Legless Lizards
Learn about about the NEWLY discovered species of lizards!
Introducing Legless Lizards
Legless lizard are lizards that have lost limbs or reduced them to the point where they can use them. The common name for the legless lizards are called Pygopodidae or often referred to the family group, such as limbless anguids depending on where they live in the world. A lot of lizard families have slowly and independently developed loosing limbs or reduced them.
What They Look Like
These legless lizards are sometimes are noticeable to be a legless lizard by these characteristics: Possessing eye lids, possessing external ear openings, lack of broad belly scales, and a very long tail (which snakes have a long body and a short tail).
Anniella Pulchra
In California, our species of legless lizard is an Anniella Pulchra. The black or dark brown Anniella Pulchra is normally found in Monterey County, California. They have tiny smooth scales, normally have colored silvery above and yellow below. Sometimes they will have yellow all around them. They mainly eat beetles, larval insects, termites, ants, and spiders.
-These lizards are around 7 inches (18 cm) long from snout to vent (not including tail).
-These lizards are around 7 inches (18 cm) long from snout to vent (not including tail).
Striped Legless Lizard
These species of lizards are often referred to "snake lizards" because of the resemblance to snakes, but they are not alike in these characteristics. They have visible ear openings and greatly reduced hind limbs which are visible as small flaps. Their skin looks light brown with dark brown or blackish stripes running the length of the body. Under the top of there body (stomach) is white, cream or pinkish in color and the head is slightly darker than the body.
Total length: 30 cm
Adult snout-vent length: 9 – 12 cm
Hatchling snout-vent length: 4 – 4.5 cm
Adult weight: 3.0 - 6.9 g
Hatchling weight: 0.5 - 0.75 g