''Monopeltis'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

amphisbaenia Amphisbaenia (called amphisbaenians or worm lizards) is a group of typically legless lizards, comprising over 200 extant species. Amphisbaenians are characterized by their long bodies, the reduction or loss of the limbs, and rudimentary eyes. A ...

ns in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Amphisbaenidae The Amphisbaenidae (common name: worm lizards) are a Family (biology), family of amphisbaenians, a group of limbless vertebrates. There are 12 genera, containing 183 species. Geographic range Amphisbaenids occur in South America, some Caribbean ...

Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

in the genus are commonly known as worm lizards, even though they are not

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

s. The genus is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to southern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

. 20

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are placed in this genus.

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid. *''

Monopeltis adercae The Lualaba worm lizard (''Monopeltis adercae'') is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Etymology The specific name, ''adercae'', is in honor of Bernard Max Ad ...

'' – Lualaba worm lizard *''

Monopeltis anchietae ''Monopeltis anchietae'', also known commonly as Anchieta's worm lizard, Anchieta's spade-snouted worm lizard, and the Angolan spade-snouted worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to southe ...

'' – Angolan spade-snouted worm lizard, Anchieta's worm lizard *''

Monopeltis capensis ''Monopeltis capensis'', also known commonly as the Cape spade-snouted worm lizard, the Cape wedge-snouted worm lizard, the Cape worm lizard, and the South African shield-snouted amphisbaenian, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisb ...

'' – Cape worm lizard, South African shield-snouted amphisbaenian, Cape wedge-snouted worm lizard *''

Monopeltis decosteri De Coster's worm lizard (''Monopeltis decosteri''), also known commonly as De Coster's spade-snouted worm lizard and De Coster's worm-lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is indigenous to southern Afric ...

'' – De Coster's worm lizard *''

Monopeltis galeata The helmeted worm lizard (''Monopeltis galeata'') is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to the west coast of Central Africa. Geographic range ''M. galeata'' is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea ( Co ...

'' – helmeted worm lizard *''

Monopeltis guentheri The Western Congo worm lizard (''Monopeltis guentheri)'' is a species of amphisbaenian in the Family (biology), family Amphisbaenidae. The species is Endemism, endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Etymology The Specific name (zoology ...

'' – Western Congo worm lizard *''

Monopeltis infuscata ''Monopeltis infuscata'', also known commonly as the dusky spade-snouted worm lizard, the dusky worm lizard, and the infuscate wedge-snouted amphisbaenian, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is indigenous to ...

'' – dusky spade-snouted worm lizard, infuscate wedge-snouted amphisbaenian *''

Monopeltis jugularis The Gaboon worm lizard (''Monopeltis jugularis'') is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to the west coast of Central Africa. Geographic range ''M. jugularis'' is found in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, ...

'' – Gaboon worm lizard *''

Monopeltis kabindae The Kabinda worm lizard (''Monopeltis kabindae'') is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to Central Africa. Geographic range ''M. kabindae'' is found in the Central African Republic and the Democratic R ...

'' – Kabinda worm lizard *''

Monopeltis leonhardi The Kalahari worm lizard (''Monopeltis leonhardi)'', also known commonly as the Kalahari spade-snouted worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is indigenous to southern Africa. Etymology The specific ...

'' – Kalahari worm lizard *''

Monopeltis luandae ''Monopeltis luandae'' is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species is endemic to Angola. Habitat The preferred natural habitat of ''M. luandae'' is savanna, at altitudes of . Description ''M. luandae'' may attain a ...

'' *''

Monopeltis mauricei ''Monopeltis mauricei'', Maurice's slender worm lizard or Maurice's spade-snouted worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Amphisbaenidae. The species found in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe file:Zim ...

'' – Maurice's slender worm lizard, Maurice's spade-snouted worm lizard *'' Monopeltis perplexus'' *'' Monopeltis remaclei'' – Witte's worm lizard *'' Monopeltis rhodesiana'' *'' Monopeltis scalper'' – carved worm lizard *'' Monopeltis schoutedeni'' – Middle Congo worm lizard *'' Monopeltis sphenorhynchus'' – slender spade-snouted worm lizard, Maurice's spade-snouted worm lizard *''

Monopeltis vanderysti The Vanderyst worm lizard (''Monopeltis vanderysti''), also known Common name, commonly as Vanderyst's worm lizard, is a species of amphisbaenian in the Family (biology), family Amphisbaenidae. The species is native to Central Africa. There are t ...

'' – Vanderyst worm lizard *'' Monopeltis zambezensis'' ''

Nota bene ( ; plural: ) is the Latin language, Latin phrase meaning ''note well''. In manuscripts, ''nota bene'' is abbreviated in upper-case as NB and N.B., and in lower-case as n.b. and nb; the editorial usages of ''nota bene'' and ''notate bene'' fi ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, altho ...

in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Monopeltis''.

Species

References

Further reading