#slowworms

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Uncharismatic Fact of the Day

Death adder? No, this is the deaf adder! Also known as the common slow worm, this reptile is actually a legless lizard! Contrary to their name, they are neither deaf nor particularly slow. However, they're thought to be one of the longest-lived lizards in the world; adults have been recorded reaching up to 54 years old!

(Image: A deaf adder (Anguis fragilis) by David Chas)

[bonefall]

I blacked out for tallstar's collapse because I saw "slow worm" and lost my mind, a cat named after one of my favourite lizards! I did reread it afterwards (your plot ideas are SO on point) but yeah thank you for the slow worm mention.

I <3 slowworms and think they are super super cool. The UK has like 6-ish native reptiles and they're all really neat, because it's SO COLD they have to have a bunch of unique adaptations

Adders are still my favorite because they look grumpy and that's delightful, but slowworms are probably a close second. Legless lizards are wild.

I keep trying to settle on a good English prefix to translate Clanmew's word for slowworms into, but hit the issue of every alternative name being... Lovecraft's cat for ableism.

I think I heard a fine French word for it, which I might jot down.

[mixotrophics]

UMMMM wtf..................................very small.

[herpsandbirds]

Slowworm (Anguis fragilis), juvenile, EAT A TASTY URFWORM!!!, family Anguidae, Spain

Legless lizard.

photograph by Pedro Verdejo

[morgansram]

Pregnant Slowworm Wet Specimen.

[life-on-our-planet]

The slow worm isn't a worm or even a snake, it's a legless lizard. The distinctions between a slow worm and a snake are found in their blinking eyelids, visible ears, and shedding habits. They live semi-fossorial lives hunting for slugs and worms in tall grasses and damp areas. ©Chasing Scales

[michaelnordeman]

Slowworm/kopparödla. Värmland, Sweden (July 12, 2020).

[blirpus]

saw this little snakelike creature just now

[monikatouhou]

Most of the time I have to Do It Tired. How else would i have gotten to see the legless lizard yesterday?

it was in a ruined castle, in a crevice of a stone stair. It is very cute

[z0rrp]

Haha worm

@theratcloset to yo liek mi artvorck

Zerzebzbeb piramide pipipi zerb zeerzeer

[bonefall]

talking about snakes classified as worms had me wondering why i'd never seen a warrior cat named after one of my fave local reptiles (it's called "orvet" in french and is a type of legless lizard) but the english name is "slowworm" so. actually have there been cats named worm....

Yes. Snaketooth's Clanmew name is going to be Slowworm-Chewingtooth as a reference to her wit, I'm bizarrely fond of her and her litter.

Her name refers to her cunning nature. A slowworm drops its tail if grabbed incorrectly, so you have to grab them higher up on the body. Snaketooth is an intelligent, diplomatic sort of cat, and often trades with cats of other Clans.

In fact, through a butterfly effect, she is actually somewhat responsible for the conspiracy of ASC. She connected Berryheart with the RiverClan rebels, through being Sneezecloud's favorite ShadowClan connection.

I also like to think she has a habit of wiggling her jaw when she thinks, as if she's chewing.

Her sister has an Honor Title, Flowerscar, for getting her face bitten by the Impostor during ShadowClan's attack, and Whorlpelt is just a pretty boy who I think is neat.

But in another situation it's an insult; Shrewclaw called Tallstar this as a kid. It was a REALLY mean and morbid joke about how Sandgorse was proud of his son's long tail that could help them pull him out from a cave-in... and Shrew was saying, "They'll pull and your tail will snap off LOL"

[mixotrophics]

ah, ok, same I guess,

[frippp]

Little garden critters for a craft market soon! If your in brighton on the 27th of july you can snag yourself one of these! After then im going to start an etsy shop and if there are left overs theyll be on there :)

[mindless-vagabond]

picnic critters!

[peanutdream]

😳 i encountered this (slightly tailles) beauty during my daily walk!

[do-you-know-this-animal]

This is:

Anguis fragilis, aka slowworm, aka slepýš křehký

Fun fact!

Despite its appearance, this thing is not not a snake, but a legless lizard! Unlike snakes, they have ear openings and eyelids, can shed their tails, and lack the characteristic gap in the upper lip.