Squamata

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Classification

• Lacertilia, the lizards;
• Serpentes, the snakes;
• Amphisbaenia
  Amphisbaenia
  
  The Amphisbaenia are a suborder of usually legless squamates closely related to lizards and snakes. As many species possess a pink body coloration and scales arranged in rings, they have a superficial resemblance to earthworms....
  , the worm lizards.

• Suborder Iguania
  Iguania
  
  Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae....
   (the agamid
  Agamidae
  
  Agamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. phylogenetics they may be sister to the Iguanidae, and have a similar appearance....
  s, chameleon
  Chameleon
  
  Chameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, and the possession by many of a prehensile tail, crests or horns on their...
  s, iguanid
  Iguanidae
  
  The Iguanidae is a family of lizards, composed of iguanas and related species....
  s. and other New World
  New World
  
  The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth, specifically the Americas and Australasia. When the term originated in the late 15th century, the Americas were new to the Europeans, who previously thought of the world as consisting only of Europe, Asia, and Africa ....
   lizards)
• Suborder Scleroglossa
• Infraorder Gekkota
  Gekkota
  
  Gekkota is an infraorder in the suborder Scleroglossa, comprising all geckos and the legless Pygopodidae....
   (the gecko
  Gecko
  
  Geckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae which are found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos....
  s)
• Infraorder Anguimorpha
  Anguimorpha
  
  Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the Anguidae , monitor lizards, mosasaurs, and Heloderma . The infraorder was named by F?rbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus....
   (the monitors
  Monitor lizard
  
  Monitor lizards or biawak are members of the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizard which includes the heaviest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, with the crocodile monitor being the longest in the world....
  , Gila monster
  Gila monster
  
  The Gila monster , Heloderma suspectum, is a species of venom lizard native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico . A heavy, slow-moving lizard, up to long, the Gila monster is the only venomous lizard native to the United States, and one of only two known species of venomous lizards in North America, the other being its...
  , alligator lizard
  Alligator lizard
  
  Alligator Lizard may refer to one of the following:Species of the genus Elgaria:*Northern Alligator Lizard*Southern Alligator LizardSpecies of the genus Gerrhonotus....
  s, galliwasps, slow-worms and others)
• Infraorder Scincomorpha
  Scincomorpha
  
  Scincomorpha is an infraorder of saurians....
   (skink
  Skink
  
  Skinks are the most diverse group of lizards. They comprise the family Scincidae which shares the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae ....
  s, whiptail lizards and common European lizards)
• Suborder Serpentes (the snake
  Snake
  
  Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
  s)
• Infraorder Alethinophidia
  Alethinophidia
  
  The Alethinophidia are an infraorder of snakes that includes all snakes other than blind snakes and thread snakes. Currently, 15 families are recognized, including 9 subfamilies and 316 genera....
   (viper
  Viperidae
  
  The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Australia and Madagascar. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom....
  s, boas, cobra
  Naja
  
  Naja is a genus of venom elapid snakes. They are the most recognized, and most widespread group of snakes commonly known as cobras, though there are several other genera which also make use of that common name....
  s, etc.)
• Infraorder Scolecophidia
  Scolecophidia
  
  The Scolecophidia are an infraorder of snakes. They range in size from 10-100 cm in length, but may only be as small as 2 mm. All are fossorial....
   (blind snakes)
• Suborder Amphisbaenia
  Amphisbaenia
  
  The Amphisbaenia are a suborder of usually legless squamates closely related to lizards and snakes. As many species possess a pink body coloration and scales arranged in rings, they have a superficial resemblance to earthworms....
  

• Suborder Serpentes (snakes)
• Suborder Iguania
  Iguania
  
  Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae....
   (agamids, chameleons, iguanids, etc.)
• Infraorder Anguimorpha
  Anguimorpha
  
  Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the Anguidae , monitor lizards, mosasaurs, and Heloderma . The infraorder was named by F?rbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus....
  , consisting of:
• Family Varanidae (monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon)
• Family Anguidae
  Anguidae
  
  The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere. The group includes the slowworms, glass lizards, and alligator lizards, among others....
   (alligator lizards, glass lizards, etc.)
• Family Helodermatidae (Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard)

