Reptiles of North Carolina
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NC Records

Ophisaurus attenuatus - Slender Glass Lizard


Photo: G. Orcutt
Photo: B. Bockhahn
Photo: B. Bockhahn
Taxonomy
Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Anguidae Subfamily: Anguinae
Taxonomic Comments: Ophisaurus is a genus of legless lizards found in both North America and Southeast Asia, with four species occurring north of Mexico (SSAR, 2016) and three found in North Carolina. Although snake-like in appearance, Glass Lizards have movable eyelids, external ear openings, and small scales on the belly, all of which are absent in snakes. Also unlike snakes, their tails can break off when an individual is attacked by a predator and can later regenerate them over time.
Species Comments: Two subspecies are currently recognized (SSAR, 2016): O. a. attenuatus, the Western Slender Glass Lizard and O. a. longicaudus, the Eastern Slender Glass Lizard. Populations in North Carolina are assignable to O. a. longicaudus. The subspecies do not form monophyletic molecular lineages, however, and more work is needed to determine the specific status of these populations (Lavin and Girman, 2019).
Identification
Description: Mimic and Slender Glass Lizards are very similar in appearance and photographs used as the basis for a record must show a good quality, close-up view of the lateral side of the head, with the scales between the eye and the lip particularly important. Photographs of the dorsal and lateral surfaces should also be provided.
Morphological Features: The supralabial scales are usually separated from the eye (including the small scales on the eyelids) by a row of enlarged lorilabial scales (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).
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Observation Methods: Slender Glass Lizards can be found active during the day or under coverboard transects, as well as sampled using drift fences. They may also be found active on roads between habitats.
Distribution in North Carolina
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Key Habitat Requirements
Habitat: Slender Glass Lizards are associated primarily with open habitats, including old fields, pastures, woodland edges, and ruderal areas (Palmer and Braswell, 1995).
Life History and Autecology
Breeding and Courtship: Trauth (1984) noted that females as small as 15 cm snout-to-vent lengths were sexually mature, suggesting maturity occurs at approximately two years old. Mating occurs in the spring (April and May; Fitch, 1989).
Reproductive Mode: Slender Glass Lizards are oviparous and typically lay eggs in summer (June/July) that hatch in later summer or early fall. Clutches average approximately 10–11 white, nonadherent ovoid eggs that average approximately 21 mm long x 13 mm wide (Fitch, 1989; Palmer and Braswell, 1995). Females are often found to stay with their clutch if undisturbed, though Fitch (1989) posited attendance was not essential to hatching success.

Hatchlings average 5.7–5.9 cm snout-to-vent length, with total lengths averaging 18.7 cm (Fitch, 1989; Palmer and Braswell, 1995).
Terrestrial Life History: Slender Glass Lizards are active during the day especially in the morning and afternoon but can also be encountered under surface cover including objects and vegetation. In cooler temperatures, they may use mammal burrows or other underground hibernacula, but much remains to be learned about their habits. There are North Carolina records from every month, but activity appears to peak in late spring/early summer (May–June) and again in early fall (September–October).

Home range estimates are not known from North Carolina. Fitch (1989) estimated average home ranges in Kansas at 0.23 hectares (2,300 m2); adult males had larger average home ranges than females (0.44 ha to 0.20 ha, respectively).
General Ecology
Adverse Environmental Impacts
Status in North Carolina
NHP State Rank: S1
Global Rank: G5
Status in North Carolina: SC

Photo Gallery for Ophisaurus attenuatus - Slender Glass Lizard

7 photos are shown.

Recorded by: Jason Brown
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Stewart
Durham Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: David Brown & Paul Terry
Harnett Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David Brown & Paul Terry
Harnett Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: G. Orcutt
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. Bockhahn
Wake Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: B. Bockhahn
Wake Co.
Comment: