Island Glass Lizard
Ophisaurus compressus
Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyAnguidae (Glass and Alligator Lizards)
- GenusOphisaurus (North American Glass Lizards)
- SpeciesOphisaurus compressus (Island Glass Lizard)
About the Island Glass Lizard
The island glass lizard (Ophisaurus compressus) is a species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States. O. compressus is found in Florida, southeastern Georgia, and southeastern South Carolina. Island glass lizards can be found in coastal sandy scrub areas, as well as adjacent pine flatwood habitats.
O. compressus can reach adult lengths of 15–24 inches. They can be distinguished from other Ophisaurus by a single dark stripe along both sides of the body, just above the lateral groove, and a single dark middorsal stripe which may sometimes appear more broken than solid. They also have many light vertical bars along the side of the neck that are more prominent and numerous than those on the Eastern Glass Lizard (O. ventralis).
O. compressus differs from other members of Ophisaurus in that they do not have fracture planes in the caudal vertebrae, which allow most Ophisaurus and many other lizards to easily shed their tails to evade predation. O. compressus is oviparous.
Behler JL, King FW (1979). The Audubon... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Island Glass Lizard in Big Cypress National Preserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Big Cypress National Preserve
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Island Glass Lizard in Big Cypress National Preserve?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Island Glass Lizard sighting in Big Cypress National Preserve, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Island Glass Lizard in Big Cypress National Preserve?
March has the highest sighting rate for Island Glass Lizard in Big Cypress National Preserve in our monthly data.