About Rhineura floridana (Baird, 1858)
Size
Rhineura floridana (Baird, 1858) has a total body length (including the tail) that ranges from 18 to 41 cm, or 7 to 16 inches.
Snout Morphology
Its head features a shovel-shaped snout that projects forward past the lower jaws, and this snout is used for burrowing.
Eye Structure
The species has highly reduced eyes that are not visible from the outside.
Body and Limb Morphology
It has no limbs, and like other members of Amphisbaenia, its body is covered in scales arranged in rings that give it a worm-like appearance.
General Habitat
The preferred natural habitats of Rhineura floridana are forest and shrubland.
Distribution and Specific Habitat
More specifically, the species occurs in xeric and mesic hammocks in northeastern and central Florida; southern populations of the species have been observed to prefer xeric hammocks.
Reproduction
Rhineura floridana reproduces through oviparity, meaning it lays eggs.
