Mimic Glass Lizard

Scientific Name: Ophisaurus mimicus

Photo Credit: Pierson Hill 

Adult mimic glass lizards grow between 15 and 25.75 inches, making them the region’s smallest glass lizards. Their coloration typically includes shades of tan or brown with varying pale and dark speckles. A distinct dark stripe runs along the center of the back, and three or four darker stripes or spot rows appear above the side groove, separated by lighter stripes. Males tend to be larger than females, and both are active by day, with males showing higher daytime activity.

Their diet consists of insects and other invertebrates, including earthworms. The rigid jaw structure limits them to prey no larger than their head. These lizards are native to the southeastern Coastal Plain, where they occupy pine flatwoods and open woodlands within longleaf pine-wiregrass ecosystems. They spend much of their time under logs, leaf litter, or other debris and are most active during daylight hours.

Little is known about their reproductive cycle. Female individuals likely bury several eggs in sheltered sites during early summer and may guard them until they hatch. 

Mimic glass lizards are legless and often mistaken for snakes, but they can be identified by movable eyelids, external ear openings, and their lateral fold. When captured, they often shed their long tail, a defense that allows the tip to continue wriggling, distracting foes while the lizard escapes. The tail eventually regenerates, though it rarely returns to its original form.

Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.