If you keep up with the news in herpetology (were sure you already knew this, but herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians), you might learn, every so often, about the discovery of a new legless lizard.
But — wait a second — wouldnt that be called a snake? Not so, as well soon learn; the snake vs. legless lizard distinction is one worth knowing about.
At first glance, it can be hard to tell a lizard apart from a snake. Some lizards lack limbs entirely or have reduced limbs, giving them a very snake-like appearance. While these legless lizards bear a strong resemblance to snakes, they are actually a type of gecko.
There are 47 species of legless lizards also called flap-footed lizards or snake-lizards that make up the family Pygopodidae. They are found in Australia and New Guinea. With their exceptionally long and slender bodies, it’s no wonder they are often mistaken for snakes!
These fascinating reptiles have evolved some incredible adaptations for a life lived low to the ground. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most snake-like lizards out there.
Shared Characteristics of Legless Lizards
Legless lizards share a number of features with other geckos including
- Producing parchment-shelled eggs in small clutches
- Having lidless eyes covered with a clear spectacles
- Making vocalization sounds like other geckos
- Having similar skull and inner ear anatomy
Differences Between Legless Lizards and Snakes
While the resemblance is uncanny, there are several key differences that set legless lizards apart from true snakes:
- Vestigial Hind Limbs – Legless lizards have tiny, flap-like hind limbs, while snakes have no limbs at all.
- Tongue – Legless lizards have wide, fleshy tongues unlike the forked tongues of snakes.
- External Ears – Most legless lizards have external ear openings, which snakes lack.
- Scales – The belly scales of legless lizards are paired, unlike snakes’ single row of belly scales.
- Tail Length – Legless lizards have exceptionally long tails, whereas a snake’s tail is short compared to its body length.
- Vocalizations – Legless lizards can make sounds, while snakes are voiceless.
Species of Legless Lizards
There are many different legless lizard species found around the world. Here are some of the more fascinating snake mimics:
Glass Lizards
There are several glass lizard species in the genus Ophisaurus native to North America. With completely snake-like movements, these lizards lack hindlimbs entirely. Some species have dark stripes running along their bodies that resemble snake markings.
Glass lizards move by thrashing side to side, propelled by their powerful tails. Their diet consists of insects, spiders, and even small mammals. Species include:
- Eastern glass lizard
- Slender glass lizard
- Island glass lizard
Slowworms
Found in Europe, slowworms in the genus Anguis have dark lateral stripes and reduced legs like small flaps. These small legless lizards spend much of their time underground or hiding in vegetation. They feed on slugs, snails, insects, spiders and more. Species include:
- Common slowworm
- Italian slowworm
- Eastern slowworm
Skinks
Certain skink species have highly reduced limbs and serpentine movements. The Florida sand skink has tiny stubby legs and looks remarkably like a little snake skimming across the sand. Another diminutive species is the little brown skink which inhabits leaf litter, mimicking small gartersnakes.
Snake-lizards
Found in Australia and Tasmania, Burton’s snake-lizard and the hooded scaly-foot have elongated bodies with either reduced legs or no hindlimbs at all. They have many behavioral and physiological similarities to snakes like flicking out their tongues to sense their environment.
Legless Lizards
One of the largest legless lizard species is the European legless lizard which can grow up to 4 feet long! Without any limbs, it uses lateral undulation to move through vegetation. This species hisses and releases foul smelling secretions as a defense, much like a snake would.
The Advantages of Mimicry
Why have so many lizards around the world evolved to look just like snakes?
One major advantage is protection from predators. Many animals know better than to mess with venomous snakes. By mimicking snakes in appearance, behavior, and habitat preferences, legless lizards gain some protection through this deception.
Their serpentine bodies are also well adapted for burrowing underground and slipping through vegetation in pursuit of prey. Legless lizards occupy a specialized snake-like niche, perfecting the limbless reptile body plan.
So next time you see a snake-like creature slithering by, look closely – it just might be one of these incredible legless lizards! Their adaptations allow them to fill an important role in ecosystems worldwide.
A Lizard-specific Defense Mechanism
Legless lizards, like most other lizards, can detach their tail when necessary.
Take eastern glass lizards: When threatened by a predator, one of the legless lizards main defensive mechanisms is to separate its body from its tail. It leaves the tail behind — still wriggling — to distract whatever predator is after it, and then runs away.
