Based on the results of a recent DNA study, Anguis fragilis now is split into five species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis<\/em>) is distributed in most of Western and Central Europe. In Italy its is replaced by Anguis veronensis<\/em>, in Greece \u2013 by A. graeca<\/em> and A. cephallonica<\/em>, but in Finland and the eastern part of Europe \u2013 by A. colchica<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Anguis fragilis is found in Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation (Kaliningrad Oblast), Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The population is currently stable. The main threat is the habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urbanization, fires and re-afforestation of clearings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conservation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25a0 Listed in Appendix III of the Bern Convention<\/strong> on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats as a protected fauna species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taxonomy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u25a0 Phylum Chordata \u2013 chordates
\u25a0 Class Reptilia \u2013 reptiles
\u25a0 Order Squamata \u2013 scaled reptiles
\u25a0 Family Anguidae \u2013 anguids
\u25a0 Species Anguis fragilis<\/em> \u2013 Slow Worm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2631,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","inline_featured_image":false},"animal-category":[35,36],"animal-filter-1":[],"animal-filter-2":[],"class_list":["post-8042","animal","type-animal","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n