(Ophisaurus attenuatus)

Called the glass snake or legless lizard, the slender glass lizard has a pointed snout, narrow head, and a long cylindrical body with no limbs. Because of its snake-like appearance the slender glass lizard is often mistaken for a snake. The slender glass lizard differs from a true snake in that it has eyelids and external ear openings, which snakes lack. They may reach up to 36 inches, two-thirds of which may be tail. When caught they will twist and jump trying to escape, and in the process may shed its tail which can break into many pieces and wiggle about. The glass lizard is only able to shed and regenerate the tail once in its lifetime.

The glass lizard’s body is tan, brown or bronze. A dark brown to black stripe runs along the middle of the back from head to tail. Two additional dark brown to black stripes may run immediately above the lateral groove and four narrow stripes may run below the groove. The side of the head and neck have scattered brown markings. The underside is white to light yellow.

Their main source of food is beetles, but crickets, grasshoppers, snails, slugs, spiders, mice, worms, and eggs of reptiles and birds are alternate food sources. The search for food can take the glass lizard both above and below the ground. In loose soil the slender glass lizard is a good burrower. It spends much time underground and is therefore seen less often than would be expected. However, predators – including raccoons, skunks, hawks, and various snakes – do see and eat the glass lizard.