Family: Anguidae, Anguid Lizards view all from this family
Description 22-42" (56-106.7 cm). Stiff legless lizard with eyelids and external ear openings. White markings in center of back scales. Groove along sides, dark stripes or speckling below groove.
Subspecies Western Slender Glass Lizard (O. a. attenuatus), tail less than 2 1/2 times head and body length; s. Wisconsin, Illinois, and w. Indiana, south to Louisiana, west to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Eastern Slender Glass Lizard (O. a. longicaudus), tail more than 2 1/2 times head and body length; e. coastal states, Virginia to e. Louisiana and Tennessee and s. Kentucky.
Breeding Mates in May. Clutches of 6-17 eggs laid June to July. Female broods eggs.
Habitat Dry grassland and dry open woodland.
Range Virginia to Florida, west to Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, north to s. Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Discussion Diurnal. When held, this lizard squirms and wriggles vigorously in an attempt to escape. If the tail is grabbed or takes a blow, it may shatter into several pieces - hence the name glass lizard.
