Galliwasps Alligator Lizards and Relatives: Anguidae

Depending on the species, they may be active during the day or at night. They usually stay out of sight, but many species will come out into the open on a sunny day to soak up the warmth. Such sunbathing is called basking. Often, these shy lizards will only expose one part of their bodies at a time while basking, keeping the rest hidden away. Those species that live in colder areas may spend the winter in a deep sleep, known as hibernation (high-bur-NAY-shun).

These lizards are especially known for their behavior when they feel threatened: Most members of this family quickly drop the tail, which may break into several wriggling pieces. While the attacker is looking at or eating the tail, the lizard makes its escape. The lizard grows back the tail, but it is often much shorter than the original one. The glass lizard's regrown tail, for example, is a pointed stump. Some lizards in this family will also defend themselves by wiggling frantically, by smearing a bad-smelling ooze and/or feces on the attacker, or by puffing up the body with air, which may make the lizard appear large enough to scare off an attacker.

Within this family, some species lay eggs and others give birth to baby lizards. Female legless lizards all have one or two live babies in each litter. Depending on the species, female glass lizards and slowworms, galliwasps, and alligator lizards may lay eggs or give birth to baby lizards, with brood sizes from less than five to two dozen or more. In some egg-laying species, the female stays with the eggs, often wrapping her body around them, until they hatch. Most species have young every year, but some, such as the montane alligator lizard, probably only give birth once every two years. During breeding season, males of some species, including the slowworm, will fight by grasping at one another with their jaws. For most species, however, scientists know little about their courtship behaviors.