You are here » home › advanced search › search results › Anguis fragilis

Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758

iNaturalist logo

Can you confirm these amateur observations of Anguis fragilis?

Add your own observation of
Anguis fragilis »

Find more photos by Google images search: Google images

Higher TaxaAnguidae (Anguinae), Diploglossa, Anguimorpha, Sauria, Squamata (lizards)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Slow Worm
G: Blindschleiche
NL: hazelworm
Croatian: sljepić
Russian: Ломкая веретеница 
SynonymAnguis fragilis LINNAEUS 1758: 229
Anguis orvet LACÉPÈDE 1789 in MERTENS & WERMUTH 1960: 86
Anguis gamma ROUBIEU 1825 (fide BRYGOO 1987)
Anguis fragilis — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1839: 792
Anguis fragilis — BOULENGER 1885: 297
Anguis fragiles — LOPEZ-SEOANE 1885: 18 (in error)
Anguis fragilis — ENGELMANN et al 1993
Anguis fragilis — GVOŽDÍK et al. 2010
Anguis fragilis — GVOŽDIK et al. 2013
Anguis fragilis — SPEYBROECK et al. 2020 
DistributionFinland, Norway, Sweden, England (incl. Channel islands Guernsey, Herm, Jethou, Jersey), Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Corfu = Corfou), Croatia (incl. Krk etc.), Slovenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, MonteNegro, Macedonia, Serbia, Poland, Turkey (from Trabzon, Hopa) [Clark & Clark 1973]

Soviet Union: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Caucasus, central and S Europe, Asia Minor

Africa: Algeria, Tunisia

Type locality: Sweden [restricted by Mertens and L Müller, 1928].  
Reproductionovovivparous 
TypesHolotype: UUZM (= ZMUU) 156 
Diagnosis 
CommentSubspecies: Anguis fragilis peloponnesiacus STEPANEK 1937 has been synonymized with A. cephallonica.

Limb morphology: Limbless.

Anguis is female as based on LINNAEUS’ original use.

Type species: Anguis fragilis is the type species of the genus Anguis LINNAEUS 1758. the genus Anguis LINNAEUS 1758 is the type genus of the subfamily Anguinae.

Phylogenetics: For a phylogenetic analysis of the whole subfamily Anguinae see Lavin & Girman 2018.

Taxonomy: Gvoždík et al. (2013) suggested to distinguish 5 genetic species of Anguis: graeca, colchica, fragilis, cinerea, and cephallonica. The 5 species cannot be diagnosed morphologically although they clearly form genetic clades. A detailed morphological analysis of the entire genus is under preparation (Benkovsky ́ et al., in preparation, cited in Gvoždík et al. 2013).

Distribution: see map in Gvoždík et al. (2013) and Jablonski et al. 2016: 3 (Fig. 1), Jablonski et al. 2021: Fig. 1, Benkovský et al. 2021: Fig. 1. If colchicus is recognized as valid species fragilis will have to be removed from several countries. For instance, colchicus occurs in Iran, but fragilis does not. Similarly, there is not fragilis in Romania, only colchica (Vörös et al. 2012). Not in Italy where only veronensis occurs.

Karyotype: 2n = 44 (Altmanová et al. 2022) 
Etymology“fragilis”, Latin for fragile, also related to “fragment”, after the tail that easily breaks off.

The genus name Anguis is Latin for snake.

