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Amphisbaenia / æ m f ɪ s ˈ b iː n i ə / (called amphisbaenians or worm lizards) is a group of typically legless lizards, [1] comprising over 200 extant species. Amphisbaenians are characterized by their long bodies, the reduction or loss of the limbs, and rudimentary eyes.
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 more-or-less-equal lungs, and/or having a very long tail (while snakes have a long body and short tail). [1]
The common slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) is a species of legless lizard native to western Eurasia. It is also called a deaf adder, blindworm, or regionally, a long-cripple, steelworm, and hazelworm. The "blind" in blind-worm refers to the lizard's small eyes, similar to a blindsnake (although the slow-worm's
How to tell a glass lizard from a snake. There are several physical characteristics that differentiate snakes and legless lizards: Glass lizards in North Carolina have ear openings on the sides of ...
Members of the family Amphisbaenidae are limbless, burrowing reptiles with carnivorous diets. As in other amphisbaenians, the body bears rings of scales, which gives amphisbaenids a worm-like appearance. The head is massively constructed and used for burrowing, with powerful jaws and large, recurved teeth used for seizing prey.
Several species of legless lizards have tiny useless legs, such as pygopodids which retain rudimentary flaps. [3] Contrarily, the worm lizard Bipes as its scientific name suggests has two stubby forelimbs which actually assist in digging similar to a mole. All other amphisbaenians have reduced or absent forelimb girdles.
Anguinae is a subfamily of legless lizards in the family Anguidae, commonly called glass lizards, glass snakes or slow worms. The first two names come from the fact their tails easily break or snap off. Members of Anguinae are native to North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Slowworms [3] (also called blindworms and hazelworms) are a small genus (Anguis) of snake-like legless lizards in the family Anguidae.The genus has several living species, including the common slowworm (A. fragilis), the eastern slowworm (A. colchica), the Greek slowworm (A. graeca), the Peloponnese slowworm (A. cephalonnica), and the Italian slowworm (A. veronensis).