''Pseudopus'' is a genus of

anguid Anguidae refers to a large and diverse family of lizards native to the Northern Hemisphere. It contains 9 genera and 89 extant species. Common characteristics of this group include a reduced supratemporal arch, striations on the medial faces of t ...

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

s that are native to

Eurasia Eurasia ( , ) is a continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. According to some geographers, Physical geography, physiographically, Eurasia is a single supercontinent. The concept of Europe and Asia as distinct continents d ...

. One extant species remains, the sheltopusik, with four fossil species. They are the most robust members of subfamily Anguinae, with the largest species †''P. pannonicus'' growing up to 2 metres in length. The oldest fossils of the group date to the Early

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

, but there are possible

Oligocene The Oligocene ( ) is a geologic epoch (geology), epoch of the Paleogene Geologic time scale, Period that extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present ( to ). As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that defin ...

records.

Classification

Genus ''Pseudopus'' *''

Pseudopus apodus ''Pseudopus'' is a genus of Anguidae, anguid lizards that are native to Eurasia. One extant species remains, the sheltopusik, with four fossil species. They are the most robust members of subfamily Anguinae, with the largest species †''P. panno ...

'' – sheltopusik, Pallas's glass lizard, European legless lizard, European glass lizard *†''

Pseudopus ahnikoviensis ''Pseudopus ahnikoviensis'' is an extinct species of '' Pseudopus'' that lived during the Burdigalian stage of the Miocene epoch. Distribution ''Pseudopus ahnikoviensis'' is known from fossils unearthed at the site of Merkur, a locality in nor ...

'' *†'' Pseudopus laurillardi'' *†'' Pseudopus pannonicus'' *†''

Pseudopus rugosus ''Pseudopus rugosus'' is an extinct species of '' Pseudopus'' that lived during the Early Miocene. Distribution ''Pseudopus rugosus'' is known from northwestern Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of ...

References

Anguidae Lizards of Asia Lizards of Europe Lizard genera Reptile genera with one living species Taxa named by Blasius Merrem {{Anguidae-stub