The German “Blindschleiche” does not mean the species is blind, but rather derives from Old German “Plintslicho”, meaning “shining” or “gleaming” from it’s smooth skin (Langner 2019). 
References
  • Alfermann, D. & Völkl, W. 2004. Zur Fortpflanzungsbiologie der Blindschleiche (Anguis fragilis L., 1758) im Lechtal. Salamandra 40 (1): 25-36 - get paper here
  • Ali, Syed Muzammil 1950. Studies on the anatomy of the tail in Sauria and Rhychocephalia IV. Anguis fragilis. Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences 32: 87-95
  • Altmanová, M., Doležálková-Kaštánková, M., Jablonski, D., Strachinis, I., Vergilov, V., Vacheva, E., ... & Gvoždík, V. 2022. Karyotype stasis but species-specific repetitive DNA patterns in Anguis lizards (Anguidae), in the evolutionary framework of Anguiformes Research Square - get paper here
  • Altmanová, M., Doležálková-Kaštánková, M., Jablonski, D., Strachinis, I., Vergilov, V., Vacheva, E., ... & Gvoždík, V. 2023. Karyotype stasis but species-specific repetitive DNA patterns in Anguis lizards (Squamata: Anguidae), in the evolutionary framework of Anguiformes. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlad153
  • Anderson, Steven C 1999. The lizards of Iran. Contributions to Herpetology Volume 15, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Saint Louis, Missouri: i-vii, 1-442 [review in Copeia 2000 (4): 1144] - get paper here
  • Antipov S. A., Doronin I. V., Milto K. D., Sergeev M. A. 2018. New Records of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Vladimir Region, Russia. [in Russian]. Current Studies in Herpetology 18 (3–4): 168–179 - get paper here
  • Bălescu, Carmen Daniela & Bușe-Dragomir Luminița 2023. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE HERPETOLOGICAL FAUNA FROM CORCOVA (MEHEDINȚI COUNTY). Analele Universitătii din Craiova, seria Agricultură - Montanologie - Cadastru (Annals of the University of Craiova - Agriculture, Montanology, Cadastre Series) 53 (2): 7-20
  • Baran, I., Kasparek, M., & Oz, M. 1988. On the distribution of the slow worm, Anguis fragilis, and the European glass lizard, Ophisaurus apodus, in Turkey. Zoology in the Middle East 2: 57-62. - get paper here
  • BARBADILLO, L.J. 1983. About the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the province of Burgos. Goal. I am. Cat. Ictio. Herp. 5-10-10-7 - get paper here
  • Bauer, L. 2007. Anguis fragilis, de niet zo erg breekbare hazelworm. Lacerta 65 (3): 98-103 - get paper here
  • Belik V.P. 2014. To the history of research on the amphibian and reptile fauna in the Volgograd Region. Current Studies in Herpetology 14 (1/2): 3–13. Резюме - get paper here
  • Benkovský N, Moravec J, Gvoždíková Javůrková V, Šifrová H, Gvoždík V, Jandzik D. 2021. Phenotypic differentiation of the slow worm lizards (Squamata: Anguis) across their contact zone in Central Europe. PeerJ 9:e12482 - get paper here
  • Berroneau, M. et al. 2010. Guide des Amphibiens et Reptiles d’Aquitaine. Association Cistude Nature, 180 pp.
  • Beshkov, V & Nanev, K 2006. The Amphibians and Reptiles in Bulgaria. Pensoft Series Faunistica 46, 120 pp.
  • BEST, H.A. 1965. SLOW-WORM EATING COMMON LIZARD. British Journal of Herpetology 3: 229
  • Bird, C. G. 1936. The distribution of reptiles and amphibians in Asiatic Turkey with notes on a collection from the Vilayets of Adana, Gaziantep and Malatya. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (10) 18: 257-281. - get paper here
  • Bischoff, W. 2002. Auf der Suche nach Darevskia valentini (BOETTGER 1892) in Georgien - Impressionen aus einem wenig bekannten Land. Elaphe 10 (3): 49-61
  • Bischoff, W. & Bischoff, U. 1980. Einige Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna des Peloponnes. Herpetofauna 2 (4): 17-22 - get paper here
  • Blosat, B. 1997. Morphometrische und ökologische Feldstudien an Reptilien im Bergischen Land (Nordrhein-Westfalen) - I. Blindschleiche (Anguis f fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758). Salamandra 33 (3): 161-174 - get paper here
  • Born, G. 1883. Eine frei hervorragende Anlage der vorderen Extremität bei Embryonen von Anguis fragilis. Zool. Anz. 6: 537-539 - get paper here
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1885. Catalogue of the lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Vol. 2, Second edition. London, xiii+497 pp. - get paper here
  • Bray, Iain H. and Steven J.R. Allain 2019. Are squash boxes necessary? The use of dorsal photographs to determine snout-vent lengths of Slow Worms (Anguis fragilis). IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 26 (2): 165–166 - get paper here
