Big Spring Legless Lizard

Range

They can be found in three major localities. The first is the Big Spring in Texas. Second is the Parham and Papenfuss where it’s been reported at southern Inyo County, north of Big Spring. The third locality is south of Big spring in Kern County. It is also found in Sierra Nevada, California.

Habitats

You can find this lizard burrowing in moist soil with warm temperature and sandy, loose texture. It doesn’t bask in direct sunlight and lives mostly underground in foliage under trees. It can be found in suburban gardens in Southern California. They eat primarily, larval insects, termites, beetles, and spiders.It has a detachable tail that can regenerate. It is viviparous and is speculated to breed between early spring and July 1 – 4.

Identification

From 4 – 7 inches, the Big Spring Legless Lizard relatively small. It is also slender and has no legs. The snout is shaped like a shovel and the scales are smooth and shiny. It has eyelids, and this is a major differentiating factor because snakes do not have eyelids. The dominating color on this lizard is yellow as its dorsum is usually yellowish-grey, the sides are a bright yellow and the ventral area is yellow as well.

Learn more with Schechter Natural History's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians