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    Anguis – Slow worms

    Are we snakes, or are we worms?

    The legless lizards found across Eurasia are all part of the genus Anguis. These lizards may seem similar to snakes, but there are a few key differences. The most notable is that, like other lizards, they also blink their tiny eyes behind thin eyelids. They could also have prominent ears, unlike snakes. In contrast to most snakes, they lose their skin in pieces instead of all at once.

    The range of the slowworm extends over most of Europe, as well as into Central and Western Asia.
    These lizards are strictly vegetarian and subsist on worms and slugs.

    Because of the types of invertebrates they eat, slowworms play a crucial role in the ecosystem by controlling unwanted insect populations. Local predators such as snakes and raptors rely on them as a food source.