  • Brown, Richard P.; Roberts, Neil 2008. Feeding state and selected body temperatures in the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis). The Herpetological Journal 18: 59-62 - get paper here
  • Brygoo, E. R. 1987. Les types d'Anguid és (Reptiles, Sauriens) du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle Catalogue critique. Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 4e ser., 9, sect. A (Zool., BioI. & Ecol. anim.), (2), supplement, 3-20. - get paper here
  • Cabela, A., & Tiedemann, F. 1985. Atlas der Amphibien und Reptilien Osterreichs. Naturhist. Mus. in Wien, Neue Denkschriften Band 4 80 pp.
  • Canova,Luca & Manuela Marchesi 2007. Amphibian and reptile communities in eleven Sites of Community Importance (SCI): relations between SCI area, heterogeneity and richness. Acta Herpetologica 2 (2): 87-96
  • CAPULA, M. & LUISELLI, L. 1993. Ecology of an alpine population of the Slow Worm, Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758. Thermal biology of reproduction. Herpetozoa 6 - get paper here
  • CAPULA, M. & LUISELLI, L. & ANIBALDI, C. 1993. Biennial reproduction and clutch parameters in an alpine population of the Slow Worm, Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758. Herpetozoa 6 - get paper here
  • Capula, Massimo; Anibaldi, Claudio; Filippi, Ernesto; Luiselli, Luca 1999. Sexual combats, matings, and reproductive phenology in an alpine population of the slow worm, Anguis fragilis. Herpetological Natural History 6 (1): 33-39 [1998]
  • CEIRANS, A. 2002. On the importance of tree stand composition and age in forest habitats of Anguis fragilis, Zootoca vivipara, and Natrix natrix. Herpetozoa 15 - get paper here
  • CEIRANS, A. 2004. Reptiles in sub-boreal forests of Eastern Europe: patterns of forest type preferences and habitat use in Anguis fragilis, Zootoca vivipara and Natrix natrix. Herpetozoa 17: - get paper here
  • ÇEVIK, I.E. 1999. Trakya’da Yasayan Kertenkele Türlerinin Taksonomik Durumu (Lacertilia: Anguidae, Lacertidae, Scincidae). Tr. J. of Zoology 23 (1): 23–35
  • Clark, R. J. and Clark, E. D. 1970. Notes on four lizard species from the Peloponnese, Greece: Algyroides moreoticus Bibron and Bory, Anguis fragilis peloponnesiacus Stepanek, Ophiomorus punctatissimus (Bibron and Bory) and Ophisaurus apodus (Pallas). British Journal of Herpetology 4: 135-137. - get paper here
  • Clark, Richard 1994. Observations on the herpetofauna of southern Norway (S°rland) [Anguis fragilis, Lacerta vivipara, Coronella austriaca, Natrix, Vipera berus]. British Herpetological Society Bulletin (47): 30-44
  • Cogălniceanu, Dan; Laurentiu Rozylowicz, Paul Székely, Ciprian Samoilă, Florina Stănescu, Marian Tudor, Diana Székely, Ruben Iosif 2013. Diversity and distribution of reptiles in Romania. ZooKeys 341 (2013): 49-76 - get paper here
  • Covaciu-Marcov S.-D. et al. 2007. Contributions to the study of the geographical distribution of the herpetofauna in the North-East area of Arad County in Romania. Herpetologica Romanica 1: 62-69
  • Covaciu-Marcov, S.D., Cicort-Lucaciu, A.S., Dobre, F., Ferenţi, S., Birceanu, M., Mihuţ, R. & Strugariu, A. 2009. The herpetofauna of the Jiului Gorge National Park, Romania. North-Western Journal of Zoology 5 (Suppl. 1): 1-78
  • Covaciu-Marcov, S.D., Cicort-Lucaciu, A.S., Sas, I.; Mosu, A.G.; Toth, B. 2008. Contributions to the knowledge of the composition and geographical distribution of the Western Maramures County Herpetofauna. Herpetologica Romanica 2: 27-36
  • ÇAKMAK, Mücahit; Bahadır AKMAN and Mehmet Zülfü YILDIZ 2018. HERPETOFAUNA OF BARTIN PROVINCE (NORTHWEST BLACKSEA REGION, TURKEY). South Western Journal of Horticulture, Biology and Environment P-Issn: 2067- 9874, E-Issn: 2068-7958<br />Vol.8, No.2, 2017 pp.89-102 - get paper here
  • DAVIES, M. 1967. A CASE OF ANGUIS FRAGILIS DEVOURING NEWLY BORN YOUNG. British Journal of Herpetology 4: 20
  • Dely, Oliver G. 1981. Anguis fragilis - Blindschleiche. In: Böhme,W. (ed.), Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas, Band I., Echsen I. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Wiesbaden, pp. 241-258
  • Dossenbach, H.D., & Ganz, A. 1977. Die Reptilien der Schweiz. Naturf. Gesell. Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Neujahrsblatt nr. 30, 31 pp.
