Loveridge (1941) re-described this species as follows: Two large shields covering the head, the anterior once and a half times as long as the posterior; a pair of occipitals; no preocular; ocular small, eye indistinguishable; rostral separating the nasals, not bordering the nostrils; nasals elongate, reaching the ocular; 3 upper labials, third largest; mental small; postmental large, pentagonal, in contact with anterior lower labial; 2 chin shields, in contact with all 3 lower labials; 289 annuli on body, 12 on tail; 70 (40 + 30) segments in a midbody annulus, the 2 median ventral segments two and a half times as broad as long; 6 pectorals; 4 anals; 1-1 preanal pores. Dentition. Premaxillary tooth 1; maxillaries 1-1; mandibulars 6-6. Measurements. Total length 132 (127 + 5) mm.

This information was extracted from Broadley et al. (1976): A small to medium-sized (220 to 365 mm. snout-vent length in adults) slender form of Monopeltis with the dorsal surface immaculate or marked by only a diffuse speckling of melanophores. Specimens have 276 to 316 body, four to seven lateral and eight to 12 (generally nine or 10) caudal annuli (up to the smoothly rounded caudal tip, that may be slightly compressed laterally), 30 to 42 dorsal plus 16 to 29 (generally 20, 22, or 24) ventral segments to a midbody annulus and two (very rarely three Or four) large first, plus three to seven (generally five) segments to the second postgenial row. The azygous head shields are discrete in some juveniles, whereas others retain short blind lateral sutures. Larger specimens lack even lateral notches for the oculars in the strongly keratinized head shield. The nasals do not contact each other or the lip; their elongate posterior processes (sometimes broken off to form postnasals) always contact the quadrangular ocular. There are four to six parietals. The pectoral region is long and slender. The medial pair of the six slender shields (which correspond dorsally to four or five body annuli) is the longest and extends anteriorly so that the narrowed last prepectoral annulus makes a short radius curve round it. The lateral sulci are often poorly expressed and dorsal and ventral ones are absent. There are diagonal folding lines on the dorsum. Many specimens have no supernumerary dorsal half-annuli; the maximum number is 16, but there may be a reduction of up to seven half-annuli. The dorsal interannular sutures Cross the trunk at right angles to its long axis. Two large precloacal pores lie on the terminal segments of the first lateral annulus, which are in contact with the large median pair of precloacal shields. No autotomy occurs.

Type locality: “Monjalatsela, near Ghanzi, Bechuanaland” Holotype: BMNH 1933.9.9.14, female

The information has been extracted from Tolley et al. (2023): Monopeltis mauricei has been treated as a subspecies of M. sphenorhynchus (Broadley et al., 1976; Branch, 1998) but was elevated to specific status based on morphology (Broadley 2001). These two species were thought to be allopatric, however a new record shows that M. sphenorhynchus occurs deep within the range of M. mauricei (Bates et al., 2010), and there is some overlap between the number of body annuli between these two species. The specific status of these species should be re-evaluated within a phylogenetic framework.

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The species occurs in the Kalahari Desert, extending into southwestern Zambia and northwestern Zimbabwe. In South Africa, it occurs in areas north of the Orange River (Broadley et al., 1976; Bates et al., 2010).

Adaptations for underground locomotion include a robust skull to plough through the Earth, an elongate body and reduced limbs to move through tunnels and scales arranged in rings allowing amphisbaenians to use an earthworm-style, accordion-like movement to crawl (Longrich et al., 2015).

Carnivore - Insectivore (insect-eating)

The species is insectivorous, feeding on small insects and their larvae, particularly termites (Branch, 1998).

No data.

Grassland, Savanna, Shrubland (Tolley et al., 2023).