Difference between revisions of "Lizard Classification"

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[[Image:Chinese_water_dragon.jpg|400px|thumb|right|'''Chinese water dragon (family Agamidae)''' (© Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons)]]
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==Lizard Classification Table==
 
==Lizard Classification Table==
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{| border="2" align="center" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" rules="all"; border-collapse:collapse;empty-cells:show"
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[[Image:Gecko.jpg|300px|thumb|right|'''Gecko (''Holodactylus africanus'')''' (Wikimedia Commons)]]
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{| border="2"
 
|+  
 
|+  
 
!bgcolor="#FFCC99"| Suborder
 
!bgcolor="#FFCC99"| Suborder
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguania  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguania  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Agamidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Agamidae  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| [[Water Dragon|Water Dragons]]
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Water Dragons
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 53
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 53
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 300
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 300
 
|-  
 
|-  
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguanidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguanidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguanas
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Iguanas
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 650
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 650
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Chamaeleontidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Chamaeleontidae
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| [[Chameleon|Chameleons]]
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Chameleons
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 85
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 85
 
|-
 
|-
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Gekkota  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Gekkota  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Gekkonidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Gekkonidae  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 800
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 800
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Pygopodidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Pygopodidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Snake lizards
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Snake lizards
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 31
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 31
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Scincomorpha
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Scincomorpha
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Lacertidae  
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Lacertidae  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 200
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 200
 
|-
 
|-
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Teiidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Teiidae
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| [[Black Tegu|Tegus]], whiptails
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Tegus, whiptails
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 39
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 39
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 227
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 227
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Xantusiidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Xantusiidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Desert night lizards
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Desert night lizards
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 16
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 16
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Scincidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Scincidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Skinks
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Skinks
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1275
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1275
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Cordylidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Cordylidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Girdle-tailed lizards
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Girdle-tailed lizards
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 50
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 50
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Dibamidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Dibamidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Blind lizards
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Blind lizards
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|-
 
|-
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguinomorpha
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguinomorpha
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Xenosauridae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Xenosauridae
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 4
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
−
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguids
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Anguids
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 75
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 75
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Helodermatidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Helodermatidae
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| [[Mexican Beaded Lizard|Beaded lizard]], [[Gila Monster|Gila Monster]]
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Beaded lizard, Gila Monster
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 2
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 2
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Varanidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Varanidae
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| [[Monitor|Monitors]]
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Monitors
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 1
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 31
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| 31
 
|-
 
|-
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"|  
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|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| "
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Lanthanotidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Lanthanotidae
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Borneo earless lizard
 
|bgcolor="#FFFFCC"| Borneo earless lizard
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|}
 
|}
  
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* '''For more information on the lizard taxonomy, see''' [[Lizard Taxonomy and Identification|Lizard Taxonomy and Identification]].
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* '''For more information on the lizard taxonomy, see the [[Lizard Taxonomy and Identification|'''Lizard Taxonomy and Identification''']] page.'''
  
 
==Families==
 
==Families==
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* Family of lizards of the old world
 
* Family of lizards of the old world
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* [[Acrodont dentition|Acrodont dentition]]
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* Acrodont dentition
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* Includes the agama (''Agama agama''), frilled lizard (''Chamydosaurus kingii''), [[Water Dragon|water dragon]] (''Psysignathus cocincinus''), [[Spiny-tailed Lizard|Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard]] (''Uromastyx aegyptius'') and the sail-fin lizard (''Hydrosaurus pustulatus'')
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* Includes the agama (''Agama agama''), frilled lizard (''Chamydosaurus kingii''), water dragon (''Psysignathus cocincinus''), Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (''Uromastyx aegyptius'') and the sail-fin lizard (''Hydrosaurus pustulatus'')
  
 
===Iguanidae===
 
===Iguanidae===
  
 
* Family of lizards in the new world and a few species in the Indian Ocean region
 
* Family of lizards in the new world and a few species in the Indian Ocean region
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* [[Pleurodont dentition|Pleurodont dentition]]
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* Pleurodont dentition
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* Includes the [[Green Iguana|green iguana]] (''Iguana iguana''), the [[Green Anole|green anole]] (''Anolis carolinensis''), [[Basilisk|basilisks]] (''Basiliscus'' spp.), horned lizards (''Phrynosoma'' spp.) spiny lizards (''Sceloporus'' spp.) and [[Rhinocerous Iguana|West Indian rock iguanas]] (''Cyclura'' spp.)
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* Includes the green iguana (''Iguana iguana''), the green anole (''Anolis carolinensis''), basilisks (''Basiliscus'' spp.), horned lizards (''Phrynosoma'' spp.) spiny lizards (''Sceloporus'' spp.) and West Indian rock iguanas (''Cyclura'' spp.)
  
