Longest legless lizard

The longest true legless lizard or anguid (i.e., belonging to the family Anguidae) is the European glass snake or scheltopusik Pseudopus [=Ophisaurus] apodus. Occurring from southeastern Europe (including Italy, Bulgaria and the Balkans) to central Asia, it can attain a total length of 135 cm. Despite its "legless" appellation, some specimens of this species do possess tiny, 2-mm-long hind legs close to the cloaca (the common external opening or vent shared by the digestive system and the reproductive system). Although superficially snake-like (hence its common name), the glass snake is instantly differentiated from genuine snakes and revealed to be a lizard by its possession of ears, moveable eyelids and ventral scales. It earns its "glass" appellation from the fact that should its tail break off (a phenomenon called caudal autotomy) if attacked or harassed, the tail will sometimes then break or shatter into several pieces. Happily, however, the glass snake can subsequently regrow a new, often full-sized tail.