Legless Lizards

(Family: Pygopodidae)

The family Pygopodidae includes the legless lizards, snake-lizards and flap-footed lizards. All have limbs that are reduced or absent, and are a type of gecko. Pygopodids have no fore limbs at all, but do possess vestigial hind limbs in the form of small, flattened flaps. They have long, slender, snake-like bodies, but unlike snakes, they have external ear holes and flat, unforked tongues. Like snakes and most geckos, they have no eyelids.

There are at least 35 species in two subfamilies and eight genera. All are native to Australia and New Guinea.