Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update: December 31st, 2022.
 
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Genus
Blanus
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Mediterranean Worm Lizards
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Netzwühlen, Ringelwühlen
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Mediterrane Ormeøgler
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1830 |  |
Blanus Wagler (type species: Amphisbaena cinerea Vandelli 1797) |
Contents:
7 species, of which 3 (42.9%) are endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Distribution:
SW. Europe, NW. Africa, Middle East.
Reported from:
Gibraltar,
Greece
(incl.
Aegean Islands
[incl.
Rhodes]),
Iraq,
Lebanon,
Morocco,
Portugal,
Spain,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Blanus alexandri
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Levant Worm Lizard
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Levantische Netzwühle
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Levantisk Ormeøgle
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2014 | |
Blanus alexandri Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis |
Remarks:
Records from Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria of strauchi or its former subspecies aporus are herein tentatively assigned to alexandri, following Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis (2014), who assumed that the populations in these countries belong to the latter species. Although being reported (as strauchi or aporus) as common in some places in northern Israel by Lortet (1883) and Tristram (1885), and also listed for the country by several works (e.g., Alexander 1966; Leviton, Anderson, Adler & Minton 1992; Gans 2005), it has never been found in the country by Israeli zoologists despite targeted searches and is not supported by museum evidence (Bouskila 2004; Grillitsch & Werner 2009).
Distribution:
Iraq,
Lebanon,
Syria,
Turkey.
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Blanus aporus
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Cilician Worm Lizard
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Kilikische Netzwühle
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Kilikisk Ormeøgle
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1898 | |
Blanus aporus Werner |
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Blanus strauchi aporus Alexander 1966 |
Remarks:
Revalidated by Gans (2005), but without discussion. Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis (2014) confirmed the validity of aporus as a separate species. See further remarks under alexandri.
Distribution:
Turkey.
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Blanus cinereus
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Southwest Iberian Worm Lizard, (European Worm Lizard, Mediterranean Worm Lizard)
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Südwestiberische Netzwühle
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Sydvestiberisk Ormeøgle
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1797 | |
Amphisbaena cinerea Vandelli |
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Blanus cinereus Wagler 1830 |
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2009 | |
Blanus mariae Albert & Fernández (Ceríaco & Bauer 2018) |
Remarks:
Previously included mettetali (e.g., Bons 1963; Gans 1967).
North African records refer to mettetali and tingitanus.
This species was previously described as mariae by Albert & Fernández (2009), whereas they used the name cinereus for the species now known as vandellii.
But mariae and cinereus were subsequently found to represent the same species (Ceríaco & Bauer 2018).
As a consequence, Ceríaco & Bauer (2018) synonymized mariae with cinereus, and gave the former Central Iberian "cinereus" population
a new name, vandellii.
Distribution:
Gibraltar,
Portugal,
Spain.
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Blanus cinereus
© Henrik Bringsøe
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Blanus mettetali
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Moroccan Worm Lizard
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Marokkanische Netzwühle
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Marokkansk Ormeøgle
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1963 | |
Blanus cinereus mettetali Bons |
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Blanus mettetali Busack 1988 |
Distribution:
Morocco.
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Blanus strauchi
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West Anatolian Worm Lizard, (Ringed Worm Lizard, Turkish Worm Lizard)
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Westanatolische Netzwühle, (Türkische Netzwühle)
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Vestanatolsk Ormeøgle, (Lilleasiatisk Ormeøgle)
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1884 | |
Blanus strauchi Bedriaga |
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1884 | |
Blanus bedriagae Boulenger (Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis 2014) |
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Blanus strauchi bedriagae Alexander 1966 |
Remarks:
Previously included aporus (e.g., Alexander 1966; Gans 1967) and the populations now assigned to alexandri (Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis 2014). Gans (2005) also revalidated bedriagae as a separate species, but without discussion, however, Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis (2014) retained it as a subspecies of strauchi. Records from Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria of strauchi or of its former subspecies aporus are herein tentatively assigned to alexandri, following Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis (2014), who assumed that the populations in these countries belong to the latter species. Mentioned for Cyprus by Alexander (1966), but neither by Gans (2005) nor by Baier, Sparrow & Wiedl (2009).
Distribution:
Greece
(Aegean Islands
[incl.
Rhodes]),
Turkey.
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Blanus strauchi
© Henrik Bringsøe
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Blanus tingitanus
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Tangier Worm Lizard
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Tangier-Netzwühle
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Tangier-ormeøgle
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1988 | |
Blanus tingitanus Busack |
Distribution:
Morocco.
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Blanus vandellii
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Central Iberian Worm Lizard
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Zentraliberische Netzwühle
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Centraliberisk Ormeøgle
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2018 | |
Blanus vandellii Ceríaco & Bauer |
Remarks:
Referred to as cinereus by Albert & Fernández (2009), but this taxon was subsequently found to be conspecific with mariae, desribed by the same authors.
As a consequence, Ceríaco & Bauer (2018) synonymized mariae with cinereus, which has nomenclatural priority, and gave the former "cinereus"
population a new name, vandellii.
Speybroeck & al. (2020) referred to this species as B. rufus (Hemprich 1820), although it is not clear whether the two taxa are conspecific.
Distribution:
Portugal,
Spain.
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