Researchers are just beginning to understand the enigmatic life of the earless lizard species in Borneo, an island in Southeast Asia.
The earless lizard is an extremely rare dragon-like reptile, earning the nickname “Holy Grail” in herpetology (the study of reptiles and amphibians).
This species is the only known member of the Lanthanotidae family. This means that researchers have not discovered any other similar living species to date. The most recent common ancestor of this lizard is believed to have diverged in the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago).
Measuring up to 50 cm, the earless lizard has a slender body, small limbs, and a tiny tail that captures intricate details. Their heads lack external ears, earning them the name “earless lizard,” and their lower eyelids close when submerged underwater.
According to a 2014 report by TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring organization, scientists still know little about this mysterious lizard, but they believe that
