Editing Common slow worm (section)

== Evolutionary history ==
Members of the genus ''[[Anguis]]'', to which the slow worm belongs, first appeared in Europe during the [[Mammal Paleogene zone]] 14, between 43.5 and 41.2 million years ago, corresponding to the [[Lutetian]] stage of the [[Eocene]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rage|first=Jean-Claude|date=December 2012|title=Amphibians and squamates in the Eocene of Europe: what do they tell us?|url=http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s12549-012-0087-3|journal=Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments|language=en|volume=92|issue=4|pages=445–457|doi=10.1007/s12549-012-0087-3|bibcode=2012PdPe...92..445R |s2cid=128651937|issn=1867-1594|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Remains assigned to the ''Anguis fragilis'' [[species complex]] are known from the late [[Miocene]] onwards.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Villa|first1=Andrea|last2=Delfino|first2=Massimo|date=November 2019|title=Fossil lizards and worm lizards (Reptilia, Squamata) from the Neogene and Quaternary of Europe: an overview|journal=[[Swiss Journal of Palaeontology]]|language=en|volume=138|issue=2|pages=177–211|doi=10.1007/s13358-018-0172-y|issn=1664-2384|doi-access=free|bibcode=2019SwJP..138..177V }}</ref>