Bizarre 'Legless' Lizard Has T-Rex Arms | National Geographic

If you guessed this was a snake or a worm, you would be wrong. It's actually a Mexican mole lizard, a type of legless lizard.

About National Geographic:
National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible.

Get More National Geographic:

Scientists spotted this one in San Juanico, Baja California Sur. They dwell underground and aren't usually seen on the surface. They're about 9 inches long and have front limbs perfectly suited for digging through soil.

Read more in "Rare Video Shows Mysterious, Worm-Like Legless Lizard"

Bizarre 'Legless' Lizard Has T-Rex Arms | National Geographic

National Geographic

[mstalcup]

Unfortunately you can't even rely on National Geographic to feature an animal and correctly identify it. This is an amphisbaenian, a reptile which is neither lizard nor snake. They are popularly called "worm lizards" but this does not reflect their actual taxonomic position within Squamata. Also, they belong to a different suborder than the 7 or more families of true legless lizards. Edit and correction 5 years later: Because the classification "lizard" is paraphyletic and because the smallest clade that contains all "lizards" is the entire order Squamata, it is taxonomically valid to call any snake a lizard as well as any amphisbaenian. Snakes are just a type of legless lizard, with pythons, boas, and some others retaining vestigial hind limbs in the form of spurs. In fact, monitor lizards are more closely related to snakes than they are to geckos.

[wavyj]

Why does this look like the worm from spongbob. 😂😂

[xavierhorn]

Actually, this is not a legless lizard either (Most legless lizards fall under family Anguidae, some under the Anniellidae, and some more in the Scincidae), but rather, is a different lineage from lizards and snakes, and falls under their own sub-order, the suborder Amphisbaenia with "mole lizards" that spend a majority of their time underground. Most people will become confused by this video though, and on the rare occasion they see one, they'll think it's an odd looking lizard, and not appreciate it for the ancient animal it is

[OptimusPrime.]

I saw one of these last week at my place. Shined the light on it thinking it was a huge earthworm and it acted dead. Took the light away and it went by so fast!

[t_c]

"a legless lizard"

Me: *staring at its legs* wut

[blastturtle]

Those arms are more like that of Carnotaurus than that of Tyrannosaurus.

[arunavmallikavi]

That looks like earth warms with two tiny legs 😄😄😄

[alphaninyo]

"They're 9 inch long"

*Did u hear that ladies??*

[rrobcher]

this is the cutest lil guy ive ever seen! I could put him in a jar of worms and nobody could tell the difference

[hiyoise]

OH BOY I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT NEW T REX

[nj]

I just want to see him flailing his little arms at his enemy, trying to defend himself haha.

[PEZZOPEREZ]

I seen this in Lotus, California yesterday. I’ve never seen this in my life til yesterday.

[mylawyer]

I can’t unsee it as a worm with lil hands

[manishpudasaini]

oh you're up this is good.... we gonna rob a bank...

[EnsignLeeDS]

Why is there a difference between legless lizards and snakes?

[psychpile]

Centipede + worm + mole rat from fallout 4 = this

[OptomessKilla]

What's the name of the song at the end? It sounds super blessed🤘🏾🕊