
Lizard | Definition, Types, Characteristics, Classification, & Facts ...
Apr 13, 2025 · Lizard, (suborder Sauria), any of more than 5,500 species of reptiles belonging in the order Squamata (which also includes snakes, suborder Serpentes). Lizards are scaly-skinned reptiles that are usually distinguished from snakes by the possession of legs, movable eyelids, and external ear
Lizard - Adaptations, Habitats, Behavior | Britannica
Apr 13, 2025 · Lizard - Adaptations, Habitats, Behavior: The skull is derived from the primitive diapsid condition, though lizards have greater flexibility in the jaw. Most lizards have sharp, tricuspid teeth adapted for grabbing and holding. Most are quadrupedal with powerful limb musculature; others run bipedally, use lateral undulations, burrow, or glide through the air.
lizard - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Lizards vary more in size and shape than any other group of reptiles. Some lizards are only an inch or two long. But the largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, can reach a length of 10 feet (3 meters).Most lizards have four strong legs, but some have no legs at all.
Physical features of lizards | Britannica
lizard, Any of about 5,500 species of reptiles constituting the suborder Sauria. They are most diverse and abundant in the tropics but are found from the Arctic Circle (one species) to southern Africa, South America, and Australia.
Lizard - Reptile, Habitats, Adaptations | Britannica
Apr 13, 2025 · Lizard - Reptile, Habitats, Adaptations: Most lizards reproduce by laying eggs. The clutch size generally varies with the mother's size, age, and condition. Lizard eggs are usually leathery-shelled and porous. Some lizard species show viviparity. While a few species rely on temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), in most lizards sex is …
Lizard - Reptile, Adaptations, Species | Britannica
Apr 13, 2025 · Lizard - Reptile, Adaptations, Species: The cladistic approach to systematics changed the way in which evolutionary relationships among lizard families and other organisms are examined. Suborder Sauria has about 4,450 species. Gene sequencing and other technological advances have resulted in changes in the taxonomy of lizards and a better understanding of their evolutionary history.
7 of the World’s Most Dangerous Lizards and Turtles
Richard Weymouth Brooks/Photo Researchers. The Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) was named for the Gila River Basin and occurs in parts of the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico and the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa.
Lizardfish | Deep-Sea, Carnivorous, Bottom-Dweller | Britannica
Lizardfish, any of about 57 species of marine fish of the family Synodontidae, found primarily in the tropics. Lizardfish are elongated with rounded bodies and scaly heads. They grow to a maximum length of about 50 centimetres (20 inches) and are …
Anole | Tree-dwelling, Caribbean, Reptile | Britannica
anole, (genus Anolis), any of more than 250 species of small tree-dwelling lizards related to iguanas (family Iguanidae).Anoles occur throughout the warmer regions of the Americas and are especially abundant in the West Indies.Like the gecko, most anoles have enlarged finger and toe pads that are covered with microscopic hooks.These clinging pads, together with sharp claws, enable them to ...
Frilled lizard | Description, Habitat, & Facts | Britannica
frilled lizard, (Chlamydosaurus kingii), type of reptile found in Australia and New Guinea that can run standing up on its hind legs with its forelegs and tail in the air. The scaly membrane around its neck is used as a large part of the lizard’s defensive posture. Normally, the neck frill, often as wide as the lizard is long, lies like a cape over the shoulders.