Mountain worm [1] ( lat. Boulengerula taitana ) is a species of legless amphibians of the family Herpelidae . Endemic of Kenya , lives only on the slopes of Mount Taita.
| Mountain worm |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetric |
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| International Scientific Name |
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Boulengerula taitana Loveridge , 1935 |
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The total length reaches 33–34.8 cm. Sexual dimorphism is observed: the male is larger than the female. The head is small. The body is slim, vermiform, divided into numerous segments. Body color is monophonic - bluish or blue.
Loves mountain forests, plantations. Almost all his life in the ground, digging in the soil passages. Only during heavy rains can it surface. Particularly often found under fallen leaves near the trees or under rotten logs. Occurs at an altitude of 1430 to 1910 m above sea level. Active at night. It feeds on termites, earthworms, ants.
Mating occurs from October to December under the ground. Here, in the burrow, the female lays 5–9 eggs. In this animal, there is a direct development in the egg, from which already small worms emerge. The young feed on the skin of the female, which from time to time becomes soft and loose. At this time, the amount of fat in the epithelium increases. During the week, the female loses 14% of its weight.
