: The Asian glass lizard, Ophisaurus gracilis , exhibits extreme morphological convergence with snakes. 3. Evolutionary History and Fossil Record
A phylogenetic analysis of body-form evolution in anguid lizards
: Occurs through the lengthening of both the trunk and the tail in genera like Ophisaurus .
: Fossil remains of the genus Pseudopus suggest that ancient species had greater ecological plasticity than their extant relatives, often inhabiting forested, sub-humid environments. 4. Behavioral Ecology and Thermal Biology
A primary focus of anguid research is the repeated independent evolution of limblessness. Contrary to long-standing hypotheses, research suggests that the transition from a lizard-like body to a snakelike form does not always follow a rigid sequence of body elongation followed by limb and then digit reduction.