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Reptiles and amphibians around Alphington's lanes

Wildlife in Alphington

By Rowena Jay

Lizards Order Squamata

Slow Worm

Family: Anguidae; Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis). Length: up to 50cm.
This is a legless lizard and half of their length consists of a fragile tail. They are smooth and shiny and grey to coppery in colour. The female often has a strip along her back and the male may have blue spots. Unlike snakes slow worms have eye lids. They can be found in damp place with lush vegetation and they spend a lot of their time under stones. They come out at dusk and after rain to seek out their food namely slugs. The female gives birth to active young. Please note that this is a protected species.

Newt

Order: Caudata; Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris). Length: up to 11cm.
The female and non-breeding male are pale brown in colour with two darker strips on their backs. Their skin is smooth, dry and velvet-like when they are on land. The breeding male is heavily spotted on his back, with a large continuous wavy crest running down both his back and tail. They return to water to breed and lay the eggs one by one on the water wrapping plant leaves around them. Their tadpoles are entirely carnivorous.

Frog

Order: Anura; Common Frog (Rana tamporaria). Length: up to 10cm
They can be grey, brown, pink or yellow in colour with darker blotches. They have a dark patch that encloses their eyes and eardrums. They have a horizontal pupil and a clear fold on each side of their backs. They can be found in dense vegetation and return to water in the breeding season where their eggs are laid in masses.

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