To sneak

To sneak
	Slow worm ( Anguis fragilis )
Systematics
without rank:	Sauropsida
Superordinate :	Scale lizards (Lepidosauria)
Order :	Scale reptiles (Squamata)
without rank:	Toxicofera
without rank:	Sneaky (Anguimorpha)
Family :	To sneak
Scientific name
	Anguidae
	Gray , 1825

The sneaks (Anguidae) are a family in the class of the reptiles (Reptilia), which includes over 70 species in 10 genera. They occur in Europe , Asia , North , Central and South America as well as on the Antilles .

features

The sneaks are a diverse family of lizards. There are both snake-like, legless species, such as the European slow worm , as well as elongated forms whose legs are stunted to small stumps, and normal four-legged and fifteen-toed species. In all sneaks, the scales are reinforced by bone platelets.

Many species have a stretchy fold of skin on either side of the body that makes it easier to eat or breathe. It is also useful in the development of the eggs. As with the real lizards , the tail breaks off easily. After a certain time it grows back, but no longer in its original size. Unlike snakes , sneaks have movable eyelids and external ear openings.

Sneaks have strong jaws, in most cases blunt molars. Most sneaks feed on hard-shelled insects and mollusks , while others also feed on lizards and small mammals . Few species give birth to live young. Most lay eggs.

Scheltopusik
( Pseudopus apodus )

Southern crocodile snake ( Elgaria multicarinata )

Systematics

The creeping species are divided into two subfamilies, 10 genera and over 70 species. The former subfamily of double tongue creeps is now managed as an independent family Diploglossidae.

Anguinae Gray subfamily , 1825
- Genus Anguis Linnaeus , 1758
  
  Peloponnese slow worm ( Anguis cephallonica Werner , 1894)
  
  Eastern slow worm ( Anguis colchica ( Nordmann , 1840))
  
  Greek slow worm ( Anguis graeca Bedriaga , 1881)
  
  Slow worm ( Anguis fragilis Linnaeus , 1758)
  
  Italian slow worm ( Anguis veronensis Pollini , 1818)
- Genus Asiatic Glass Sneaks ( Dopasia Gray , 1853)
- Genus Glass Sneak ( Ophisaurus Daudin , 1803)
- Genus Pseudopus Merrem , 1820
  - Scheltopusik ( Pseudopus apodus ( Pallas , 1775))
Subfamily crocodile and alligator crawls (Gerrhonotinae) McDowell & Bogert , 1954
- Tree sneaks genus ( Abronia Gray , 1838)
- Genus Barisia Gray , 1838
- Genus Coloptychon Tihen , 1949
- Genus Elgaria Gray , 1838
  - Southern crocodile sneak ( Elgaria multicarinata ( Blainville , 1835))

The creeps can be found fossil for the first time in the Upper Cretaceous . In Geiseltal in Merseburg to remains of strongly armored genera found Glyptosaurus and Placosaurus .

literature

Hans-Eckard Gruner, Horst Füller, Kurt Günther: Urania Tierreich. Fish, amphibians, reptiles. Urania-Verlag, Leipzig a. a. 1991, ISBN 3-332-00491-3 .

Individual evidence

^ Anguis in The Reptile Database

Web links

Commons : Sneaking (Anguidae) - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Sneak - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

[1] Anguis in The Reptile Database