Ecology of the worm-lizard Amphisbaena alba in the Cerrado of central Brazil

Due to their secretive habits, very little is known about the ecology of amphisbaenians. Based on a large series of specimens from the Cerrado of central Brazil, the diet composition, reproduction, and sexual dimorphism of Amphisbaena alba are described. Amphisbaena alba displayed a relatively diverse diet, even ingesting vertebrates and plant material. Beetles, ante, and spiders dominated the diet numerically, whereas ants, insect larvae, and beetles were more important volumetrically. No association was observed between prey size and body dimensions. The smallest reproductive male was 422 mm SVL (snout-vent length), and the smallest reproductive female was 457 nun SVL. Clutch size ranged from 8-16, one of the largest known for amphisbaenians, and is possibly influenced by the large body size of A. alba. Reproduction is apparently seasonal and restricted to the dry season. No intersexual differences were observed, either in morphometric or meristic characters, presumably because of functional constraints related to fossoriality.