List of Families

Tropical worm lizards	[[Darwin's worm lizard]] (Amphisbaena darwinii)	-
[[Bipedidae]] [[Richard Taylor|Taylor]], 1951	Bipes worm lizards	[[Mexican mole lizard]] (Bipes biporus)	-
[[Rhineuridae]] [[Paulo Vanzolini|Vanzolini]], 1951	North American worm lizards	[[Rhineuridae|North American worm lizard]] (Rhineura floridana)
[[Trogonophidae]] [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1865	Palearctic worm lizards	[[Checkerboard worm lizard]] (Trogonophis wiegmanni)	-
[[Diploglossa]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Anguidae]] [[Nicolaus Michael Oppel|Oppel]], 1811	Glass lizards	[[Anguis fragilis|Slow worm]] (Anguis fragilis)
[[Anniellidae]] [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1852	American legless lizards	[[American legless lizard|California legless lizard]] (Anniella pulchra)
[[Xenosauridae]] [[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], 1866	Knob-scaled lizards	[[Chinese crocodile lizard|Chinese crocodile lizard]] (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
[[Gekkota]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Dibamidae]] [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1884	Blind lizards	[[Dibamus nicobaricum]]	-
[[Gekkonidae]] [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1825	Geckos	[[Underwoodisaurus milii|Thick-tailed gecko]] (Underwoodisaurus milii)
[[Pygopodidae]] [[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], 1884	Legless lizards	[[Lialis burtonis|Burton's snake lizard]] (Lialis burtonis)	-
[[Iguania]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Agamidae]] [[Johann Baptist von Spix|Spix]], 1825	Agamas	[[Eastern bearded dragon]] (Pogona barbata)
[[Chamaeleonidae]] [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1825	Chameleons	[[Veiled chameleon]] (Chamaeleo calyptratus)
[[Corytophanidae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Casquehead lizards	[[Plumed basilisk|Plumed basilisk]] (Basiliscus plumifrons)
[[Crotaphytidae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Collared and leopard lizards	[[Common collared lizard]] (Crotaphytus collaris)
[[Hoplocercidae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Wood lizards or clubtails	[[Club-tail iguana]] (Hoplocercus spinosus)	-
[[Iguanidae]]	Iguanas	[[Marine iguana]] (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
[[Leiosauridae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] et al., 2001	-	[[Darwin's iguana]] (Diplolaemus darwinii)	-
[[Opluridae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Madagascan iguanas	[[Chalarodon]] (Chalarodon madagascariensis)	-
[[Phrynosomatidae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Earless, spiny, tree, side-blotched and horned lizards	[[Greater earless lizard|Greater earless lizard]] (Cophosaurus texanus)
[[Polychrotidae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Anoles	[[Carolina anole|Carolina anole]] (Anolis carolinensis)
[[Tropiduridae]] [[D.R. Frost|Frost]] & [[R. Etheridge|Etheridge]], 1989	Neotropical ground lizards	([[Microlophus peruvianus]])
[[Platynota]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Helodermatidae]]	Gila monsters	[[Gila monster|Gila monster]] (Heloderma suspectum)
[[Lanthanotidae]]	Earless monitor	[[Lanthanotidae|Earless monitor]] (Lanthanotus borneensis)	-
[[Varanidae]]	Monitor lizards	[[Perentie]] (Varanus giganteus)
[[Scincomorpha]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Cordylidae]]	Spinytail lizards	[[Girdle-tailed lizard]] (Cordylus warreni)
[[Gerrhosauridae]]	Plated lizards	[[Sudan plated lizard|Sudan plated lizard]] (Gerrhosaurus major)
[[Gymnophthalmidae]]	Spectacled lizards	-	-
[[Lacertidae]] [[Nicolaus Michael Oppel|Oppel]], 1811	Wall or true lizards	[[Ocellated lizard]] (Lacerta lepida)
[[Scincidae]] [[Nicolaus Michael Oppel|Oppel]], 1811	Skinks	[[Western blue-tongued lizard|Western blue-tongued skink]] (Tiliqua occipitalis)
[[Teiidae]]	Tegus or whiptails	[[Blue tegu]] (Tupinambis teguixin)
[[Xantusiidae]]	Night lizards	[[Granite night lizard]] (Xantusia henshawi)
[[Alethinophidia]]
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
[[Acrochordidae]] [[Charles Lucien Bonaparte|Bonaparte]], 1831	File snakes	[[Acrochordus granulatus|Marine file snake]] (Acrochordus granulatus)
[[Aniliidae]] [[Leonhard Hess Stejneger|Stejneger]], 1907	Coral pipe snakes	[[Anilius scytale|Burrowing false coral]] (Anilius scytale)
[[Anomochilidae]] Cundall, Wallach and [[Douglas Athon Rossman|Rossman]], 1993.	Dwarf pipe snakes	[[Anomochilus leonardi|Leonard's pipe snake]], (Anomochilus leonardi)
[[Atractaspididae]] [[Albert C. L. G. Günther|Günther]], 1858	Mole vipers	Bibron's burrowing asp (Atractaspis bibroni)
Boidae Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray was a United Kingdom zoology. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1825	Boas	Amazon tree boa Amazon tree boa Corallus hortulanus is a non-venomous Boinae species found in South America. No subspecies are currently recognized....  (Corallus hortulanus)
Bolyeriidae Hoffstetter, 1946	Round Island boas	Round Island burrowing boa (Bolyeria multocarinata)
Colubridae Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a Germany natural history. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, Andr? Marie Constant Dum?ril at the Mus?um national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptile.... , 1811	Colubrids	Grass snake Grass Snake The Grass Snake , sometimes called the Ringed Snake or Water Snake is a European non-venom snake.The Grass Snake is typically dark green or brown in colour with a characteristic yellow collar behind the head, which explains the alternative name ringed snake....  (Natrix natrix)
