Northern Legless Lizard

Range

Western and central California, between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Habitats

When not burrowing underground, this lizard can be found slithering through loose, sandy substrate or leafy ground debris, often in coastal sand dunes habitats. It requires moist substrate, and can also be found in chaparral, woodlands, sandy washes, desert scrublands, and suburban gardens. It will hide under boards, rocks, and logs, and likes to inhabit leaf litter piles beneath trees in sunny areas.

Identification

A small, snake-like lizard with no legs. It has a cylindrical body with smooth, shiny, skink-like scales, and no defined neck. Its head is very small, with a sloped snout resembling the front of a high-speed train. It has external ear openings and tiny, laterally positioned eyes with movable eyelids, differentiating it from a snake. It has a blunt-tipped tail and reaches about 7 inches in snout to vent length. Its dorsum is grey-tan, often with a very thin black central stripe, and one or more thin black lateral stripes. Its ventrum is yellow and unmarked.

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