Island glass lizard
Species of reptile
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The island glass lizard (Ophisaurus compressus) is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States.
| Island glass lizard | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Anguimorpha |
| Family: | Anguidae |
| Genus: | Ophisaurus |
| Species: | O. compressus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ophisaurus compressus Cope, 1900 | |
 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Geographic range
O. compressus is found in Florida, southeastern Georgia, and southeastern South Carolina.[2] Island glass lizards can be found in coastal sandy scrub areas, as well as adjacent pine flatwood habitats.[3]
Appearance and identification
O. compressus can reach adult lengths of 15–24 inches.[3] They can be distinguished from other Ophisaurus by a single dark stripe along both sides of the body, just above the lateral groove, and a single dark middorsal stripe which may sometimes appear more broken than solid.[3] They also have many light vertical bars along the side of the neck that are more prominent and numerous than those on the Eastern Glass Lizard (O. ventralis).[3]
