Southwest Iberian web digger

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Southwest Iberian web digger
Systematics
Superordinate : Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order : Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank: Double creeping (Amphisbaenia)
Family : Blanidae
Genre : Blanus
Type : Southwest Iberian web digger
Scientific name
Blanus mariae
Albert & Fernández , 2009

The southwest Iberian networm ( Blanus mariae ) is one of three species of the double sneak ( Amphisbaenia ) found in Europe and lives in the south of the Iberian Peninsula .

features

Head-torso length 8.5-25.3 cm, mean 17.5 cm. The habitus is reminiscent of a fat earthworm. The head is set off from the body by a transverse row of smaller scales. The receding eyes shimmer through under the skin. The body is covered with rectangular to square-looking, mostly larger scales that surround the body in a ring. The bright edges of the scales and equally bright spaces give the animals a net-like appearance. The coloration of the scales varies from flesh-colored, pale pink to brownish-purple to chestnut brown.

distribution

The Southwest Iberian Netzwühle inhabits the southwestern part of the Iberian Peninsula, namely southern Portugal (here the Algarve and Baixo Alentejo regions ) and the southwestern part of Spain (especially the provinces of Huelva , Seville and Cádiz ). The exact boundaries of the area to the north and east are not yet known.

habitat

The southwest Iberian networm colonizes a large number of habitats on the most varied geological subsoil, whereby a certain ability to dig is required. Larger sandy areas with little vegetation, e.g. B. dune landscapes, but seems to avoid the species. Terrain with hard limestone or granite ground is settled when the ground is covered with numerous stones under which the animals can stay. A certain vegetation cover, such as Mediterranean bush and grassland, is also required.

Way of life

The way of life is similar to that of the Moorish networm ( Blanus cinereus ). Whether there are any differences to this species has yet to be clarified.

Taxonomy

Until recently, the species was still counted among the Moorish networms.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Dieter Glandt: The amphibians and reptiles of Europe: All kinds in portrait. 2nd, updated and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2015, pp. 335–336, ISBN 978-3-494-01581-1 .

literature

  • Dieter Glandt: The amphibians and reptiles of Europe: All kinds in portrait. 2nd, updated and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2015, pp. 335–336, ISBN 978-3-494-01581-1 .
  • Eva María Albert & Adrían Fernández: Evidence of cryptic speciation in a fossorial reptile: description of a new species of Blanus (Squamata: Amphisbaenia: Blanidae) from the Iberian Peninsula. Zootaxa, 2234, pp. 56–68, 2009 (first description)

Web links

  • David López Bosch: Iberian Worm Lizards , All You Need is Biology, accessed on August 14, 2020
  • Matthijs Hollanders: Blanus mariae , photo on Flickr, March 25, 2014, accessed August 14, 2020