Pointed-tooth double creeps
| Pointed-tooth double creeps | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Trogonophidae | ||||||||||||
| Gray , 1865 |
The pointed-toothed double-snakes (Trogonophidae) are a family of the squamata (squamata). They are legless lizards that are found in northwestern Africa , Somalia , the Arabian Peninsula, and Socotra Island .
features
The animals are eight to 24 centimeters long. They are often noticeably colored, e.g. B. white with black spots. They differ from all other double-creeps by their triangular body. Another difference concerns the type of tooth attachment. While all other double creeps have pleurodontic teeth, i. That is, they sit without roots on the inner edge of the jaw, the teeth of the pointed-tooth double creeps sit on the upper edge of the jaw (acrodontic tooth attachment). Their muzzle is flattened and used for digging. The short, pointed tail is used as an abutment. It cannot be thrown off.
Way of life
Pointed-toothed double snakes live digging in sandy soils. Their reproductive biology is largely unknown. With the exception of the viviparous (live-bearing) species Trogonophis wiegmanni , they are oviparous (egg-laying).
Genera and species
There are about four genera with six species.
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Agamodon Peters, 1882
- Agamodon anguliceps Peters, 1882
- Agamodon arabicus Anderson, 1901
- Agamodon compressus Mocquard, 1888
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Diplometopon Nikolskii, 1907
- Diplometopon zarudnyi Nikolskii, 1907
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Pachycalamus Günther, 1881
- Pachycalamus brevis Günther, 1881
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Trogonophis Kaup, 1830
- Checkerboard double sneak ( Trogonophis wiegmanni Kaup, 1830)
literature
- Chris Mattison: Lizards of the World. 1989, ISBN 0-8160-1900-2
