# European Glass Lizard (*Pseudopus apodus*) The European Glass Lizard is a unique lizard that looks like a snake! It has a long, smooth body and can be found basking in the sun. Unlike most lizards, it has no legs, making it special and fun to see. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![European Glass Lizard](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/K._Kalaentzis_Pseudopus_apodus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Konstantinos Kalaentzis, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:K._Kalaentzis_Pseudopus_apodus.jpg) ## Appearance The European Glass Lizard is a legless lizard, often mistaken for a snake, with a sturdy, elongated body. It has a distinctive groove along its sides and a coloration ranging from olive-brown to grey, sometimes with darker markings. Unlike snakes, it possesses eyelids and external ear openings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Anguidae - **Genus:** Pseudopus ## Interesting facts - Despite looking like a snake, this lizard has eyelids and can blink! - Its scales are reinforced, making it surprisingly tough and armored against bumps! - These tough lizards can live for decades, even longer than many pets! - They are one of the largest legless lizards in the entire world! ## Special abilities - **Tail Breaker:** European Glass Lizard can shed its tail to distract predators, allowing it to escape harm. - **Snake Disguise:** European Glass Lizard has a long, legless body that helps it mimic a snake, deterring some predators. - **Dirt Diver:** European Glass Lizard can burrow into loose soil and vegetation, hiding from threats and finding shelter. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 60-120 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-2.5 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-30 years - **Speed:** 8 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-10 - **Incubation:** 45-60 days ## Diet & Feeding This lizard is a skilled hunter, munching on insects, snails, and small rodents! - **Primary Foods:** snails, slugs, insects, small rodents, bird eggs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Common Buzzard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-buzzard) (*Buteo buteo*) — Hunted by birds of prey from above. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — A meal for cunning foxes that patrol its habitat. - **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Crushes hard snail shells with powerful jaws. - **Eats:** [Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus bimaculatus*) — An active hunter of various ground-dwelling insects. ## 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. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [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. - [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. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## 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 touch it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European 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 European Glass Lizard? 60-120 cm ### How much does European Glass Lizard weigh? 0.5-2.5 kg ### How long does European Glass Lizard live? 20-30 years ### How fast can European Glass Lizard move? 8 km/h ### What does European Glass Lizard eat? This lizard is a skilled hunter, munching on insects, snails, and small rodents! ### Where is European Glass Lizard usually found? Grasslands ### How does European Glass Lizard hunt? Foraging ## 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: [European Glass Lizard: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-glass-lizard)