New Lizard Discovered And It Has No Legs or Ears

Researchers investigating the Serra da Neve region in Angola, Africa, were not on the lookout for a new lizard species. They had arrived to survey local wildlife in a region that is still widely unknown. However, during their field investigation, they happened to notice three limbless lizards scampering around the rocks and leaves. Interestingly, this new lizard species has no legs or ears. 

Researchers describe the creature in a study published in the African Journal of Herpetology, published in September 2023. The Serra da Neve lance-skink (Acontias mukwando) is about 6.8 inches long with a cylindrical body, no limbs, and no ear openings. 

A member of the Acontias genus, scientists named the new species “mukwando” after the local tribe, the Mukwando, who provided local knowledge and assisted the scientific team. 

To the untrained eye, the lance-skink looks a lot like a snake. Its body is pinkish with a darker brown band that runs down the length of it. Finally, near the neck, the skink has what looks like a collar, and a cream-colored ring, giving it a unique color pattern.

Why Is a Legless Lizard Not a Snake?

A legless lizard may look a lot like a snake, but the two species have some major differences between them. For one, snakes can’t blink and don’t have eyelids. But some legless lizards have moveable eyelids, while others are blind with eyelids that are fused shut. Snakes have forked tongues, while legless lizards’ tongues are rounded.

Scientists believe legless lizards have lost their legs over time as they adapted to life burrowing underground. Undeniably, legs would only slow them down. 

Where Does the New Lizard Species Live?

Scientists found the lizard in a remote area near the mountain’s base. The Serra de Neve is Angola’s second-highest mountain. The lowland habitats contain woodland savannas and arid regions. According to scientists, the biodiversity of the area is still “poorly known.” The new lizard species has only been found in this isolated region on Angola’s western coast.

About Lance Skinks (Acontias)

There are 1,000 species of skinks living around the world. Acontias is a genus of limbless skinks, the lance skinks. The new species is closely related to Acontias percivali, commonly known as Percival’s lance skink. This type of skink burrows in sandy areas. Its eyelids are fused shut, unlike the new species, which has moveable eyelids. Skinks are omnivorous lizards that primarily feast on insects, but also may eat mollusks, small mammals, and fruit.