Cylindrophiidae Fitzinger Leopold Fitzinger Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger was an Austrian zoologist.Fitzinger was born in Vienna and studied botany at the university of Vienna under Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin.... , 1843	Asian pipe snakes	Red-tailed pipe snake Red-tailed Pipe Snake Cylindrophis ruffus is a snake species found in Southeast Asia. No subspecies are currently recognized....  (Cylindrophis ruffus)
Elapidae Elapidae The Elapidae, or elapids, are a family of venom snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.... Boie Friedrich Boie Friedrich Boie was a Germany scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. He was born at Meldorf in Holstein and died at Kiel.Boie was the author of Bemerkungen ?ber Merrem's Versuch eines Systems der Amphibien .... , 1827	Cobras, coral snakes, mambas, kraits, sea snakes, sea kraits, Australian elapids	King cobra King Cobra The King Cobra is the world's longest venom snake, with a length that can be as large as 5.7 m . This species is widespread throughout Southeast Asia and parts of India, but found mostly in forested areas....  (Ophiophagus hannah)
Loxocemidae Loxocemidae The Loxocemidae are a monotypic Family of snakes created for the monotypic genus Loxocemus that contains the species L. bicolor found in Mexico.... Cope Edward Drinker Cope Edward Drinker Cope was an United States paleontology and comparative anatomy, as well as a noted herpetology and ichthyology.Born to a wealthy Society of Friends family, Cope quickly distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper in 1859.... , 1861	Mexican burrowing snakes	Mexican burrowing snake (Loxocemus bicolor)
Pythonidae Fitzinger Leopold Fitzinger Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger was an Austrian zoologist.Fitzinger was born in Vienna and studied botany at the university of Vienna under Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin.... , 1826	Pythons	Ball python Ball python Python regius is a non-venomous Pythonidae species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade....  (Python regius)
Tropidophiidae Brongersma, 1951	Dwarf boas	Northern eyelash boa Trachyboa Trachyboa is a genus of Tropidophiidaes found in Central America and South America. They are largely Terrestrial animal fish-eating snakes that inhabit tropical lowlands....  (Trachyboa boulengeri)
Uropeltidae Müller Johannes Peter Müller Johannes Peter M?ller , was a Germany physiologist, comparative anatomy, and ichthyology not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge.... , 1832	Shield-tailed snakes, short-tailed snakes	Cuvier's shieldtail (Uropeltis ceylanica)
Viperidae Viperidae The Viperidae are a family of venomous snakes found all over the world, except in Australia and Madagascar. All have relatively long hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom.... Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a Germany natural history. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, Andr? Marie Constant Dum?ril at the Mus?um national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptile.... , 1811	Vipers, pitvipers, rattlesnakes	European asp Vipera aspis Vipera aspis is a venomous snake Viperinae species found in southwestern Europe. Bites from this species can be more severe than from the European adder, Vipera berus; not only can they be very painful, but according to Stemmler , about 4% of all untreated bites are fatal....  (Vipera aspis)
Xenopeltidae Xenopeltidae The Xenopeltidae are a monotypic Family of snakes created to the genus Xenopeltis, which is found in Southeast Asia. Its members are known for their highly iridescent scales.... Bonaparte Charles Lucien Bonaparte Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano was a France natural history and ornithology. He was the son of Lucien Bonaparte and Alexandrine de Bleschamp, and nephew of Emperor Napoleon I of France.... , 1845	Sunbeam snakes	Sunbeam snake Xenopeltis unicolor Xenopeltis unicolor is a non-venomous Xenopeltidae species found in Southeast Asia. This is a primitive snake known for its highly iridescent scales....  (Xenopeltis unicolor)
Scolecophidia Scolecophidia The Scolecophidia are an infraorder of snakes. They range in size from 10-100 cm in length, but may only be as small as 2 mm. All are fossorial....
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Anomalepidae Taylor Edward Harrison Taylor Edward Harrison Taylor was an United States herpetologist from Kansas.He was born in Maysville, Missouri and studied at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in 1912.... , 1939	Dawn blind snakes	Dawn blind snake (Liotyphlops beui)
Leptotyphlopidae Leptotyphlopidae The Leptotyphlopidae are a family of snakes found in North America and South America, Africa, and Asia. All are fossorial and adapted to burrowing, feeding on ants and termites.... Stejneger Leonhard Hess Stejneger Leonhard Hess Stejneger was a zoologist.Stejneger was born in Bergen, Norway, Norway. His father was Peter Stamer Steineger who was educated in private schools and was a merchant and auditor and his mother was Ingeborg... , 1892	Slender blind snakes	Texas blind snake Texas Blind Snake Leptotyphlops dulcis is a Leptotyphlopidae species found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here....  (Leptotyphlops dulcis)
Typhlopidae Typhlopidae The Typhlopidae are a family of blind snakes. They are found mostly in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas. The rostral scale overhangs the mouth to form a shovel like burrowing structure.... Merrem Blasius Merrem Blasius Merrem was a Germany natural history.Merrem was born at Bremen , and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach.... , 1820	Blind snakes	Black blind snake (Typhlops reticulatus)

Evolution

Reproduction

Venom

Humans and Squamates

Bites and fatalities

Conservation

Cited references

External links