Blanus

Genus of amphisbaenians

Blanus

Iberian worm lizard (Blanus cinereus)
Scientific classification
Domain:  | Eukaryota
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Reptilia
Order:  | Squamata
Clade:  | Amphisbaenia
Family:  | Blanidae
Kearney 2003
Genus:  | Blanus
Wagler, 1830[1]

Blanus, also known as worm lizards, are a genus of amphisbaenians found in the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa.[2] Like other amphisbaenians, Blanus species are specialized for a subterranean existence, with long, slender bodies, reduced limbs, and rudimentary eyes. Their skulls are powerfully constructed, allowing them to push through soil to create a burrow. Their jaws are well-developed, with large, recurved teeth and a pair of canine-like teeth in the upper jaw.

Five extant species are currently known. The relationships of Blanus to other worm-lizards are not clear. The genus was formerly included in the Amphisbaenidae. More recent analyses suggest that blanids are more primitive, and are either related to Bipes[3] or represent an even more ancient lineage.[4]

A number of fossils from Europe have been referred either to Blanus or to the Blanidae.[5]

## Species[edit]

Evolutionary tree of Blanidae; extinct species denoted with gray lines

The genus contains the following species:[6][7]

* Blanus alexandri Sindaco, Kornilios, Sacchi & Lymberakis, 2014
* Blanus aporus Werner, 1898
* Blanus cinereus (Vandelli, 1797) – Iberian worm lizard
* Blanus mariae Albert & Fernández, 2009
* Blanus mendezi† Bolet et al., 2014
* Blanus mettetali Bons, 1963 – Moroccan worm lizard
* Blanus strauchi (Bedriaga, 1884) – Turkish worm lizard
* Blanus tingitanus Busack, 1988

## References[edit]

1. ^ Wagler, J. 1830\. Natürliches System der AMPHIBIEN, mit vorangehender Classification der SÄUGTHIERE und VÖGEL. Ein Beitrag zur vergleichenden Zoologie. Munich, Stuttgart, and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. vi + 354 pp. + one plate. (Genus Blanus, p. 197).
2. ^ Albert, E. M.; Zardoya, R.; García-París, M. (2007). "Phylogeographical and speciation patterns in subterranean worm lizards of the genus Blanus (Amphisbaenia: Blanidae)". Molecular Ecology. 16 (7): 1519–1531. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2007.03248.x. PMID 17391273. S2CID 26071914.
3. ^ Vidal, N.; Azvolinsky, A.; Cruaud, C.; Hedges, S. B. (2007-12-11). "Origin of tropical American burrowing reptiles by transatlantic rafting". Biology Letters. 4 (1): 115–118. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0531. PMC 2412945. PMID 18077239.
4. ^ Kearney, M.; Stuart, B. L. (2004). "Repeated evolution of limblessness and digging heads in worm lizards revealed by DNA from old bones". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 271 (1549): 1677–1683. doi:10.1098/rspb.2004.2771. PMC 1691774. PMID 15306287.
5. ^ Augé, M. L. (2012). "Amphisbaenians from the European Eocene: A biogeographical review". Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments. 92 (4): 425–443. doi:10.1007/s12549-012-0104-6. S2CID 129023376.
6. ^ Blanus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 18 January 2014.
7. ^ Blanus Wikispecies.

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Squamata families

* Kingdom: Animalia
* Phylum: Chordata
* Class: Reptilia
* Order: Squamata

Dibamia|

* Dibamidae

Gekkota|

* Gekkonidae
* Carphodactylidae
* Diplodactylidae
* Eublepharidae
* Phyllodactylidae
* Pygopodidae
* Sphaerodactylidae

Scincoidea|

* Cordylidae
* Gerrhosauridae
* Scincidae
* Xantusiidae

Laterata / Lacertoidea|

* Lacertidae

Gymnophthalmoidea|

* Alopoglossidae
* Gymnophthalmidae
* Teiidae

Amphisbaenia|

* Amphisbaenidae
* Bipedidae
* Blanidae
* Cadeidae
* Rhineuridae
* Trogonophidae

Anguimorpha|

* Shinisauridae
* Lanthanotidae
* Varanidae
* Helodermatidae
* Xenosauridae
* Anguidae
* Anniellidae
* Diploglossidae

Iguania|

* Agamidae
* Chamaeleonidae
* Corytophanidae
* Crotaphytidae
* Dactyloidae
* Hoplocercidae
* Iguanidae
* Leiocephalidae
* Leiosauridae
* Liolaemidae
* Opluridae
* Phrynosomatidae
* Polychrotidae
* Tropiduridae

Serpentes|

| Scolecophidia|

* Anomalepididae
* Gerrhopilidae
* Leptotyphlopidae
* Typhlopidae
* Xenotyphlopidae

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Alethinophidia|

* Acrochordidae
* Aniliidae
* Anomochilidae
* Atractaspididae
* Boidae
* Bolyeriidae
* Colubridae
* Cylindrophiidae
* Elapidae
* Loxocemidae
* Pythonidae
* Tropidophiidae
* Uropeltidae
* Viperidae
* Xenopeltidae

Media related to Blanus at Wikimedia Commons

Taxon identifiers|

* Wikidata: Q39065
* Wikispecies: Blanus
* ADW: Blanus
* BOLD: 200135
* CoL: 62FS7
* EoL: 35158
* EPPO: 1BLNUG
* Fauna Europaea: 214708
* Fauna Europaea (new): c97e01b5-1b1f-4059-9c35-1eeefa13facd
* Fossilworks: 249809
* GBIF: 2473221
* iNaturalist: 31727
* IRMNG: 1367600
* ITIS: 1125406
* NCBI: 227090
* Plazi: 8F7087F7-FF87-CD1A-FC97-6D06DFA2FC6A
* uBio: 5547857

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