Family PYGOPODIDAE

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Introduction

A family of oviparous, limbless snake- or worm-like lizards endemic to the Australia region, known as snake lizards, legless lizards or flap-footed lizards. Of the 47 species in 8 genera, only two species (confined to New Guinea) do not occur in Australia. They are most closely allied to the Diplodactylidae.

Diagnosis

The family is characterised in Australia by: forelimbs absent; hindlimbs vestigial, represented by a pair of scaly skin flaps, one on either side of the cloacal opening; eyes without movable lids and covered by a snake-like spectacle; external ear opening usually present; tail (unless regenerating) usually at least as long as the snout-vent length.

General References

Cogger, H.G. 1979. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Sydney : A.H. & A.W. Reed 608 pp.

Cogger, H.G. 2014. Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO publishing 7th edition, pp. xxx+1033. [378]

Kinghorn, J.R. 1926. A brief review of the family Pygopodidae. Records of the Australian Museum 15: 40-64

Kluge, A.G. 1974. A taxonomic revision of the lizard family Pygopodidae. Miscellaneous Publications of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan 147: 1-221

Stephenson, N.G. 1960. The comparative osteology of Australian geckos and its bearing on their morphological status. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 44: 278-299

Underwood, G. 1957. On lizards of the family Pygopodidae. A contribution to the morphology and phylogeny of the Squamata. Journal of Morphology 100: 207-268

Wermuth, H. 1965. Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xantusiidae. Das Tierreich 80(1–22): 1-246

History of changes