 
===Chamaeleontidae===
 
===Chamaeleontidae===
  
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* Old world or true [[Chameleon|chameleons]]
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* Old world or true chameleons
 
* Anatomical differences from other lizards may include astonishingly long tongues, ability for colour change, oppositely opposable digits and prehensile tails.
 
* Anatomical differences from other lizards may include astonishingly long tongues, ability for colour change, oppositely opposable digits and prehensile tails.
 
* Generally viviparous
 
* Generally viviparous
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* Generally oviparous with one to two eggs laid but some are viviparous
 
* Generally oviparous with one to two eggs laid but some are viviparous
 
* Three subfamilies are Eublepharine (no toe-pads), Sphaerodactylinae and Gekkoninae
 
* Three subfamilies are Eublepharine (no toe-pads), Sphaerodactylinae and Gekkoninae
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* Includes the commonly kept [[Leopard Gecko|leopard gecko]] (''Eublepharis macularius'')
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* Includes the commonly kept leopard gecko (''Eublepharis macularius'')
  
 
===Pygopodidae===
 
===Pygopodidae===
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* New world equivalents of the Lacertidae
 
* New world equivalents of the Lacertidae
 
* The smaller are insectivorous and the larger carnivorous
 
* The smaller are insectivorous and the larger carnivorous
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* Includes the whiptails and racerunners (''Cnemidophorus'' spp.), jungle runners (''Ameiva'' spp.) and [[Black Tegu|tegus]] (''Tupinambis'' spp.)
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* Includes the whiptails and racerunners (''Cnemidophorus'' spp.), jungle runners (''Ameiva'' spp.) and tegus (''Tupinambis'' spp.)
  
 
===Xantusiidae===
 
===Xantusiidae===
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* True skinks
 
* True skinks
 
* Little sexual dimorphism
 
* Little sexual dimorphism
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* Includes the blue-tongued skink (''Tiliqua'' spp.), [[Prehensile-tailed Skink|prehensile-tailed skink]] (''Corucia zebrata''), five-lined skink (''Eumeces fasciatus'') and the casqueheads (''Tribolonotus'' spp.)
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* Includes the blue-tongued skink (''Tiliqua'' spp.), prehensile-tailed skink (''Corucia zebrata''), five-lined skink (''Eumeces fasciatus'') and the casqueheads (''Tribolonotus'' spp.)
  
 
===Cordylidae===
 
===Cordylidae===
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===Helodermatidae===
 
===Helodermatidae===
 
* Two species that are the only venomous lizards
 
* Two species that are the only venomous lizards
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* [[Gila Monster|Gila monster]] (''Heloderma suspectum'') and the [[Mexican Beaded Lizard|Mexican beaded lizard]] (''Heloderma horridum'')
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* Gila monster (''Heloderma suspectum'') and the Mexican beaded lizard (''Heloderma horridum'')
  
 
===Varanidae===
 
===Varanidae===
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* [[Monitor|Monitor]] lizards
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* Monitor lizards
 
* Mostly large powerful predators or carrion eaters
 
* Mostly large powerful predators or carrion eaters
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* Includes the [[Monitor|savannah monitor]] (''Varanus exanthematicus''), [[Monitor|Nile monitor]] (''Varanus niloticus'') and the Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis'')
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* Includes the savannah monitor (''Varanus exanthematicus''), Nile monitor (''Varanus niloticus'') and the Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis'')
  
 
===Lanthanotidae===
 
===Lanthanotidae===

Revision as of 16:21, 4 March 2010


 This article is still under construction.


