Examples of snake-like animals include the American eel, the Asian snake, the Asian swamp snake, the California legless lizard, and the eastern glass snake.
Lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians are all legless reptiles.
While they may look similar, there are many ways to tell these creatures apart.
First, lizards often have external ears, while snakes do not.
In addition, lizards have eyelids that can blink, while the eyes of snakes are protected by a pointy membrane called a brille.
Snakes also lack limbs, while both lizards and amphisbaenians have at least some legs.
Amphisbaenians have a forked tongue like snakes, while the tongues of lizards are forked.
Example of Animals Like Snakes
Example of Animals Like Snakes
Scientific Name Archispirostreptus gigas Animal SpeciesInsectRange tropical rainforests of West Africa
The giant black millipede is the largest millipede in the world, growing up to 38 cm (15 inches) in length.
It is a shiny black body with red markings on its body.
It is non-venomous and does not bite, but it can release a poisonous liquid from its body that smells like cyanide.
This millipede is often confused with snakes because of its long, segmented body.
Scientific NameAnguilla rostrata SpeciesRangeVenezuela to Greenland and Iceland all along the Atlantic coast.
The American snake is a long, thin, snake-like creature.
It can grow up to four feet, and its skin is covered with scales.
This fish is often mistaken for a snake, but there are many ways to tell them apart.
For one thing, rattlesnakes have claws, while snakes don’t.
Additionally, lizards have limbs, while snakes have no limbs at all.
This creature is found in East Asia and can grow up to 40 cm tall.
It has a bony, pinkish-brown body and no legs.
Its head is shaped like a cone and has two black eyes.
4. Asia’s Water of Happiness
4. Asia’s Water of Happiness
Scientific Name Monopterus albusSpecies of Fish Native to Asia.
It is also found in Central and South America, Africa, and Australia
While its long, slender body may resemble that of a snake, the Asian swamp snake is actually a fish.
It can grow to over three feet and is sold in the pet trade.
Like the rest of its species, it has a dorsal crest that runs the length of its body.
However, unlike other breeds, the Asian breed does not have a pelvic and pelvic bone.
Scientific Name Gymnophiona SpeciesInsectRangetropical and neotropical regions in the world, from Central and South America to Central Africa and Southeast Asia.
Often mistaken for snakes, caecilians are actually amphibians.
They have long cylindrical bodies and no legs, but they differ from snakes in many ways.
Caecilians have poor eyesight and no external ear openings.
6. California Legless Lizard
6. California Legless Lizard
The California legless lizard is a snake-like animal.
It is often mistaken for a snake because it has no legs and a long, slender body.
However, legless lizards can be distinguished from snakes by the opening of their outer ears and eyelids.
Additionally, this reptile has a toe, unlike snakes.
Scientific NameCrocodylidaeType of Animal Subtropical Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas
Crocodiles are large reptiles that live in water such as lakes, rivers, and swamps.
They have long, narrow noses and thick, scaly skin.
Crocodiles are predators of fish, birds, and other animals.
While crocodiles do not look like snakes they are in the reptile family.
8. Oriental Glass
8. Oriental Glass
Scientific Name Ophisaurus ventralis Species Native to Eastern and Southern Georgia and South Carolina
The Oriental lizard is a legless lizard.
It got its name because, when threatened, it will break its tail to escape.
A broken tail will waggle, drawing attention to the predator as the doe makes its way.
Despite the lack of legs, glass icicles are good climbers and can be found in trees.
9. Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
9. Tiger Swallowtail Caterpillar
Scientific NamePapilio glaucus SpeciesInsectRangeAlabama, Delaware, Georgia, and South Carolina
The eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar looks like a snake.
Scientific NameDeilephila elpenorAnimal SpeciesInsectRangeparks and gardens, wooded edges, barren grasslands, and sand dunes.
The elephant hawk-moth looks like a small snake with a long, slender body of green, brown, and pink.
Scientific Name Anguilla anguilla Species Range from northern Russia and Finland to the coast of Morocco, Egypt, and even in the Red Sea.
The whitefish is a snake-like fish that can reach up to four feet in length.
Scientific Name Hebomoia glaucippe Species InsectRange many from south and southeast Asia, as well as southern China and southern Japan.
