Legless Lizard Discovered in Cambodia

Is that a snake? Not quite! It’s a newly-discovered species of legless lizard. This is the first legless lizard to be discovered in Southeast Asia, but there are about 200 species of legless lizards found around the world. Although they look like snakes, these animals have external ears like other lizards. Scientists think that snakes evolved from legless lizards.

This lizard is also blind and probably doesn’t need to see since they live underground. Legs and eyes “are simply a waste of energy when you’re working your way through underground tunnels,” says biologist Jenny Daltry of Fauna & Flora International.

Get the facts on reptiles and other animals on National Geographic Kids.

Photograph courtesy Thy Neang et al, Zootaxa/Flora & Fauna International

Comments

escape2books
May 13, 2011, 5:55 pm

If it is legless, blind, and lives underground…Anyone else thinking worm?
lingaron
May 15, 2011, 10:08 am

how large are they ? like a earthworm
CasprinaGhost
May 16, 2011, 7:04 pm

Im with you um worm.
Olewka
May 20, 2011, 5:30 am

yea maby worm
Olewka
May 20, 2011, 5:34 am

Yea worm like
mini
May 20, 2011, 5:35 am

Wow, I thought that was a worm!!!!
Cherry_Coke
May 25, 2011, 5:25 pm

Yeah.. looks like a worm to me…. but ok?
tiara98
June 13, 2011, 1:48 pm

thats cool i love animals there the best and i love to loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooookkkkkkkk at them also
pirana
June 16, 2011, 1:14 am

That sounds alot like a snake. Are you sure it’s not a snake? Or a worm? Or a sworm? Or a wnake? What ever it’s supposed to be, it’s cool!
racer
July 2, 2011, 11:54 am

Looks like a snake to me.