Amphisbaena (Noun)
Meaning 1
Type genus of the Amphisbaenidae.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The amphisbaena is a genus of legless, burrowing lizards within the family Amphisbaenidae, comprising several species.
- The type species of the genus Amphisbaena is A. alba, commonly known as the white-bellied worm lizard.
- The amphisbaena has a distinctive elongated body, often mistaken for a snake or worm due to its legless nature and ability to move in a wave-like motion.
- Amphisbaena is monotypic to the family Amphisbaenidae, also known as worm lizards, and is found primarily in Central and South America.
- In some regions, the term amphisbaena is used locally to refer to other legless, serpent-like animals, such as certain species of snakes or lizards.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
(classical mythology) a serpent with a head at each end of its body.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The ancient Greeks often depicted the amphisbaena as a fearsome serpent, capable of moving in either direction with equal ease.
- According to classical mythology, the amphisbaena was said to have been born from the blood of Medusa, along with several other monstrous creatures.
- In artwork and literature from the Roman Empire, the amphisbaena was often shown as a pair of heads connected by a long, snaking body, each head hissing and spitting in opposite directions.
- Legends surrounding the amphisbaena also describe it as having a magical ability to heal any wound, as long as it could apply its own body to the affected area.
- In medieval European folklore, the amphisbaena was frequently used as a symbol of duplicity or double-dealing, given its unusual anatomy with heads at both ends.