And the caterpillar is like a small snake with orange and black stripes on its body.
Scientific Name Gymnothorax Funebriris Species Species Range in the western Atlantic Ocean, from New Jersey to Bermuda, and the northern Gulf of Mexico south to Brazil.
The green moray is a large fish that can grow up to 8 feet in length.
The green moray is olive green with black spots and has a large head with sharp teeth.
Island Glass Lizard
Island Glass Lizard
Scientific NameOphisaurus compressus Species Species Range along the coast of South Carolina in coastal and southern Georgia.
The island lizard is a legless lizard native to the southeastern United States.
These lizards get their name from their shiny skin, which is seen in some places.
Many glass snakes are mistaken for snakes, but there are many ways to tell them apart.
For one thing, glass lizards have eyelashes, while snakes don’t.
Additionally, lizards have ear openings, while snakes do not.
Scientific Name Anguilla japonica Species Species Range Japan, Korea, China, and Vietnam, and northern Philippines
The Japanese eel is a snake-like fish that can grow up to four feet long.
It has a long, slender body and a small, sharp mouth.
Mimic Glass Lizard
Mimic Glass Lizard
Scientific Name Ophisaurus mimicus Species Species Range along the coast of South Carolina and along the coast of southern Georgia
The glass mimic is a legless lizard that is often mistaken for a snake.
It can be found in the southeastern United States and can grow up to three feet.
This lizard got its name because of its ability to drop its tail when caught by a hunter.
The tail will continue to wag, drawing attention to the predator as the doe escapes.
Red Helen Swallowtail Caterpillar
Red Helen Swallowtail Caterpillar
Scientific Name Papilio helenus Species Native to the forests of southern India and parts of Southeast Asia.
The Red Helen swallowtail caterpillar looks like a small snake.
It is black with orange and white stripes running the length of its body.
Scientific NameAnguilla australis Species Range New Zealand, Australia, and throughout the South Pacific
The short-tail fish is a snake-like fish that can be found in the Indo-Pacific region.
It can grow to about 3 feet tall and has a dark brown or black body with small, white spots.
Thin Glass
Thin Glass
Scientific NameOphisaurus attenuatus Species of Animal Between Georgia and South Carolina
The Slender Glass Lizard is a legless lizard.
A new tail will eventually grow.
Thin Glass Lizards are found in the southeastern United States.
They can grow to a height of about 2.5 feet.
The skin of the Thin Glass Lizard is smooth and shiny, and is usually brown or white in color.
Scientific NameAnguis fragilis SpeciesInsectRangeheathland, heathland, woodland edges, and climbing
Slowworm is a legless lizard found in Europe and parts of Asia.
It can grow up to 20 inches in length and is often mistaken for a snake.
One of the main ways to distinguish worms from snakes is that slow worms have eyelids, while snakes do not.
Scientific Name Papilio troilus Species Insect Range from the eastern half of the United States from southern Canada to southern Florida (except the Miami and Key areas) and west to Texas
The Spicebush swallowtail caterpillar looks like a snake.
He even has fake eyes on his back that make him look like a snake’s head, complete with forks.
Scientific NameTestudinesThe World’s Largest Animal Species
While the head of a turtle may look like a snake, it is actually a reptile with a shell.
Unlike snakes, turtles cannot coil their bodies and have limbs.
Scientific Name Chalcides striatus Species SpeciesRangeIberian Islands, Southern France, and northwestern parts of Italy.
The western three-toed skink is a small lizard found in the western United States and parts of Canada.
This lizard has a brown or dark gray color with dark stripes running down its body.
It grows to about 4-5 inches in length and is often mistaken for a snake.
One of the most distinctive features of the western three-toed skink is the tail.
This lizard can drop its tail when threatened and it will grow larger over time.
While there are many creatures that look like snakes, they are actually quite different.
Snakes are reptiles, while eels and caecilians are amphibians.
Additionally, snakes do not have eyelids and external ear openings.
Blind snakes may be the most snake-like creatures, but they can be distinguished by their small size and lack of eyes.
Living in South Africa I have had the pleasure of seeing many of these animals up close and personal.