Lizards without Legs?

Turtle Island is home to many creatures that deserve a closer look. For example, this is not a snake:

This photo actually depicts a native Eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis). Glass lizards are legless, having evolved for an efficient fossorial lifestyle. Distinguished from snakes by the presence of eyelids and external ear openings, legless lizards eat primarily insects and small reptiles, and are especially common in coastal areas with sandy soils. I have even seen one gliding through mats of sea oats (Uniola paniculata) immediately adjacent to the beach! Glass lizards have bony plates called osteoderms that give their scales strength, similar to those in skinks. Flexible lateral grooves in the skin allow for expansion for large meals, and gravidity in females.

The name comes from the brittle feel that these lizards have when held, and because they are capable of autotomy. Autotomy is the ability to intentionally detach parts of the body (in this case the tail). Glass lizards usually autotomize (shed their tails) to escape predation. It is best not to handle these critters, because causing one to autotomize could lead to infection, malnutrition, or even the death of the animal. Super neat to see these guys, though!

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