Eastern Glass Lizard
⚡ Key Facts & Quick Answers (AEO Summary)
- Taxonomic Class: Reptiles (Reptilia)
- Dietary Niche: Carnivore (Insects, spiders, snails, small mice, snakes)
- Max Speed: 10 km/h (6 mph)
- Adult Weight: 100 - 200 grams
- Typical Lifespan: 10 - 15 years
- Primary Habitat: Damp grasslands, pine flatwoods, wetland margins
- Native Region: Southeastern United States
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern
📊 Physical & Biological Metrics
🧬 Scientific Taxonomy & Biological Classification
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Anguidae |
| Genus | Ophisaurus |
| Species Binomial | Ophisaurus ventralis |
📖 1. Species Overview
While resembling a snake, the Glass Lizard is actually a legless lizard. Evolved to burrow in loose soil, they get their name from their fragile tail, which can shatter into multiple pieces when grabbed.
🦿 2. Physical Appearance, Anatomy & Adaptations
Legless body, greenish-brown skin, movable eyelids, external ear openings, and a tail that makes up two-thirds of its length.
🗺️ 3. Habitat, Geographic Distribution & Territorial Range
Burrow in soil and leaf litter. They are diurnal and hunt by pushing through loose sand and grass.
🥩 4. Diet, Feeding Strategy & Hunting Tactics
Capture spiders, grasshoppers, and small snails, using their jaws to crush hard insect shells.
🐣 5. Reproduction, Lifecycle & Social Hierarchy
Oviparous. Females lay clutches of 8-17 eggs in nests under hollow logs, guarding them until they hatch.
🛡️ 6. Conservation Status, Population Threats & Protection
Least Concern, though threatened locally by habitat clearing and agricultural development.
💡 Fascinating Facts & Trivia
- Unlike snakes, glass lizards possess movable eyelids (they can blink) and external ear openings.
- If their tail is broken off to escape a predator, they can regrow it over several months, though the new tail is shorter.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Direct authoritative answers regarding the biology, feeding habits, and habitat of the Eastern Glass Lizard.
The Eastern Glass Lizard is scientifically classified as Ophisaurus ventralis. It belongs to the genus Ophisaurus within the family Anguidae, class Reptilia, and phylum Chordata.
In the wild, Eastern Glass Lizards inhabit Damp grasslands, pine flatwoods, wetland margins. Their native geographic range primarily spans Southeastern United States.
The Eastern Glass Lizard is classified as a Carnivore. It feeds primarily on specialized nutrients suited to its ecological niche in Damp grasslands, pine flatwoods, wetland margins.
A Eastern Glass Lizard can achieve top speeds of 10 km/h (6 mph) and weighs approximately 100 - 200 grams. Its expected natural lifespan is 10 - 15 years.
The Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is currently designated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Cite this Article
FaunaWiki Zoological Database (2026). "Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) Species Profile."
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