records "some snakes" from the island. Although Amphisbaena ridleyi is not a snake
, the difference would be clear only to a herpetologist, and it is likely that Vespucci's men actually saw A. ridleyi. He also recorded "lizards with two tails" and "very big rats", which can be identified with Trachylepis atlantica and Noronhomys vespuccii.
In 1887, botanist Henry Nicholas Ridley
collected 16 specimens on Fernando de Noronha, which were deposited in the British Museum of Natural History
, and in 1890, George Albert Boulenger
officially described it as Amphisbaena ridleyi, naming it after Ridley. The generic
name Amphisbaena is a compound of two Greek
words: αμφις (amphis), meaning "both ways", and βαινειν (bainein), meaning "to go". This is in reference to the appearance of having a head on either end of its body, meaning the animal can "go either way". In 1945, a Lt. Finley acquired five individuals and in 1973, ornithologist Storrs L. Olson
collected 12 additional examples, which are now in the United States National Museum
.
This amphisbaenian is found on the island of Fernando de Noronha
, a small volcanic archipelago
in the equatorial South Atlantic 345 km off the northeastern Brazilian coast. It is common in suitable habitat; Olson reported that it could easily be found in forests by turning over stones. Malathronas mentions that they can be seen basking in the sun on Morro de Pico.
Amphisbaena ridleyi has a stout head with a broad snout, not set off from the neck. Most of the skull is solid bone, and they have a distinctive single median tooth in the upper jaw. They have no outer ears, and the eyes are deeply recessed and covered with skin and scales. The body is elongated, and the tail truncates in a manner that vaguely resembles the head. They lack legs but have remnants of the pelvic and pectoral girdles embedded within their body musculature. Their tail is only loosely attached to their bodies, and they move using an accordion-like motion, in which the skin moves and the body seemingly just drags along behind it. They are also able to effectively perform this locomotion in reverse.
, and has blunt, interlocking, teeth, meant for crushing their prey, primarily snail
s (Hyperaulax ridleyi
) but their diet includes other invertebrates. It is the only amphisbaenian known to have specializations for eating hard food such as snails. In periods of drought Amphisbaena ridleyi climbs the trunks of Mulungu tree
s to obtain nectar from the flowers.
Amphisbaena (genus)
Amphisbaena is a genus in the family Amphisbaenidae, commonly known as the worm lizards. There are over 40 species in this diverse genus.-Selected species:* Amphisbaena alba White Worm Lizard...
that is endemic to the island of Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010...
off the coast of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. It is one of two indigenous reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s on the island.
Taxonomy
Italian explorer Amerigo VespucciAmerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.-Expeditions:...
may have visited Fernando de Noronha in 1503. In an account of his voyage, the authenticity of which is doubtful, he records "some snakes" from the island. Although Amphisbaena ridleyi is not a snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
, the difference would be clear only to a herpetologist, and it is likely that Vespucci's men actually saw A. ridleyi. He also recorded "lizards with two tails" and "very big rats", which can be identified with Trachylepis atlantica and Noronhomys vespuccii.
In 1887, botanist Henry Nicholas Ridley
Henry Nicholas Ridley
Henry Nicholas Ridley CMG , MA , FRS, FLS, F.R.H.S. was an English botanist and geologist.Born at West Harling Hall, Norfolk, England...
collected 16 specimens on Fernando de Noronha, which were deposited in the British Museum of Natural History
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, and in 1890, George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
officially described it as Amphisbaena ridleyi, naming it after Ridley. The generic
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
name Amphisbaena is a compound of two Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
words: αμφις (amphis), meaning "both ways", and βαινειν (bainein), meaning "to go". This is in reference to the appearance of having a head on either end of its body, meaning the animal can "go either way". In 1945, a Lt. Finley acquired five individuals and in 1973, ornithologist Storrs L. Olson
Storrs L. Olson
Storrs Lovejoy Olson is an American biologist and ornithologist from the Smithsonian Institution. He is one of the world's foremost avian paleontologists....
collected 12 additional examples, which are now in the United States National Museum
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
Distribution
Fernando de Noronha
Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago of 21 islands and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, offshore from the Brazilian coast. The main island has an area of and had a population of 3,012 in the year 2010...
, a small volcanic archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
in the equatorial South Atlantic 345 km off the northeastern Brazilian coast. It is common in suitable habitat; Olson reported that it could easily be found in forests by turning over stones. Malathronas mentions that they can be seen basking in the sun on Morro de Pico.
Description
Despite a superficial resemblance to primitive snakes, amphisbaenians such as Amphisbaena ridleyi have features which distinguish them from other reptiles. Internally, their right lung is reduced in size to fit their narrow bodies, whereas in snakes, it is the left lung that is reduced in size. The typical length for this species is 250 millimetres (9.8 in).Amphisbaena ridleyi has a stout head with a broad snout, not set off from the neck. Most of the skull is solid bone, and they have a distinctive single median tooth in the upper jaw. They have no outer ears, and the eyes are deeply recessed and covered with skin and scales. The body is elongated, and the tail truncates in a manner that vaguely resembles the head. They lack legs but have remnants of the pelvic and pectoral girdles embedded within their body musculature. Their tail is only loosely attached to their bodies, and they move using an accordion-like motion, in which the skin moves and the body seemingly just drags along behind it. They are also able to effectively perform this locomotion in reverse.
Diet
Amphisbaena ridleyi is carnivorousCarnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, and has blunt, interlocking, teeth, meant for crushing their prey, primarily snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s (Hyperaulax ridleyi
Hyperaulax ridleyi
Hyperaulax ridleyi is a species of tropical air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Bulimulidae.Hyperaulax ridleyi is the type species of the genus Hyperaulax....
) but their diet includes other invertebrates. It is the only amphisbaenian known to have specializations for eating hard food such as snails. In periods of drought Amphisbaena ridleyi climbs the trunks of Mulungu tree
Erythrina mulungu
Erythrina mulungu is a Brazilian ornamental tree and medicinal plant native to the cerrado and caatinga ecoregions in Brazil , South America....
s to obtain nectar from the flowers.