# Snake found near Dongara Western Aust Ideas what it is?



## Kris.Brown (Jul 16, 2013)

Any idea what this Snake is?

Thanks in Advance


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## BrownHash (Jul 16, 2013)

That would be a legless lizard. _Pygopus lepidopodus_.

Nice find.


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## Kris.Brown (Jul 16, 2013)

It didnt blink its eyes and when held by the tail it was able to climb up itself ive been told these are the traits of a snake and not a lizard


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## Bushman (Jul 16, 2013)

Not all lizards blink. Geckos and legless lizards or Pygopods also have fixed eye spectacles like snakes. This animal is definitely a Pygopod of the genus _Pygopus._
More specifically, my educated guess is _Pygopus lepidopodus.
_


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## Kris.Brown (Jul 16, 2013)

Thank you for the replies  It was a nice looking animal


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## Bushman (Jul 16, 2013)

No worries. They're often mistaken for snakes. 
Just be aware that they can drop their tails readily when picked up by the tail. Although they grow back, most of their fat reserves are stored in the tail and it really sets them back if they lose their tail.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jul 17, 2013)

It is also known as the Common Scaly Foot – awesome lizards.

If you look carefully along the line of the mouth, at the end of the head/skull, you can see the external opening to the ear, which snakes do not possess. Also, the vent is locate about one third of the way along its length and either side of this can be found the vestigial hind limbs = scaly flaps. They are quite large and obvious in this genus. If you give it a spray with a fine mist of water over the face, it will usually wipe its eye spectacle with its tongue. The tongue is typically lizard-like, being broad and fleshy and not think and forked like snakes. The fact that the tail (vent to tail tip) is longer than the body (snout to vent) is another lizard feature, as the tail of snakes is never more than about a quarter of their total length and usually considerably less.

They also come in plain grey in WA but the striped formed is considerably more common.


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