  • Dufresnes, Christophe; Patricia Sourrouille , Anthony Olivier , Jean-Marie Ballouard , Marie-France Leccia , Rémi Tiné , Marc Cheylan , Maxime Le Henanff , Jean Nicolas , Sébastien Caron , Grégoire Massez , Alexandre Cluchier , Romain Levasseur , Fab 2023. Exploring the speciation continuum of slow worms: location and extent of the Anguis fragilis/veronensis hybrid zone in southeastern France. Amphibia-Reptilia 44 (1): 107–119 - get paper here
  • Duméril, A. M. C. and G. Bibron. 1839. Erpétologie Générale on Histoire Naturelle Complète des Reptiles. Vol. 5. Roret/Fain et Thunot, Paris, 871 pp. - get paper here
  • Dunaev E.A., Orlova V.F. 2017. Amphibians and reptiles of Russia. Atlas and determination. 2nd. ed. Moscow: Phyton XXI, 328 p
  • Elmberg, J. 1995. Grod- och kräldjurens utbredning i Norrland. Natur i Norr 14: 57-82
  • Engelmann, E. & Kabisch, K. 1973. Disk-elektrophoretische Untersuchungen der Serumproteine europäischer Echsen der Familien Anguidae und Lacertidae. Experientia 29: 1440-1441 - get paper here
  • Engelmann, W.E. et al. 1993. Lurche und Kriechtiere Europas. Neumann Verlag (Radebeul, Germany), 440 pp.
  • Enzeroth, A. 1982. Herptologische Beobachtungen auf der Insel Krk. Sauria 4 (1): 5-8 - get paper here
  • FISH, ALEXIA 2015. Common lizards (Zootoca vivipara) and slow-worms (Anguis fragilis) are not found in coppiced small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata) areas of a Northamptonshire-Cambridgeshire nature reserve. Herpetological Bulletin (134) - get paper here
  • Fish, Alexia C. M. 2016. Observations on felt and corrugated roof sheeting as materials for constructing coverboards to assess slow worm (Anguis fragilis) and common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) populations. Herpetological Bulletin (135) - get paper here
  • Frazer, J.F.D. 1949. The reptiles and amphibia of the Channel Isles, and their distribution. British Journal of Herpetology 1: 51-53
  • Frynta,D. et al. 1997. Results of the Czech biological expedition to Iran. Part 1. Notes on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem. 61: 3-17
  • Galán, Pedro 2014. Herpetofauna del Parque Natural das Fragas do Eume (A Coruña): distribución, estado de conservación y amenazas. Basic and Applied Herpetology 28: 113-136 - get paper here
  • Gasc, J.-P. & C. Gans 1990. Tests on Locomotion of the Elongate and Limbless Lizard Anguis fragilis (Squamata: Anguidae) Copeia 1990 (4): 1055-1067. - get paper here
  • GIROLLA, L. 1996. Aggressives Verhalten oder Paarungsvorspiel? Freilandbeobachtungen zum intraspezifischen Verhalten bei Blindschleichen, Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758. Herpetozoa 9 - get paper here
  • Gleed-Owen, Chris 2012. Anguis fragilis (slow-worm): 1. Predation; 2. Melanism. Herpetological Bulletin (120) - get paper here
  • Gollmann, G. & Gollmann, B. 2008. Diving in the lizards Anguis fragilis and Lacerta agilis. North-Western Journal of Zoology 4 (2): - get paper here
  • Goody, J.K. 1946. The European Anguis fragilis in Captivity Herpetologica 3 (3): 74. - get paper here
  • GRAITSON, ERIC & JULIEN TAYMANS. 2022. Impacts des lâchers massifs de faisans de Colchide (Phasianus colchicus L.) sur les squamates (Reptilia Squamata). Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France 180: 1–7. - get paper here
  • Gregory, P.T. 1980. Physical Factor Selectivity in the Fossorial Lizard Anguis fragilis Journal of Herpetology 14 (1): 95-99. - get paper here
  • GVOZDENOVIĆ, S., & IKOVIĆ, V. 2022. CHECKLIST OF AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES OF MONTENEGRO AND THEIR CONSERVATION STATUS. Natura Montenegrina, Podgorica, 2022, 14 (2): 93-105 - get paper here
  • Gvoždík, Václav; David Jandzik, Petros Lymberakis, Daniel Jablonski, Jiří Moravec 2010. Slow worm, Anguis fragilis (Reptilia: Anguidae) as a species complex: Genetic structure reveals deep divergences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 55 (2): 460-472 - get paper here
  • GVOŽDÍK, VÁCLAV; ZDENĚK HARCA, ALEXANDRA HÁNOVÁ, DANIEL JABLONSKI, MIHAILS PUPINS, ANDRIS ČEIRĀNS & TIMO PAASIKUNNAS. 2021. Two species of slow worm (Anguis fragilis, A. colchica) present in the Baltic region. Amphibia-Reptilia 42(3): 383-389. - get paper here
  • GVOŽDÍK, VÁCLAV; ZDENĚK HARCA, ALEXANDRA HÁNOVÁ, DANIEL JABLONSKI, MIHAILS PUPINS, ANDRIS ČEIRĀNS & TIMO PAASIKUNNAS. 2021. Two species of slow worm (Anguis fragilis, A. colchica) present in the Baltic region. Amphibia-Reptilia 42 (3): 383-389. - get paper here
  • Gvoždík, Václav; Norbert Benkovský, Angelica Crottini, Adriana Bellati, Jirí Moravec, Antonio Romano, Roberto Sacchi, David Jandzik 2013. An ancient lineage of slow worms, genus Anguis (Squamata: Anguidae), survived in the Italian Peninsula. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69 (3): 1077–1092; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.05.004 - get paper here
