The Glass Lizards, genusOphisaurus, are a group of reptiles that resemble snakes, but are actually lizards. Although most species have no legs, their head shape and the fact that they have movable eyelids and external ear openings make it obvious that they are lizards. A few species have very small stub-like legs near the vent. These animals are also known as Glass Snakes or Jointed Snakes.
Their common name comes from the fact that they are easily broken: like many lizards, they have the ability to deter predation by dropping off part of the tail. The tail remains mobile, while the lizard becomes motionless, distracting the predator, and allowing eventual escape. This serious loss of body mass requires a considerable effort to replace, and the new tail is usually smaller in size than the original.
The greatest number of species in the genus are native to Asia, from India to China and the Indonesian islands. At least one species, the Moroccan glass lizard, comes from North Africa, and several species of live in the south eastern United States including the barrier islands off the Atlantic coast of Florida
Ophisaurus apodus (or Pseudopus apodus), the European legless lizard or Scheltopusik, occurs in southern Europe, the Balkans, the southern Crimean coast, the Black Sea coast, and central Asia.
Ophisaurus apodus retains a remnant, or 'stump', of the hind limb.
The specimen was scanned by Matthew Colbert on 18 November 2002 along the coronal axis for a total of 840 slices, each slice 0.0633 mm thick with an interslice spacing of 0.0633 mm.
Although most species have no legs, their head shape and the fact that they have movable eyelids and external ear openings make it obvious that they are lizards.
At least one species, the Moroccan glass lizard, comes from North Africa, and several species of live in the south eastern United States including the barrier islands off the Atlantic coast of Florida
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