Blanus cinereus
| Iberian worm lizard | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Two Iberian worm lizards | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Blanidae |
| Genus: | Blanus |
| Species: | B. cinereus |
| Binomial name | |
|
Blanus cinereus (Vandelli, 1797) |
|
 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Iberian worm lizard or European worm lizard (Blanus cinereus) is a species of reptile in the family Blanidae (worm lizards) of the suborder Amphisbaenidae. There are 130 species of amphisbaenians, most found in Spain, Africa, South Africa, and the Caribbean islands. The Iberian worm lizard is locally known as cobra-cega (Portuguese), culebrilla ciega (Spanish), and colobreta cega (Catalan), all meaning "blind snake". Recent studies into the and nuclear genomic data of 47 isolated B. cinereus populations show rather large sequence divergence between two apparent clades, leading some researchers to call for a division of the Iberian worm lizard into two species. While little is known of B. cinereus in comparison with some other reptile species, new insight is growing about this primitive, ancestral reptile.
The Iberian worm lizard is found within Portugal and through most of central and southern Spain.
B. cinereus is a subterranean species found in a wide variety of Mediterranean habitats. Their abundance in population in different regions is difficult to determine due to their subterranean nature. However, studies on B. cinereus activity have shown the organism's ability to survive in habitats between 400 meters and 1400 meters. The Iberian worm lizard is a thermoregulator meaning it can only survive in habitats conducive to its thermoregulatory needs. Typical habitats for B. cinereus consist of areas of high humus and sporadic rocks of varying thickness. B. cinereus will take advantage of their habitat's loose soil depth and rocks as means for thermoregulation. Depending on the time of day Iberian worm lizards will move in between 0 cm and 10 cm of soil and underneath rocks varying in thickness from 10 cm to 20 cm. B. cinereus will use the depth of soil, particularly the deeper soil, to cool down and the rocks to warm itself to varying degrees based on the time of day and thickness of the rocks. By using its habitat, the Iberian worm lizard is able to maintain a constant body temperature with minimal energy expense.
...
Wikipedia