  • Haley, Thomas 2014. A metapopulation of the lizard Anguis fragilis (Squamata: Anguidae) on a local scale in Dorset, Great Britain, as indicated by spatial distribution and movement. Phyllomedusa 13 (2): 91-98 - get paper here
  • HARKNESS, HOLLY & STEVEN J. R. ALLAIN 2020. A case of leucism in the slow worm (Anguis fragilis). Herpetological Bulletin 152: - get paper here
  • Henle, K. 1985. Ökologische, zoogeographische und systematische Bemerkungen zur Herpetofauna Jugoslawiens. Salamandra 21 (4): 229-251 - get paper here
  • Jablonski, D., B. Najbar, R. Grochowalska, V. Gvozdík & T. Strzala 2017. Phylogeography and postglacial colonization of Central Europe by Anguis fragilis and Anguis colchica Amphibia-Reptilia, 38(4): 562-569. - get paper here
  • Jablonski, D., Sillero, N., Oskyrko, O., Bellati, A., Čeirāns, A., Cheylan, M., Cogălniceanu, D., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Crochet, P., Crottini, A., Doronin, I., Džukić, G., Geniez, P., Ilgaz, Ç., Iosif, R., Jandzik, D., Jelić, D., Litvinchuk, S., L 2021. The distribution and biogeography of slow worms (Anguis, Squamata) across the Western Palearctic, with an emphasis on secondary contact zones. Amphibia-Reptilia 42 (4): 519–530 - get paper here
  • Jablonski, Daniel and Petr Meduna 2010. Blue colour of the ventral body part of Eastern Slow Worm Anguis colchica (Nordmann, 1840). Herpetology Notes 3: 295-296
  • Jablonski, Daniel; David Jandzik; Peter Mikulíček, Georg Džukić, Katarina Ljubisavljević, Nikolay Tzankov, Dušan Jelić, Evanthia Thanou, Jiří Moravec and Václav Gvoždík 2016. Contrasting evolutionary histories of the legless lizards slow worms (Anguis) shaped by the topography of the Balkan Peninsula. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16:99; DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0669-1 - get paper here
  • Kabisch, K. 1966. Herpetologische Exkursionen in die Umgebung von Sofia. Aquarien-Terrarien, 4:131-135
  • Kabisch, K. & Belter, H. 1968. Das Verzehren von Amphibien und Reptilien durch Vögel. Zoologische Abhandlungen aus dem Staatlichen Museum für Tierkunde in Dresden 29: 191-227
  • Kaczmarek, P., T. Skawinski and G. Skorzewski 2016. Blue venter in the Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis): review and new data. Herpetological Review 47(3): 375-377. - get paper here
  • Kolanek, A., & Bury, S. 2021. Detectability of elusive reptiles under artificial cover objects is species-and year-specific. Polish Journal of Ecology, 68(4), 342-347 - get paper here
  • Koli, Antti and Matti Haapanen. 2014. Sinivatsaisia ja muita vaskitsoja (Anguis fragilis L.) Vindistä. Herpetomania 23 (3): 25-29
  • Kovatscheff, V. 1903. Beitraege zur Kenntnis der Reptilien und Amphibienfauna Bulgariens. Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges., Wien: 171-173
  • Krizmanić, I. 2018. CONTRIBUTION TO THE HERPETOFAUNA OF SERBIA-DISTRIBUTION OF REPTILES IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA PROVINCE. Bulletin of Natural Sciences Research 9 (2): - get paper here
  • Kühnis, J. B. 2006. Die Reptilien des Fürstentums Liechtenstein. Amtlicher Lehrmittelverlag, Vaduz, Naturkundliche Forschung im Fürstentum Liechtenstein, 23: 1-51 - get paper here
  • Kwet, A. 2010. Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Kosmos-Verlag, Stuttgart, 252 pp.
  • Kwet, Axel & Benny Trapp 2014. Liste der Reptilien Europas. Draco 15 (60): 72-79 - get paper here
  • Kwet, Axel & Dirk Alfermann 2017. Die Blindschleiche – „eine zerbrechliche Schlange“ ist das Reptil des Jahres 2017. Terraria-Elaphe 2017 (3): 72-79 - get paper here
  • Langner, Ch. 2019. Ich komme Dir auf die Schliche! Verkanntes Schleichenvolk – die interessanten Echsen der Familie Anguidae. Reptilia (Münster) 24 (136): 16-27 - get paper here
  • Lantermann, W. & Lantermann, Y. 2010. Reptilien und Amphibien am Undelandsee in Süd-Norwegen – ökologische und pädagogische Aspekte. Reptilia (Münster) 15 (84): 68-71 - get paper here
  • Laufer, H.; Fritz, C. & Sowig, P. (eds.) 2007. Die Amphibien und Reptilien Baden-Württembergs. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, 807 pp.
  • Lavin, B. R., & Girman, D. J. 2018. Phylogenetic Relationships and Divergence Dating in the Glass Lizards (Anguinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution - get paper here
