By Desrae Clarke
Finding a ‘snake’ in the home is a frightening experience but could it be a Legless Lizard?
A recent call to remove a ‘snake’ became a lovely surprise when discovered to be a Common Scaly Foot Legless Lizard.
The Common Scaly Foot is up to 23cm from its short, rounded snout to the remnants of back legs that are small skin flap, a description known as the Snout Vent Length (SVL). The long slender tail begins at the flaps and may be up to twice the SVL.
The Scaly Foot does not have a forked tongue, and it has obvious ear holes. Colour and patterning on this interesting reptile is variable with ground colour mainly grey. Patterning may be present as dashes of black on the ground colour of grey or reddish-brown.
The Common Scaly Foot is active during the day over the cooler months, but remains nocturnal during the hotter period at which time it will lay one to two eggs. Prey is spiders and insects.
Like most lizards, the tail can be lost but it will regrow lacking pattern and usually of slightly different colouration. When threatened the Scaly Foot will emit squeaking sounds and it can resemble a snake by raising its head and neck to sway like a snake.
This article was published in the April 2025 edition of the Toodyay Herald, p. 33.
The Toodyay Naturalists’ Club welcomes sightings and observations of flora, fauna and all areas of natural history. To add your sightings, email secretary@toodyaynats.org.au or submit a sighting via our online form.
The Common Scaly Foot or Legless Lizard. Photo: From the book, ‘Reptiles and Frogs of the Perth Region’, with permission.