Lizard Classification Table

Gecko (Holodactylus africanus) (Wikimedia Commons)
Suborder Infraorder Family Common Name Genera Species
Sauria Iguania Agamidae Water Dragons 53 300
" " Iguanidae Iguanas 55 650
" " Chamaeleontidae Chameleons 4 85
" Gekkota Gekkonidae Geckos 85 800
" " Pygopodidae Snake lizards 1 31
" Scincomorpha Lacertidae Wall and sand lizards 25 200
" " Teiidae Tegus, whiptails 39 227
" " Xantusiidae Desert night lizards 1 16
" " Scincidae Skinks 85 1275
" " Cordylidae Girdle-tailed lizards 10 50
" " Dibamidae Blind lizards 1 4
" Anguinomorpha Xenosauridae Crocodile lizards 1 4
" " Anguidae Anguids 8 75
" " Helodermatidae Beaded lizard, Gila Monster 1 2
" " Varanidae Monitors 1 31
" " Lanthanotidae Borneo earless lizard 1 1

Families

Agamidae

  • Family of lizards of the old world
  • Acrodont dentition
  • Includes the agama (Agama agama), frilled lizard (Chamydosaurus kingii), water dragon (Psysignathus cocincinus), Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptius) and the sail-fin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus)

Iguanidae

  • Family of lizards in the new world and a few species in the Indian Ocean region
  • Pleurodont dentition
  • Includes the green iguana (Iguana iguana), the green anole (Anolis carolinensis), basilisks (Basiliscus spp.), horned lizards (Phrynosoma spp.) spiny lizards (Sceloporus spp.) and West Indian rock iguanas (Cyclura spp.)

Chamaeleontidae

  • Old world or true chameleons
  • Anatomical differences from other lizards may include astonishingly long tongues, ability for colour change, oppositely opposable digits and prehensile tails.
  • Generally viviparous

Gekkonidae

  • Geckos
  • Large and diverse family which have colonised all tropical areas and extended into temperature regions
  • Primarily nocturnal insectivores
  • Anatomical differences from other lizards may include toe-pads, eyelids that have fused and are transparent as in snakes and eyes that move independently and are usually large
  • When subjected to daylight the pupils contract to a narrow slit with a series of pinholes
  • Generally oviparous with one to two eggs laid but some are viviparous
  • Three subfamilies are Eublepharine (no toe-pads), Sphaerodactylinae and Gekkoninae
  • Includes the commonly kept leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)

Pygopodidae

  • Includes snake lizards (Lialis spp.) and the scalyfoot (Pygopus spp.) which are without forelimbs and their hindlimbs are reduced to flaps of skin

Lacertidae

  • Wall or sand lizards of the old world
  • Insectivorous
  • All oviparous except the viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivapara)
  • Includes the oscellated green lizard (Lacerta lepida), rock lizard (Lacerta saxicola)

Teiidae

  • New world equivalents of the Lacertidae
  • The smaller are insectivorous and the larger carnivorous
  • Includes the whiptails and racerunners (Cnemidophorus spp.), jungle runners (Ameiva spp.) and tegus (Tupinambis spp.)

Xantusiidae

  • Desert night lizards
  • Xantusia spp.

Scincidae

  • True skinks
  • Little sexual dimorphism
  • Includes the blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua spp.), prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia zebrata), five-lined skink (Eumeces fasciatus) and the casqueheads (Tribolonotus spp.)

Cordylidae

  • Zonures or girdle-tailed lizards
  • All require very hot, dry conditions
  • Includes Cordylus spp.

Dibamidae

  • Blind lizards
  • Dibamus and Anelytropsis spp.

Xenosauridae

  • Consists of the Chinese crocodile-tailed lizard (Shinisaurus crocodiluris) and the new world xenosaurs (Xenosaurus spp.)

Anguidae

  • Long and snake-like in form
  • In America, Asia, Africa and Europe but species are not numerous
  • Both oviparous and viviparous species, both diurnal and nocturnal species and generally terrestrial
  • Insectivorous or carnivorous
  • Includes slow-worm (Anguis fragilis), alligator lizards (Elgaria spp.), glass lizards (Ophisaurus spp.) legless lizards (Annelia spp.) and the sheltopusik (Ophisaurus apodus)

Helodermatidae

  • Two species that are the only venomous lizards
  • Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) and the Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum)

Varanidae

  • Monitor lizards
  • Mostly large powerful predators or carrion eaters
  • Includes the savannah monitor (Varanus exanthematicus), Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) and the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)

Lanthanotidae

  • Monotypic family
  • The Bornean earless lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis)
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