When the tail breaks off, it often breaks into more than one piece, appearing to shatter like glass. The lizard can only regenerate the tail one time, though, and regeneration can take several months to a year or two [source: WDNR].
The tail-drop is a very effective defense mechanism, even if it only has limited use. Most of a legless lizards length (up to two-thirds) is tail [source: Snakes and Frogs]. A snake has the opposite proportions.
If you pick up a legless lizard, youll notice that it doesnt feel quite like a snake, and thats in part because of this difference in body-to-tail proportion. Since the tail is stiffer than the body, a snake feels more supple than a glass lizard.
Similarities and Differences
Its very understandable if you see a legless lizard and assume youre looking at a snake. The two are similar animals, not only in appearance, but also in behavior. Both lay eggs that mature outside the body, both slither along the ground in a roughly S-like fashion, and both eat some of the same things, like mice and bird eggs.
Glass lizards also enjoy beetles, grasshoppers, snails and spiders, and for the most part, they tend to go for the smaller prey. This is because a major physical trait that distinguishes them from snakes: Snakes have whats called flexible jaws, and glass lizards dont; they cant “unlock” their jaws to swallow relatively large prey. A legless lizard has to stick to prey thats smaller than its own head.
There are other differences that are easier to spot:
- Glass lizards have moveable eyelids; snakes have no eyelids at all.
- Glass lizards also have ear openings, while snakes dont.
- While snakes famously possess forked tongues, glass lizards are merely notched.
And then theres the trait that earned one of them the “glass” moniker.
Glass Lizards | Legless Lizard Looks Like a Snake | WILD WANDER
FAQ
What is the lizard that looks like a snake?
Pygopodidae, commonly known as snake-lizards, or flap-footed lizards, are a family of legless lizards with reduced or absent limbs, and are a type of gecko. The 47 species are placed in two subfamilies and eight genera. They have unusually long, slender bodies, giving them a strong resemblance to snakes.
Are snake eyed skinks poisonous?
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Non-venomous:Unlike venomous snakes or lizards, skinks do not possess glands that produce and deliver venom.
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Mild bites:While a skink may bite if it feels threatened, the bite is typically not painful and doesn’t pose a threat to humans.
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Docile nature:Skinks are generally shy and avoid interactions with humans, preferring to hide or escape if they feel threatened.
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Not aggressive:They are not known for being aggressive and will usually try to avoid conflict.
Can legless lizards be venomous?
Differences between legless lizards and snakes include the lack of venom glands in legless lizards, their inability to constrict prey, the presence of a fleshy tongue rather than a forked tongue, visible ear holes, and remnant hind limbs.
What lizard is often mistaken for a snake?
Glass lizards are legless, and their long tails give them a very snake-like appearance.
Do glass lizards resemble snakes?
Glass lizards are often thought to look like snakes. Eastern glass lizards are a type of legless lizard found in the Southeastern United States, from the very southeastern tip of Virginia all the way south down to Florida.
Do some lizards resemble snakes?
Lizards, being reptiles, are closely related to snakes. In fact, snakes are thought to have evolved from lizards over 140 million years ago. While not all lizards look like snakes, some species do resemble them, as highlighted in the article ’12 Types of Lizards That Look Like Snakes (Pictures)’
What lizard looks like a silver snake?
Northern Legless Lizards (Anniella pulchra)are among the lizards that look like silver snakes. The central dorsal section of the species has a distinct silver color while the rest of its body is black and its ventral color is cream-yellow.
What is a skink lizard that looks like a snake?
Skinks: a snake-like lizard with smooth skin, small legs and a talent for disappearing. These distinctive creatures are known as skinks, and the species most often found in the Tehachapi Mountains is the Western Red-tailed Skin (Plestiodon gilberti rubricaudatus).
Are legless lizards snakes?
Legless lizards are fascinating reptiles that often get mistaken for snakes due to their elongated, limbless bodies. However, unlike snakes, legless lizards have external ear openings, movable eyelids, and sometimes even vestigial limb remnants.
How big do legless lizards get?
There are many species of legless lizards found across the world, each with distinct characteristics and behaviors. Some, like the European Glass Lizard, can grow up to 4 feet long, while others, like the California Legless Lizard, are expert burrowers that spend most of their lives underground.