European glass lizard
Pseudopus apodus
A legless lizard often mistaken for a snake — with eyelids, ear openings, and a lateral fold; harmless.
Overview
What is European glass lizard
The European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus) is a large legless lizard of the anguid family — not a snake. It is distributed from southeastern Europe to Central Asia; in Georgia it occurs almost everywhere — in fields, open woodland, gardens, and village yards, from sea level up to roughly 2,000 m. The nominate subspecies P. a. apodus inhabits the Caucasus. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Last updated
Identification
How to identify European glass lizard
The European glass lizard is not a snake — it is a legless lizard. Identify it by eyelids, ear openings, and a lateral fold.
- 01
It has movable eyelids — snakes do not.
- 02
External ear openings are visible on the side of the head.
- 03
A deep lateral skin fold runs along the body.
- 04
Hind-limb rudiments may be visible near the cloaca.
- 05
Length is roughly 1–1.35 m; it is non-venomous and widespread in Georgia.
Biology
Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation
Habitat and range
It prefers open and semi-open terrain — short grassy cover, sparsely wooded slopes, scrub, rocky ground, and river valleys; it often appears in gardens and near settlements. It is widespread in Georgia and ranges up to roughly 2,000 m elevation. Within its microhabitat it seeks places where sun and shade lie close together.
Diet
It feeds on invertebrates — especially snails and slugs, as well as insects and other arthropods; occasionally small lizards, eggs, and small mammals. Its powerful jaws make it easy to crack snail shells. It is more active while hunting in wet weather.
Behavior
It is active by day. It is often mistaken for a snake, though it has movable eyelids, external ear openings, and a deep skin fold along its side (a lateral groove); vestigial hind limbs are sometimes visible near the cloaca. When threatened it hisses, bites, or releases a secretion; tail autotomy is possible but rarer than in other "glass lizards" — hence the name glass lizard. It is egg-laying: it lays roughly 8–10 eggs (in Georgia often in June–July); young hatch in roughly 45–55 days.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about European glass lizard.
It is a lizard. Unlike a snake, it has movable eyelids, external ear openings, and a deep skin fold along its side; vestigial hind limbs are sometimes visible near the cloaca.
It is harmless — it has no venom. When threatened it may hiss or bite, but it poses no danger to humans. It is beneficial: it reduces harmful insects and mollusks.
Almost everywhere — in fields, open woodland, gardens, and sometimes village yards. Vertically it ranges up to roughly 2,000 meters.
Because of tail autotomy — the tail can break off and shatter into pieces, which fueled an old myth that the animal shatters like glass. The tail regrows slowly, though it often stays shorter and darker.
It is egg-laying. It usually lays roughly 8–10 eggs (in Georgia often in June–July); young hatch in roughly 45–55 days.
The eastern slow worm (Anguis colchica) is a smaller, smoother legless lizard. The glass lizard is large (about 1–1.35 m), has a clear side fold, and often a yellow belly. Both are harmless, and neither is a snake.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- IUCN Red List
- GBIF
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Related guides
