Legless lizard
Lizards that have independently lost or reduced their limbs
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Legless lizard may refer to any of several groups of lizards that have independently lost limbs or reduced them to the point of being of no use in locomotion. It is the common name for the family Pygopodidae. These lizards are often distinguishable from snakes on the basis of one or more of the following characteristics: possessing eyelids, possessing external ear openings, lack of broad belly scales, notched rather than forked tongue, having two lungs of roughly equal size (snakes have one short and one very long lung), having a very long tail (while snakes have a long body and short tail). Every stage of reduction of the shoulder girdle —including complete loss— occurs among limbless squamates, but the pelvic girdle is never completely lost regardless of the degree of limb reduction or loss. At least the ilium is retained in limbless lizards and most basal snakes. Limb reduction in Squamata is also highly associated with body elongation, which is typically characterized by an increase in vertebral number.
- field
- Herpetology
- known_for
- Independent evolution of limblessness or greatly reduced limbs in multiple lizard families
- characteristics
- Possess eyelids, external ear openings, lack broad belly scales, notched tongue, two equal-sized lungs, very long tail
Lore & Background
Many families of lizards have independently evolved limblessness or greatly reduced limbs (which are presumably non-functional in locomotion), including the following examples: Anguinae – An entirely legless subfamily native to Europe, Asia, North America and North Africa, contains well-known species such as slow worms, glass snakes/lizards and the scheltopusik; nested within the family Anguidae, which also contains a legged subfamily called Gerrhonotinae. Cordylidae – an African family of 66 species, with one virtually legless genus Chamaesaura, containing five species with hindlimbs reduced to small scaly protuberances. Pygopodidae – all 44 species; they belong to the genera Aprasia, Delma, Lialis, Ophidiocephalus, Paradelma, Pletholax and Pygopus. All are endemic to Australia, except the two species of Lialis, which also occur in New Guinea, one of which is endemic to that island. Pygopodids are not strictly legless since, although they lack forelimbs, they possess hindlimbs that are greatly reduced to small digitless flaps, hence the often used common names of 'flap-footed lizards' or 'scaly-foot'. The pygopodids are considered an advanced evolutionary clade of the Gekkota, which also contains six families of geckos. Dibamidae – all 23 species in the family, which comprises the monotypic Mexican genus Anelytropsis and the Southeast Asian genus Dibamus. All are limbless burrowers that are nearly or completely blind. Anniellidae – comprising the single genus Anniella, which contains six legless lizards that inhabit central / southern California and Baja California, Mexico. Ophiodes – a genus of legless lizard native to South America, nested within the otherwise legged galliwasps (Diploglossidae). Gymnophthalmidae – a large neotropical family containing many species with reduced limbs, the most extreme being the 23 species in the genus Bachia, which escape by making sudden saltatory 'figure-8' flicks with the body and tail. Scincidae – commonly known as skinks, the largest lizard family with over 1500 species, of which many are limbless and nearly-limbless species, including (but not confined to) the genera Acontias, Feylinia, Melanoseps, Paracontias, Scelotes and Typhlosaurus from Africa, Lerista, Ophioscincus, Coeranoscincus and Anomalopus from Australia, and some species in the genera Chalcides from southern Europe and North Africa.
Reader's Guide
Amphisbaenia – commonly known as worm lizards, comprising 201 extant species in 6 families, most of which are legless (hindlimbs always absent): Amphisbaenidae, Bipedidae, Blanidae, Cadeidae, Rhineuridae, Trogonophidae. See also: Limbless vertebrates.
Did You Know?
- Legless lizards are often distinguishable from snakes by possessing eyelids and external ear openings.
- The pelvic girdle is never completely lost in limbless lizards; at least the ilium is retained.
- Pygopodids are not strictly legless—they have greatly reduced hindlimbs that appear as small digitless flaps.
- Amphisbaenia is a separate suborder of squamates (worm lizards), distinct from lizards and snakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a legless lizard?
Legless lizards are a diverse group of reptiles that have independently lost their limbs or reduced them to the point where they no longer aid in locomotion. The term also serves as the common name for the family Pygopodidae.
How can I tell a legless lizard apart from a snake?
Legless lizards have movable eyelids, visible external ear openings, and a notched rather than forked tongue—features snakes lack. They also possess two lungs of roughly equal size and do not have the broad ventral scales snakes use for undulating movement.
Did all legless lizards lose their limbs at the same time?
No; limblessness evolved independently in multiple, unrelated lizard lineages. This means the various legless lizard groups are not all closely related to one another, even though they look superficially similar.
What is distinctive about a legless lizard's tail?
Legless lizards typically carry a very long tail relative to their body size, a trait that helps separate them from snakes. This elongated caudal region is one of the key morphological markers used in identification.
Why are legless lizards important to herpetology?
They offer a striking natural example of convergent evolution, demonstrating how similar body plans can arise from unrelated ancestors. Studying them helps researchers understand the genetic and developmental pathways behind limb loss across vertebrate lineages.
More in Extant Reptiles & Amphibians 1-22
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