Mexican mole lizard

Mexican mole worm
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Amphisbaenia
Family:	Bipedidae
Genus:	Bipes
Species:	B. biporus
Binomial name
Bipes biporus (Cope, 1894)

The Mexican mole lizard, five-toed worm lizard, Ajolote or Ajolote lizard (Bipes biporus), is one of four amphisbaenians that have legs. They are pink 6–9-inch (15–23 cm) lizard-like reptiles that live for 1 to 2 years and eat ground dwelling insects and earthworms. Their skin is closely segmented to give a corrugated appearance and like earthworms their underground movement is by peristalsis of the segments. The forelegs are strong and paddle-like while the backlegs have disappeared and are visible only as vestigial bones in X-rays.

Breeding

This species is oviparous and the females lay one to four eggs in July. The species only breeds underground. The eggs hatch after two months.

Location

The Mexican mole lizard lives in Baja California, Mexico. Like all other amphisbaenians this is a burrowing species that only surfaces at night or after heavy rain.

Diet

It is an opportunist carnivore and eats ants, termites, ground dwelling insects, larvae, earthworms, and small animals including lizards. It usually pulls its prey down to the ground to start its meal.

Size

Length about 17–24 centimetres (6.7–9.4 in), width 6–7 millimetres (0.24–0.28 in).

References

• Smithsonian Institution
• Bipes biporus at the Reptile Database

External links

• http://animals.jrank.org/pages/3700/Mole-Limbed-Wormlizards-Bipedidae-TWO-LEGGED-WORMLIZARD-Bipes-biporus-SPECIES-ACCOUNT.html
• http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/classification/path/Bipes_biporus.html#Bipes%20biporus
• http://www.bluechameleon.org/Photo%20&%20Image%20Stockpile%20-%20BCV/WEB%20-%20Bipes%20biporus.htm
• http://mexico-herps.com/Baja/Bipes_biporus.jpg