Worm Lizard

Suborder Amphisbaenia

Reptile

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing worm lizards. These animals are called worm lizards because they look like worms, they even have ringed segments like an earthworm which help them to move around, but technically these reptiles aren’t lizards - at least, not according to current classification. They’re currently grouped alongside lizards in the order Squamata which also includes snakes though this could change! There are approximately 150 to 200 known living worm lizard species as of this recording. They’re not the easiest to study because these are fossorial animals meaning they spend their time burrowing underground.

Worm lizards can be found in Africa, South America, Europe, parts of the Middle East, and North America. They live in tropical and temperate regions with loose or sandy soil. Worm lizards use their heads to burrow, but their heads come in different shapes depending on the species. There are shovel heads who scoop soil, spade heads who spiral soil away, keel heads who push soil left and right, and bullet heads who just push through soil with their strong noggin; though, technically, they all have strong noggins much like Chester who is a 10/10 headbutter.

Worm lizards have a special way to move around using those rings, called annuli, surrounding their body. These allow the worm lizards to move through dirt in an accordion-like manner. This is much the same way an earthworm might push itself through soil. Someone holding a worm lizard might find they feel similar to holding an earthworm. Some worm lizard species have little front limbs with claws to help with digging. These are often referred to as mole lizards, though they’re technically still worm lizards and technically still not actual lizards. Yes, animal common names can be really confusing.

These reptiles eat mostly invertebrates like ants and termites, but the larger species, who can reach over two feet (61cm) in length, may also take small vertebrates like young mice. It should be noted, however, that most worm lizard species only reach about half a foot (15cm) in length and thus don’t go after these larger sized meals!

Worm lizards have reduced eyes as they don’t need to see well in their underground tunnels, but they have an acute sense of hearing that lets them pick up on sounds their prey make. Predators include birds and digging mammals, but worm lizards will pretend to have two heads if attacked. Their tails may be used to look like a head to confuse a predator or smack to make a predator think it’s been bitten. If all else fails, some species can even drop their tails, unfortunately these don’t grow back! Unlike snakes and other elongated reptiles who have lost their left lung, worm lizards have list their right lung, however, like many other reptiles worm lizards lay eggs, though some retain their eggs and give birth to live young. How long they live is unknown.

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