Gymnophthalmidae

Gymnophthalmidae is a diverse family of small to medium-sized lizards native to the Americas, with a distribution concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America and including some Caribbean islands. They are commonly referred to as microteiids or spectacled lizards. The group comprises numerous genera and species that occupy a variety of habitats, but most are associated with humid forest floors, leaf litter, and logs in tropical forests.

Morphology and adaptations vary among lineages. Members typically have slender bodies and smooth scales, and several lineages show reduced limbs or are even limbless, reflecting adaptations to a fossorial or leaf-litter lifestyle. A distinctive trait in many species is a transparent or reduced spectacle over the eye, which gives the group its common name of spectacled lizards.

Ecology and behavior: Gymnophthalmids are largely insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and other arthropods. They are generally secretive and can be either diurnal or crepuscular, with many species active in moist microhabitats. Camouflage and a litter-dwelling lifestyle help them avoid predators in dense habitats.

Reproduction and conservation: Reproductive modes vary, with both oviparous and viviparous species described. Clutch sizes tend to be small. Because many species have restricted ranges and tropical forests face deforestation, some gymnophthalmids are of conservation concern. Taxonomically, Gymnophthalmidae is treated as a distinct family within Squamata; in older classifications it was placed within Teiidae as a subfamily of microteiids.