Anniella pulchra
Encyclopedia
The California Legless Lizard (Anniella pulchra) is a limbless, burrowing lizard often mistaken for a snake.

Description

These lizards are around 7 inches (17.8 cm) long from snout to vent (not including tail). They have small, smooth scales typically colored silvery above and yellow below, although black or dark brown forms exist in Monterey County, California which were thought to be a separate subspecies at one point.

Taxonomy

There were formerly two subspecies of California Legless Lizard recognized based on individual color morphs: the Silvery Legless Lizard, A. p. pulchra, and the Black Legless Lizard, A. p. nigra. However, contemporary taxonomy considers them simply a melanistic morph.

Distribution and habitat

They live in loose, sandy soils or leaf litter, typically in sand dunes along the coast. They are found from Contra Costa County in northern California, all the way south to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...

, although occurrences are often scattered. They require moisture to aid in shedding their skin. Without it, their vision and feeding can be affected, potentially starving the animal.

Reproduction

Males are slightly smaller than females, otherwise there is no discernible difference between the two sexes. Females are ovoviviparous and probably breed between early spring and July, with 1 to 4 young born September-November. Young lizards resemble their parents except look like smaller versions of them.
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