June 23, 2006
A rare species of legless lizard was recently captured in the
Conecuh National Forest in Covington County by biologists from
Auburn University (AU) and Conservation Southeast (CS). The
biologists began working in the area in 2005 through funding from
the State Wildlife Grants program of the Alabama Division of
Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and the U.S. Forest Service.
The mimic glass lizard (Ophisaurus mimicus) was first described in
1987 when careful scientific study revealed it to be distinct from
the slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus), a much more common
species with which the mimic glass lizard is easily confused. In
fact, the mimic glass lizard earned its common name from the fact
that specimens of it had resided for decades in museum collections
where they had been misidentified as slender glass lizards.
Attaining a maximum length of about two feet, the mimic glass lizard
is the smallest of the three legless lizard species occurring in
Alabama, all of which are commonly known as “glass snakes” and
“joint snakes.” Although legless lizards are often mistaken for
snakes, they can easily be distinguished from snakes by the presence
of movable eyelids and external ear openings. The fragile and
somewhat brittle tail, which constitutes an astonishing two-thirds
of the body length, may break into multiple segments if struck or
seized. Popular (but erroneous) folklore has it that the segments
will rejoin after sunset.
The geographic range of the mimic glass lizard extends across a very
thin band of the lower Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from
southeastern North Carolina to the Pearl River in Mississippi. Its
habitat includes pine flatwoods, savannas, and hillside seepage bogs
where it prefers grass-covered areas maintained by frequent fire.
Within Alabama, the species is suspected to occur only in the
southernmost tier of counties and is known by only four verified
records from Baldwin (1 record), Covington (2), and Mobile (1)
counties. Before its recent capture by biologists Jimmy and Sierra
Stiles, the species had not been confirmed in the state for 30
years. Although the mimic glass lizard may never have been abundant,
loss of key components of its habitat, like pitcher plant bogs, is
thought to have increased its rarity.
AU and CS initiated the study to acquire baseline data for long-term
monitoring of the response of amphibian and reptile populations to
the ambitious 30-year longleaf pine ecosystem restoration program
being implemented at the Conecuh National Forest. Restoration of
native ecosystem composition, structure and function involves
re-establishing a natural fire regime (i.e., burning often, with
emphasis on growing season fires), thinning stands to allow the
development of a woodland/savanna structure with well-developed
herbaceous layers, and replacing off-site tree species by
clearcutting and planting longleaf pine.
This study is intended to contribute to the overall understanding of
the value of longleaf pine ecosystem restoration to amphibians and
reptiles by measuring herpetofaunal response to various restoration
stages and corresponding control sites. This study should result in
the development of well-informed management recommendations for the
Conecuh National Forest as well as other pine-dominated,
fire-maintained ecosystems throughout the Southeast.
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