Italian Slowworm

For now, this anguid species has been observed only in Italy and some parts of France. Some experts hypothesize the slow worm's remotest area of distribution also includes southern parts of Switzerland. The species' main territories are located on the Italian Peninsula, with animals populating the whole peninsula but its southeastern parts. The Italian slow worm is more common in northern Italy, while populations in southern parts of the country are smaller. In north and northeastern Italy, as well as in Slovenia (only hybrids found), the Italian slow worm sometimes comes in contact with the common slow worm, resulting in occasional hybridization. Anguis veronensis inhabits exclusively the far southeastern mainland France, region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The species' presence has also been confirmed on the Mediterranean island Ile Sainte-Marguerite, with animals being genetically related to mainland slow worms of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The northern populations' common habitats include various forest-steppe, steppe and ruderal areas, with some animals inhabiting urban surfaces. Slow worms of central and southern regions of Italy usually inhabit less diverse collection of habitats; borders of oak and beech forests are the most common, followed by sand dunes of Mediterranean characteristic maquis shrubland. …