AN endangered reptile often mistaken for a snake has been found for the first time in almost 40 years in the Beechworth area, making it the most north-easterly record in Victoria.

The striped legless lizard, Delma impar, was once common across Victoria and other temperate areas of Australia including the ACT, South Australia and New South Wales.

It’s believed to be extinct in South Australia and habitat loss has led to it retracting to a handful of sites in Victoria.