| Koelliker's glass lizard | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Anguidae |
| Genus: | Hyalosaurus Günther, 1873 |
| Species: | H. koellikeri |
| Binomial name | |
| Hyalosaurus koellikeri Günther, 1873 | |
 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Koelliker's glass lizard (Hyalosaurus koellikeri), also called commonly the Moroccan glass lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. [1] The species is native to western North Africa.
The specific name, koellikeri, is in honor of Swiss histologist Albert von Kölliker. [3]
The natural habitats of Koelliker's glass lizard are temperate forests, shrubland, temperate grassland, and pastureland, at altitudes up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). [1]
H. koellikeri has no fore limbs, but does have rudimentary hind limbs. Dorsally, it is brownish, with a darker lateral band. Ventrally, it is yellowish. [4]
Hyalosaurus koellikeri has often been historically included within the genus Ophisaurus, but genetic evidence has shown Hyalosaurus koellikeri to be more closely related to Anguis and Pseudopus than to Ophisaurus. [5]
H. koellikeri is threatened by habitat loss. [1]
Anguidae refers to a large and diverse family of lizards native to the Northern Hemisphere. Common characteristics of this group include a reduced supratemporal arch, striations on the medial faces of tooth crowns, osteoderms, and a lateral fold in the skin of most taxa. The group is divided into two living subfamilies, the legless Anguinae, which contains slow worms and glass lizards, among others, found across the Northern Hemisphere, and Gerrhonotinae, which contains the alligator lizards, native to North and Central America. The family Diploglossidae was also formerly included. The family contains about 87 species in 8 genera.
Ophisaurus is a genus of superficially snake-like legless lizards in the subfamily Anguinae. Known as joint snakes, glass snakes, or glass lizards, they are so-named because their tails are easily broken; like many lizards, they have the ability to deter predation by dropping off part of the tail, which can break into several pieces, like glass. The tail remains mobile, distracting the predator, while the lizard becomes motionless, allowing eventual escape. This serious loss of body mass requires a considerable effort to replace, and can take years to do so. Despite this ability, the new tail is usually smaller than the original.
The slender glass lizard is a legless lizard in the glass lizard subfamily (Anguinae). The species is endemic to the United States. Two subspecies are recognized. The lizard was originally believed to be a subspecies of the eastern glass lizard. Their name comes from their easily broken tail which they can break off themselves without ever being touched. It is difficult to find a specimen with an undamaged tail. The lizard eats a variety of insects and small animals, including smaller lizards. Snakes and other animals are known to prey on the species. Humans have a part in destroying their environment and killing their food supply with insecticides. The lizard is considered to be a least-concern species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), though it is vulnerable in Iowa and endangered in Wisconsin. It is important to note that the streamlined, legless species is often confused with snakes. Glass Lizards, however, differ from snakes as they possess a moveable eyelid, which is absent in snakes. Another way to distinguish glass lizards from snakes is the presence of an external ear opening, which are absent in snakes.
The sheltopusik, also commonly called Pallas's glass lizard, the European legless lizard, or the European glass lizard, is a species of large glass lizard found from Southern Europe to Central Asia.
Anguinae is a subfamily of legless lizards in the family Anguidae, commonly called glass lizards, glass snakes or slow worms. The first two names come from the fact their tails easily break or snap off. Members of Anguinae are native to North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
Dopasia gracilis, known commonly as the Asian glass lizard, the Burmese glass lizard, or the Indian glass snake, is a species of legless lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to Asia.
Eumeces algeriensis, commonly called the Algerian skink, Algerian orange-tailed skink, Berber's skink, in French eumece d'Algérie, or in Spanish bulán, is a species of skink in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the Maghreb region of North Africa.
Savigny's fringe-fingered lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to western North Africa.
Bocage's wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, sandy shores, rural gardens, and urban areas. The IUCN does not consider it to be threatened.
Timon tangitanus, commonly known as the Moroccan eyed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Northwest Africa.
The checkerboard worm lizard is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Trogonophidae. The species is monotypic within the genus Trogonophis, and is endemic to North Africa. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, sandy shores, arable land, and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Abronia deppii, Deppe's arboreal alligator lizard, is an endangered species of arboreal alligator lizard in the family Anguidae. The species was described in 1828 by Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann, and it is endemic to Mexico.
The eastern glass lizard is a species of legless lizard in the family Anguidae, endemic to the Southeastern United States. The streamlined, legless species is often confused with snakes. Glass lizards differ from snakes as they possess a moveable eyelid and an external ear opening, both of which are absent in snakes. Ventralis comes from the Latin "venter" meaning belly; this is in reference to the snake-like movement.
The mimic glass lizard is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to the Southeastern United States. The mimic glass lizard is dark brown to black with a dark middorsal stripe down the body and on most of the tail. They have 3-4 dark stripes separated by pale stripes above the lateral grooves. They have a very distinct anatomy of the axis specifically when it comes to their second vertebra which could be attributed to an ecological adaptation, feeding, and/or defensive behavior that requires high head and neck mobility.
The isthmian alligator lizard is a species of lizard of the Anguidae family. G. rhombifer is found in both Costa Rica and Panama. Unlike many lizards near its habitat, individuals have lateral folds. They give birth to live young. Gerrhonotus rhombifer had not been seen for fifty years, prior to being rediscovered in 2000 near Golfito, and is one of the rarest species of lizard in Costa Rica.
Alopoglossus buckleyi, also known commonly as Buckley's shade lizard and Buckley's teiid, is a species of lizard in the family Alopoglossidae. The species is native to northwestern South America.
Dopasia buettikoferi, also known commonly as the Bornean glass snake and Buettikofer's glass lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to Indonesia and Malaysia on the island of Borneo.
Dopasia harti, also known commonly as the Chinese glass lizard and Hart's glass lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to southeastern Asia.
Mesoamericus bilobatus, also known commonly as O'Shaughnessy's galliwasp, is a species of lizard in the family Diploglossidae. The species is native to Central America.
Abronia gadovii, also known commonly as Gadow's alligator lizard and el escorpión de Gadow in Mexican Spanish, is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to the highlands of the Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerrero and Oaxaca, Mexico. Two subspecies are recognized:
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