20 facts about the European Legless Lizard:
The European Legless Lizard (Anguis fragilis) is a species of lizard native to Europe and parts of Asia.
They are also known as the slowworm due to their slow and sluggish movements.
Despite their name, they are not true snakes and are more closely related to lizards.
European Legless Lizards are non-venomous and pose no threat to humans.
They are typically brown or gray in color, with smooth and shiny scales.
These lizards can grow up to 2 feet in length, including their tail.
They are fossorial, meaning they spend most of their time underground or burrowing through soil and leaf litter.
European Legless Lizards are insectivores and feed primarily on earthworms, slugs, and other small invertebrates.
They are able to shed their tails as a defense mechanism, which can distract predators and allow them to escape.
These lizards are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young.
Female European Legless Lizards lay 6-20 eggs at a time, which hatch after an incubation period of 60-90 days.
They are relatively long-lived, with a lifespan of up to 20 years in captivity.
European Legless Lizards are common and widespread, and are not considered threatened or endangered.
These lizards are often kept as pets, but their capture and ownership is regulated in some countries.
In the wild, they are important members of their ecosystem, serving as predators of small invertebrates.
European Legless Lizards have very small eyes and a reduced visual sense, relying mainly on their sense of smell to locate prey and navigate their environment.
They are able to tolerate a wide range of temperatures and are able to survive in both hot and cold environments.
European Legless Lizards are a unique and fascinating species, admired by herpetologists for their limbless form and fossorial lifestyle.
They play an important ecological role in their habitat, controlling populations of small invertebrates and serving as prey for larger predators.
Despite their superficial resemblance to snakes, European Legless Lizards are a distinct and separate group of reptiles with their own unique adaptations and behaviors.
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