Anguis

Anguis, or the slow worm, is a small genus of lizards in the family Anguidae. It has two described species.

Description

Slow worms are typically grey-brown, with the females having a coppery sheen and two lateral black stripes, and the males displaying electric blue spots, particularly in the breeding season. They give birth to live young; the young are about 4 cm (1.6 in) long at birth and generally have golden stripes.

As their name indicates, slow worms are slow-moving and can be easily caught. Like many lizards, slow worms can shed their tails to distract predators. The tail regrows, but never fully. Principal predators are birds, badgers, hedgehogs, foxes and domestic cats.

The average British slow worm will grow to 45 cm when fully mature and weigh approximately 100 g, females being slightly larger than the males. The tail makes up around half of its length, but is indistinguishable from the body. They have been recorded to live for up to 30 years in wild, and the record age for a Slow worm in captivity is 54 years (Copenhagen Zoo).

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