Common name: Alexander’s Worm Lizard
Scientific name:Blanus alexandrii
Family: Amphisbaenidae

Size:
Total length: 15–25 cm

Identification:
A small, elongated, limbless reptile resembling a worm or small snake. The head is blunt and not clearly distinct from the body, and the eyes are extremely reduced and barely visible beneath the skin. The body is cylindrical with smooth, ring-like segments (annulations), giving it a segmented appearance. Coloration is typically pinkish-grey to pale brown, with a glossy surface adapted for moving through soil.

Habitat:
Subterranean environments in Mediterranean habitats, including loose soils, sandy areas, agricultural lands, and under stones. In Lebanon, it is mainly associated with lowland and mid-elevation regions where the soil allows burrowing.

Status in Lebanon:
Native but very rarely encountered. Likely under-recorded due to its fossorial (underground) lifestyle and secretive behavior rather than true rarity.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on small invertebrates such as insects, larvae, termites, ants, and other soil-dwelling organisms.

Behavior:
Highly fossorial and spends most of its life underground. Usually found beneath stones or within loose soil. Slow-moving but well adapted for burrowing. Rarely seen on the surface, mostly after rain or when disturbed.

Conservation status:
Not Evaluated (IUCN Red List)