Italian slowworm

The Italian orbite is a small scaly reptile that, although it looks like a snake, actually belongs to the suborder Lacertilia; it is distinguished from snakes by the presence of eyelids that close and the very small front and rear legs that are the legacy of its evolution. The cylindrical body, on average around 50 cm long, is covered with smooth and shiny scales, of brown or gray color with copper-colored reflections; females often have a rather dark vertebral and flank line; the young have golden or silver liveries. Like many lizards, in case of danger it manages to break the tail (autotomy), leaving it on the ground to confuse the aggressor; it is rarely regenerated in its entirety and is often replaced by a stubby stump.