# Eastern Glass Lizard (*Ophisaurus ventralis*) The Eastern Glass Lizard looks like a snake but is actually a lizard! It has a long, smooth body and can lose its tail to escape from predators, which will grow back later. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Glass Lizard ![Eastern Glass Lizard](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Eastern_Glass_Lizard.jpg&width=800) Photo: en:user:Fl295, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eastern_Glass_Lizard.jpg) ## Appearance The Eastern Glass Lizard has a long, slender, legless body that ranges from yellowish to brown, often with faint dark stripes. It features movable eyelids, small ear openings, and a distinct lateral groove along its sides, differentiating it from a snake. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Anguidae - **Genus:** Ophisaurus ## Interesting facts - Its tail can break into many pieces, earning it the name 'glass lizard'! - Their bodies are stiff, unable to swallow prey much larger than their heads. - They have movable eyelids and ear openings, unlike most snakes. - This legless lizard is not venomous and poses no danger to people! ## Special abilities - **Tail Detach:** Eastern Glass Lizard can shed its long, fragile tail when threatened, creating a diversion that helps them escape predators. - **Auditory Awareness:** Eastern Glass Lizard has tiny external ear openings that help them detect sounds, unlike most snakes which lack them. - **Eye Shields:** Eastern Glass Lizard has movable eyelids, allowing them to blink and protect their eyes, a feature snakes do not possess. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 46-108 cm - **Weight:** 0.1-0.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Speed:** 12 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-17 - **Incubation:** 50-60 days ## Diet & Feeding They are carnivores that munch on insects, spiders, and even small lizards and rodents. - **Primary Foods:** crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, spiders, snails, small rodents - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — A common avian predator in its range. - **Eaten by:** [North American Racer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/north-american-racer) (*Coluber constrictor*) — This snake preys on other reptiles and lizards. - **Eaten by:** [Bobcat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bobcat) (*Lynx rufus*) — A versatile mammal predator of small vertebrates. - **Hunts:** [Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus assimilis*) — A primary insect food source. - **Hunts:** [House Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-mouse) (*Mus musculus*) — Occasionally preys on small rodents. ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Regenerative](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/regenerative): Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs. ## Collections - [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a lizard, watch it from a distance and don't try to touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Glass Lizard? Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Eastern Glass Lizard? 46-108 cm ### How much does Eastern Glass Lizard weigh? 0.1-0.5 kg ### How long does Eastern Glass Lizard live? 8-15 years ### How fast can Eastern Glass Lizard move? 12 km/h ### What does Eastern Glass Lizard eat? They are carnivores that munch on insects, spiders, and even small lizards and rodents. ### Where is Eastern Glass Lizard usually found? Grasslands ### How does Eastern Glass Lizard hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Gulf Breeze Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gulf-breeze-zoo) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ardsley-park-chatham-crescent-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Bibb City Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bibb-city-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [East Home Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-home-avenue-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Metcalfe Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/metcalfe-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Saint Joseph Peninsula State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saint-joseph-peninsula-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park [View all places to see Eastern Glass Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-glass-lizard) ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Eastern Glass Lizard: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-glass-lizard)