  • Leptien, R. 2010. Eine Schlange, die keine ist: die Blindschleiche. Reptilia (Münster) 15 (85): 80-82 - get paper here
  • Lewis-Hails, Elliott 2017. The first record of a Slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) from the UK with blue ventral scales. Herpetological Bulletin (140): - get paper here
  • Linnaeus, C. [= Linné, C. von] 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiæ. 10th Edition: 824 pp. - get paper here
  • Lopez-Seoane,Victor 1885. Identidad de Lacerta schreiberi (Bedriaga) y Lacerta viridis var. Gadovii (BOULENGER), é investigaciones herpetologicas de Galicia. La Coruña [1884]: 19 pp. - get paper here
  • LUISELLI, L. 1992. The diet of the Slow Worm, Anguis f. fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758, in the Tarvisio Forest (Carnic Alps, NE Italy). Herpetozoa 5 - get paper here
  • LUISELLI, L., M. CAPULA & C. ANIBALDI 1994. FOOD HABITS OF THE SLOW WORM, ANGUIS FRAGILIS (L), IN TWO CONTRASTING ALPINE ENVIRONMENTS. Bull. Soc. Herp. France 71-72: 45-48
  • Malkmus, R. 1982. Beitrag zur Verbreitung der Amphibien und Reptilien in Portugal. Salamandra 18 (3-4): 218-299 - get paper here
  • Malkmus, R. 1995. Die Amphibien und Reptilien Portugals, Madeiras und der Azoren. Die Neue Brehm-Bücherei, Bd. 621. Westarp Wissenschaften (Magdeburg)/Spektrum Akademischer Verlag (Heidelberg)
  • MALKMUS, R. 1995. Aggressives Verhalten bei der Blindschleiche, Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758 ? Herpetozoa 8 - get paper here
  • Mertens, R., and L. Müller. 1940. Liste der Amphibien und Reptilien Europas. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft. Frankfurt am Main. 451: 1-62 - get paper here
  • Mikulíček, P., D. Jablonski, M. Páleník, V. Gvoždík & D. Jandzik 2018. Characterization of microsatellite markers in the genera Anguis and Pseudopus (Reptilia: Anguidae). Salamandra 54 (2): 158-162 - get paper here
  • Milto, K.D. 2020. Estimation of amphibian and reptile diversity in the Kurghalsky Wildlife Sanctuary. Proceedings of the Zoological Institute RAS, 324(2): 273–282 - get paper here
  • Musters, C.J.M. & In den Bosch, H.A.J. 1982. Einige Bemerkungen zu den Unterarten von Anguis fragilis L., mit Berücksichtigung niederländischer Exemplare. Salamandra 18 (3-4): 196-204 - get paper here
  • NEAVES, JAMIE & ROB GANDOLA 2021. Apparent parental care in the slow worm Anguis fragilis. The Herpetological Bulletin (155) - get paper here
  • Necas, Petr; Modry, David & Zavadil, Vít 1997. Czech Recent and Fossil Amphibians and Reptiles. Edition Chimaira, Frankfurt, 94 pp.
  • Nigg, A. 1993. Die Reptilien des Fürstentums Liechtenstein mit Roter Liste der gefährdeten und seltenen Reptilien Liechtensteins. Amtlicher Lehrmittelverlag, Vaduz, Naturkundliche Forschung im Fürstentum Liechtenstein, 14: 1-63 - get paper here
  • Nöllert, A.; Nöllert, C. & Ritter, A. 1986. Einige Beobachtungen zur Herpetofauna der bulgarischen Schwarzmeerküste und Südwestbulgariens (Teil 2 - Die Reptilien). Herpetofauna 8 (44): 30-34 - get paper here
  • Ochsenbein, Andreas 2013. Schlingnattern und Blindschleichen – Jäger und Gejagte. Terraria-Elaphe 2013 (4): 71 - get paper here
  • Ollonen, J., Khannoon, E. R., Macrì, S., Vergilov, V., Kuurne, J., Saarikivi, J., ... & Di-Poï, N. 2024. Dynamic evolutionary interplay between ontogenetic skull patterning and whole-head integration. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 1-16 - get paper here
  • Parry, Nicholas 2020. A STUDY OF THE PRESENT STATE OF AN IRISH COLONY OF THE SLOW WORM (ANGUIS FRAGILIS LINNAEUS, 1758) (SQUAMATA: ANGUIDAE) IN THE BURREN, COUNTIES CLARE AND GALWAY 2015 – 2019. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society Number 44: 3-18
  • Parry, Nicholas 2023. Slow worms and greater white-toothed shrews sharing refuges. The Herpetological Bulletin 165, 2023: 36 - get paper here
  • Parry, Nicholas 2023. POSSIBLE FIRST EVIDENCE THAT SLOW WORMS (ANGUIS FRAGILIS LINNAEUS, 1758) FEED ON ANT COLONIES. Bulletin of the Irish Biogeographical Society Number 46: 62-66
  • Patterson, J.W. 1983. Frequency of reproduction, clutch size and clutch energy in the lizard Anguis fragilis Amphibia-Reptilia, 4(2-4): 195-203. - get paper here
  • Patterson, J.W. 1990. Field body temperatures of the lizard Anguis fragilis Amphibia-Reptilia, 11(3): 295-299. - get paper here
  • Pawlowski, S. & Krämer, C. 2009. Bemerkungen zur Herpetologie des nordwestlichen Kroatiens. Sauria 31 (4): 19-30 - get paper here
