| Amphisbaenidae | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Amphisbaenia |
| Family: | Amphisbaenidae Gray, 1865 |
| Genera | |
|
17, see text |
|
The Amphisbaenidae are a family of amphisbaenians, commonly known as worm lizards. They are found in North and South America, some Caribbean islands, and in sub-Saharan Africa. One deep branching and somewhat aberrant genus, Blanus, is native to Europe, and may represent a distinct family.[1]
Members of the family are limbless, burrowing, lizard-like reptiles with a carnivorous diet. Some species have spade-like heads, while others have a narrow crest.[1]
There are over 120 species in the family, grouped into seventeen genera: