Bakersfield Legless Lizard

Range

The Anniella grinnelli’s range is quite restricted. It’s range in the including the southern San Joaquin Valley and the east side of the Carrizo Plain. This also includes within the city limits of Bakersfield.

Habitats

They can be found in a variety of places. These include scattered vegetated place of beach dunes, chaparral, pine-oak woodlands, desert scrub, and sandy washes. They can also be found in stream terraces with sycamores, cottonwoods or oaks. Additionally, they can be found under surface objects like rocks boards, driftwood and logs among others. They are usually active during the morning and evening. During these times, they forage beneath the surface of loose soil or leaf litter that has been warmed by the sun. Their diet is made up of larval insects, beetles, termites and spiders. Lastly, they are viviparous and breed between early spring and July. About 1 – 4 young are born between September and November.

Identification

This specie grows to about 111 – 178 mm in total length. This lizard is slender and has no legs. It possesses eyelids, a shovel-shaped snout and smooth shiny scales. Additionally, it also has a blunt tail. They are often confused for snakes, but snakes do not have eyelids. Their dorsum is a light olive-grey and their sides are a strong orange. Also, their ventral colour is greyish red although it looks like purple. Present also is a mid-dorsal stripe about ½ a scale wide. This stripe goes from the parietals to the tip of the tail. Lastly, they have present lateral black stripes 1 scale wide. This stripe goes from the eye to the tip of the tail.

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