  • Petrov B. P., N. Tzankov, H. Strijbosch, G. Popgeorgiev, V. Beshkov 2006. The herpetofauna (Amphibia and Reptilia) of the Western Rhodopes mountain (Bulgaria and Greece). In: Beron P. (ed.). Biodiversity of Bulgaria. 3. Biodiversity of Western Rhodopes (Bulgaria and Greece) I. Pensoft & Nat. Mus. Natur. Hist., Sofia, pp. 863-912
  • Polovic, Lidija and Natalija Cadenovic. 2014. The herpetofauna of Ljubisnja Mountain, Montenegro. Herpetozoa 26 (3/4): 193-194 - get paper here
  • Pottier G., Paumier J.-M., Tessier M., Barascud Y., Talhoët S., Liozon R., D’Andurain P., Vacher J.-P., Barthe L., Heaulmé V., Esslinger M., Arthur C.-P., Calvet A., Maurel C. & Redon H. 2008. Atlas de répartition des reptiles et amphibiens de Midi-Pyrénées. Les atlas naturalistes de Midi-Pyrénées. Nature Midi-Pyrénées, Toulouse, 126 pp.
  • Reading, Christopher J.; Jofr?, Gabriela M. 2016. Habitat use by grass snakes and three sympatric lizard species on lowland heath managed using 'conservation grazing'. The Herpetological Journal 26 (2): 131-138 - get paper here
  • Rödel, M.-O. & R. BUSSMANN 1990. Die Amphibien und Reptilien der Julischen Alpen. Sauria 12 (4): 15-21 - get paper here
  • Rodriguez-Sobreira, David 2023. Predation attempt on a Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis) by a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). Reptiles & Amphibians 30 (1): e15973 - get paper here
  • Roitberg, E. S., Mazanaeva, L.F., Ilyina, E. & Orlova, V.F. 2000. Die Echsen Dagestans (Nordkaukasus, Russland): Artenliste und aktuelle Verbreitungsdaten (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae, Agamidae, Anguidae, Scincidae et Lacertidae). Faunist. Abh. Staatl. Mus. Tierk. Dresden 22 (8) - get paper here
  • Schlüter, U. 2005. Die Herpetofauna der bulgarischen Schwarzmeerküste - Teil 2: Echsen. Elaphe 13 (4): 52-58
  • Schlüter, U. 2005. Die Herpetofauna des Comorova-Waldes in Rumänien. Elaphe 13 (1): 57-62
  • Schmidt, D. & Schmidt, B. 2020. Fund einer Albino-Blindschleiche. Elaphe 2020 (4): 78
  • Schultschik, Günter;Steinfartz, Sebastian 1996. Ergebnisse einer herpetologischen Exkursion in den Iran. Herpetozoa 9 (1/2): 91-95 - get paper here
  • Sehnal, P. & Schuster, A. 1999. Herpetologische Beobachtungen auf der Kvarnerinsel Cres, Kroatien. Ergebnisse von fünf Exkursionen. Herpetozoa 12 (3-4): 163-178 - get paper here
  • Sindaco, R. & Jeremcenko, V.K. 2008. The reptiles of the Western Palearctic. Edizioni Belvedere, Latina (Italy), 579 pp. - get paper here
  • Sindaco, Roberto; Alberto Venchi, Giuseppe M. Carpaneto, Marco A. Bologna 2000. The Reptiles of Anatolia: a Checklist and Zoogeographical analysis. Biogeographia, 21-2000: 441-554. - get paper here
  • Smith, Malcolm A. 1951. Unusual size of the slow worm (Anguis fragilis) and the adder (Vipera berus) in the British Isles. British Journal of Herpetology 1 (5):
  • Sobolenko, L.Yu., Nekrasova, O.D., Sorokina, S.I., Moroz, L.M. 2018. Current state of reptiles of western podillia. Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 8(1): 706–711 - get paper here
  • Sos, T. 2007. Notes on distribution and current status of herpetofauna in the northern area of Braşov County (Romania). North-Western Journal of Zoology 3 (1): 34-52 - get paper here
  • Sos, T. 2008. Review of recent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in European Amphibia and Reptilia related to Romanian herpetofauna. Herpetologica Romanica 2: 61-91
  • Sos, Tibor and Gábor Herczeg 2010. Sexual Size Dimorphism in Eastern Slow-Worm (Anguis fragilis colchica, Reptilia: Anguidae). Russ. J. Herpetol. 16 (4): 304-310 [2009] - get paper here
  • Speybroeck, Jeroen; Wouter Beukema, Christophe Dufresnes, Uwe Fritz, Daniel Jablonski, Petros Lymberakis, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Edoardo Razzetti, Melita Vamberger, Miguel Vences, Judit Vörös0, Pierre-André Crochet 2020. Species list of the European herpetofauna – 2020 update by the Taxonomic Committee of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica.. Amphibia-Reptilia 41: 139-189 - get paper here
  • Stèpànek, O. 1937. Anguis fragilis peloponnesiacus n. ssp. Zool. Anz. 118: 107-110
  • Stokely, Paul Scott 1947. Limblessness and correlated changes in the girdles of a comparative morphological series of lizards. American Midland Naturalist 38 (3): 725-754 - get paper here
  • Strugariu, A., Zamfirescu, A.R., Nicoară, A., Gherghel, I., Sas, I., Puşcaşu, C.M. & Bugeac, T. 2008. Preliminary data regarding the distribution and status of the herpetofauna in Iaşi County (Romania). North-Western Journal of Zoology 4 (Suppl.1): S1-S23 - get paper here
