Blanus

Two Moorish power rooting

Blanus is a genus of amphisbaenians ( amphisbaenians ). The legless lizards have a disjunct distribution around the Mediterranean. They come on the Iberian Peninsula, before, from Morocco to Algeria and from Turkey to Syria and Iraq.

Features

Blanus species are serpentine and elongated. Her head is blunt and has tiny, lying under the skin eyes. The scales are square, small and arranged in regular transverse bands. The animals are from flesh-colored to brown or violet color.

System

The genus was once one of the authentics amphisbaenians ( Amphisbaenidae ) but is now placed in its own family. Their sister group is endemic to the Cuban island Isla de la Juventud genus Cadea. The separation of the two taxa is said to have taken place some 40 million years ago the ancestors of the Cadea have crossed on floating vegetation islands of the Atlantic.

Species

  • Moorish Netzwühle ( Blanus cinereus ) VANDELLI 1797
  • Südwestiberische Netzwühle ( Blanus mariae ) ALBERT & Fernández, 2009
  • Blanus mettetali Bons 1963
  • Turkish Ringelwühle ( Blanus strauchi ) Bedriaga 1884
  • Blanus tingitanus BUSACK 1988
Squamata Digital Object Identifier
131060
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