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This species has been found in New Guinea and across most of Australia, barring the southernmost regions. It lives in most habitats - from deserts to the edges of rainforest. It has been observed in a number of places in Girraween National Park.
Although it looks so much like a snake, it is easily identified by its long, wedge-shaped head that is unlike any other Australian reptile. It also has a broad, fleshy tongue, conspicuous ear openings and its small eyes have vertical pupils. Like geckos, this species has no eyelids. It also has no front legs and only tiny flaps for hind legs. Because of its lack of limbs, it moves in a snake-like fashion.
Its scales are smooth and its colouring is extremely variable - ranging from pale grey to black, a pale yellow-brown, orange and even a rich red. Patterning is also extremely variable - from none at all to prominent stripes, blotches or rows of spots. There is often a cream or white stripe running down the side of the head and neck. The underside usually has small dark and pale flecks. It has been thought that the colour and patterning may be influenced by environmental factors. For example, a higher incidence of striped lizards have been found in grasslands.
Burton's Legless Lizards like to shelter in grassy tussocks, leaf litter and beneath logs or rocks. Individuals have been known to climb into low, dense vegetation to forage.
The species is active during both day and night, but it is more often encountered in the early morning and just after dusk.
It will eat some invertebrates, but prefers to eat small reptiles. This includes snakes, skinks, geckos, dragons and other legless lizards. It is an ambush hunter and will slowly stalk its prey to get within striking distance. Some lizards have been observed raising and shaking their tails as a lure. It attacks swiftly and accurately. Larger, potentially dangerous prey is always held tightly by the head or neck in its jaws until it is suffocated. The prey is then swallowed head first. Smaller prey may be caught at the chest and swallowed while still struggling.
Burton's Legless Lizard has a unique hinge across the top of its skull (at about eye-level) which allows it to bend its snout downwards, strengthening its grip on its prey.
When attacked, a Burton's Legless Lizard will drop its tail as a decoy. The tail eventually regrows.
This species breeds in Summer. Females lay two or three parchment-shelled eggs that are about 22mm long. Eggs are laid in sheltered places under logs, rocks or just buried in the soil - sometimes in the nests of Sugar Ants. Communal nests are sometimes used and up to 20 eggs have been found in a single site.
Hatchlings are about 13cm long. Adults can grow up to 60 cm - the largest of Queensland's 15 legless lizard species. Females grow larger and longer than males.
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