What Are The Differences Between Snakes and Legless Lizards?

In addition to the primary distinction that exists between them in terms of species, legless lizards and snakes are distinguished from one another in a variety of anatomical and environmental aspects. There are enough diverse species of both sorts of animals to be found all over the globe and in a wide variety of environments. 

Eyebrows and Ear Canals 

The existence of eyelids and ear openings is one of the most significant distinctions that can be made between legless lizards and snakes. Both of these characteristics are absent in snakes, although the vast majority of legless lizards have them. There is always an exception to the norm, such as the fact that many species of legless lizards do not have eyelids.

The Existence of Limbs

In spite of their common moniker, legless lizards really do possess limbs. It seems to reason that certain legless lizards, being of the same species as other lizards, would give the impression that they had appendages. Although snakes are not designed to have legs or limbs when they are born genetically, certain snake species do develop appendages to aid them in the mating process.

On the other hand, legless lizards that do in fact possess legs don't make very good use of them. Their limbs are often too little to be of much use, but you can still make out individual bones when you look closely. There is not a single species of snake that conforms to this description.

Ability in Shedding the Tail
The legless lizard has the unique capacity to shed its tail, which is another important distinction between these two species. When you take up a legless lizard, you will notice that the body becomes more stiff around halfway down its back. This is because the lizard has no legs. This is due to the fact that a legless lizard's tail makes up the majority of its body.

Snakes have a single body that is homogeneous in shape and do not have a distinct tail. When you pick up a snake, you will notice that their bodies are far more pliable and flexible. Their whole bodies are made of muscle, from the head to the toes, while legless lizards are more similar in appearance to typical lizards, with the exception that they lack feet.

Lizards are unusual among reptiles in that they are built to shed their tails in the event that they are attacked by a predator or get trapped. It is the same with legless lizards; if they feel endangered in any manner, they may separate a huge chunk of their body from the rest of it, but a snake cannot do this.

Favorite Types of Prey

Another significant distinction between snakes and legless lizards is the kind of food that each prefers to eat. Although both species are carnivorous, snakes consume their prey in a manner that is very unique from that of lizards. Snakes can expand their jaws to ingest their food in its whole, and they often consume huge rodents as part of their diet.

On the other hand, legless lizards like eating insects and other tiny bugs, similar to the diet of the vast majority of other lizard species. In addition, they are unable to expand their mouths as snakes can, therefore they can only consume food that is somewhat less substantial.

Are legless lizards and snakes related in any way?

There is no connection between snakes and legless lizards at all. The fact that they are both classified as reptiles is the only similarity between them. Despite the fact that they have a similar appearance, these animals are not even remotely related.

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