The family Trogonophidae, belonging to the order Squamata (the scaled reptiles), comprises a group of legless, burrowing lizards commonly referred to as worm lizards. These reptiles are adapted to a subterranean lifestyle, with elongated, limbless bodies, reduced or absent eyes, and strong skulls for digging. Trogonophids are found primarily in North Africa, the Middle East, and parts of western Asia, where they inhabit loose soil or sand. They feed mainly on insects and other small invertebrates, using their specialized tongues and teeth to capture prey underground. Though relatively secretive and rarely seen, they play an important ecological role in soil aeration and in controlling populations of soil-dwelling invertebrates.