The Moroccan worm lizard (Blanus mettetali) is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Blanidae. The species is endemic to Morocco.

Etymology

The specific name, mettetali, is in honor of a Mr. Mettetal who was head of the Laboratory of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences of Morocco.

Description

Blanus mettetali has eight or more preanal pores, which are usually arranged in a continuous transverse series.

Habitat

The natural habitats of Blanus mettetali are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, arable land, and pastureland, at elevations up to .

Behavior

Blanus mettetali is terrestrial, sheltering in sandy soil and under stones.

Reproduction

Blanus mettetali is oviparous. Clutch size is one egg.

Conservation status

Blanus mettetali is threatened by habitat loss.

References

Further reading

• Bons, Jacques (1963). "Notes sur Blanus cinereus (Vandelli), description d'une sous-espèce Marocaine: Blanus cinereus mettetali ssp. nov." Bulletin de la Société des Sciences naturelles et physiques du Maroc (1-2): 95–107. (Blanus cinereus mettetali, new suspecies). (in French).

• 630 pp. (Blanus mettetali, p. 468).

• 580 pp.

Phylogeographical patterns