A family of lizards characterized by elongated bodies and reduced or absent limbs, including slow worms and glass lizards.
From Latin 'anguis' meaning snake, with the Linnaean family suffix -idae. The family was named for its snake-like appearance, though these are true lizards with internal anatomy distinct from snakes.
Anguidae are a masterclass in how evolution makes similar-looking creatures from different families—glass lizards evolved from four-legged ancestors and lost their legs independently from snakes, proving that the legless form is such a winner that evolution invents it repeatedly.
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