  • Strugariu, Al., Gherghel, I.; Nicoara, A.; Hutuleac-Volosciu, M.V.; Moraru, V. & Mizerus, A. 2009. A rapid survey of the herpetological fauna from Vaslui County (Romania) with the first record of the slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) in the region. Herpetologica Romanica 3: 25-30
  • Strzała, Tomasz; Renata Grochowalska, Bartłomiej Najbar, Peter Mikulíček, David Jandzik, Petros Lymberakis & Daniel Jablonski 2016. Complete mitochondrial genome of the endemic legless lizard Anguis cephallonica Werner, 1894 and its comparison with mitogenome of Anguis fragilis Linnaeus, 1758. Mitochondrial DNA, DOI:10.1080/23802359.2015.1137834 - get paper here
  • Stumpel, A.H.P. 1985. Biometrical and ecological data from a Netherlands population of Anguis fragilis (Reptilia, Sauria, Anguidae) Amphibia-Reptilia, 6(2): 181-194. - get paper here
  • Stumpel, Anton H.P.; Bert van der Werf, D.C. 2012. Reptile habitat preference in heathland: implications for heathland management. The Herpetological Journal 22 (3): 179-182 - get paper here
  • Szabo, Krisztian and Judit Vörös. 2014. Distribution and hybridization of Anguis fragilis and A. colchica in Hungary. Amphibia-Reptilia 35 (1): 135-140 - get paper here
  • Szczerbak, N.N. 2003. Guide to the Reptiles of the Eastern Palearctic. Krieger, Malabar, FL, 260 pp. - get paper here
  • TELENCHEV, I., SIMEONOVSKA-NIKOLOVA, D., & SPASOVA, V. 2021. Behavioural response of the Slow worm Anguis fragilis (Linnaeus, 1758) and the Eastern Slow worm Anguis colchica (Nordmann, 1840) to the odour of viperids. NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, 17(1), 77-81 - get paper here
  • Tonge, S. 1986. The herpetofauna of Jersey. British Herpetological Society Bulletin (17): 18-21
  • Tóth, Tamás, László Krecsák, Thomas Madsen and Beáta Újvári 2002. Herpetofaunal locality records on the Greek Islands of Corfu (Amphibia, Reptilia). Herpetozoa 15 (3/4):149-169 - get paper here
  • Trapp, B. 2007. Reptilien und Amphibien des griechischen Festlandes. Natur und Tier Verlag (Münster), 300 pp. - get paper here
  • Trutnau, L. 1975. Europäische Amphibien und Reptilien. Belser Verlag, Stuttgart 212 pp.
  • Tuniyev B.S., Tuniyev S.B., Avcı A., Ilgaz Ç. 2014. Herpetological studies in Eastern and North-Eastern Turkey. Current Studies in Herpetology 14 (1/2): 44–53. Резюме - get paper here
  • Uhrin, Marcel; Peter Havaš, Martin Minařík, Karel Kodejš, Imrich Bugoš, Stanislav Danko, Tomáš Husák, Daniel Koleska and Daniel Jablonski 2016. Distribution updates to amphibian and reptile fauna for the Republic of Macedonia. Herpetology Notes 9: 201-220 - get paper here
  • Ullenbruch, Klaus 2023. Tod einer Blindschleiche durch überfrierende Nässe. Elaphe 2023 (2): 85
  • Vences, M. 1993. Beobachtungen an einer isolierten Population der Blindschleiche (Anguis fragilis) in Nordwestspanien. Salamandra 29 (3-4): 265-268 - get paper here
  • Wallin, L. 2001. Catalogue of type specimens. 4. Linnaean specimens. Uppsala University, Museum of Evolution, Zoology section, 128 pp. - get paper here
  • WERMUTH, H. 1950. Variationsstatistische Untersuchung der Rassen- und Geschlechtsmerkmale bei der Blindschleiche (Anguis fragilis). Deutsche zool. Zeitschr., Hannover, 1(2): 81-121
  • Wütschert, R. 1984. Neues uber die Reptilienfauna der Insel Korfu. Salamandra 20 (4): 221-228 - get paper here
  • YAKIN, B. Y., & Cemal Varol, T. O. K. 2020. Data on the reproductive biology of two Anguids in Turkey. Biharean Biologist 15(1): 48–52. - get paper here
  • Yaryhin O, Klembara J, Pichugin Y, Kaucka M, Werneburg I. 2021. Limb reduction in squamate reptiles correlates with the reduction of the chondrocranium: a case study on serpentiform anguids. Developmental Dynamics - get paper here
  • Žagar, A., Carretero, M. A., Krofel, M., Lužnik, M., Podnar, M. & Tvrtković, N. 2014. Reptile survey in Dinara Mountain (Croatia) revealed the southernmost known population of Horvath’s rock lizard (Iberolacerta horvathi). Nat. Croat. 23 (1): 235–240 - get paper here
  • Zahn, A. 2001. Ein Blindschleichenquartier unter einer PVC-Folie - Beobachtungen zu Phänologie, Verhalten und Temperaturansprüchen von Anguis fragilis LINNAEUS, 1758. Salamandra 37 (2): 65-70 - get paper here
 
External links  
Is it interesting? Share with others:

As link to this species use URL address:

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Anguis&species=fragilis

without field 'search_param'. Field 'search_param' is used for browsing search result.



Please submit feedback about this entry to the curator