Lizard Families

     This group of lizards consists of:
3 subfamilies, 80 genera and about 600 species.

     Geckos are found worldwide in all the warmer regions. What distinguishes them as a family is that they have the ability to produce sounds. Some make high pitched calls, some sound like ducks, and others like barking dogs.
     Most geckos have fused eyelids (like snakes) and they lick them with their protrusible notched tongue to clean them. 75% of them are nocturnal so their pupils are narrow and vertical to block out light. The rest have round pupils.
     They all have flattened bodies, short necks and wide flat heads. The digits of their feet (kind of like toes) are adhesive because they have rows of tiny hooked bristles which allow them to climb straight up walls and across ceilings.
     Geckos are generally hardy and fairly easy to maintain in captivity. Many will also breed easily in captivity.

Subfamily: Eublepharinae
Banded Desert Gecko - Coleonyx variegatus
Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius

Subfamily: Gekkoninae
Bibron's Gecko - Pachydactylus bibronis
Brook's Gecko - Hemidactylus brooki
Day Geckos - Phelsuma (28 species)
Gold Dust Day Gecko - Phelsuma laticauda
Madagascar Day Gecko
- Phelsuma madagascariensis
Striped Day Gecko
- Phelsuma lineata
- Phelsuma standingi
- Phelsuma cepediana
Disc-tailed Gecko - Lygodactylus picturatus

European Leaf-toed Gecko
- Phyllodactylus europaeus
Fan-fingered Gecko
- Ptyodactylus hasselquistii
House Gecko - Hemidactylus frenatus
Kuhl's Gecko or Flying Gecko
- Ptychozoon kuhli
Moorish Gecko or Wall Gecko
- Tarentola mauritanica
Naked-fingered Gecko
- Gymnodactylus kotschyi
Tokay Gecko - Gekko gecko
Turkish Gecko - Hemidactylus turcicus

Subfamily: Sphaerodactylinea
Striped Leaf Gecko - Gonatodes vittatus

     The Iguana family is the largest of the lizard families,
consisting of 60 genera with over 700 species.

     The Iguanids contain the curlytails, swifts, anoles, and iguanas as well as many others. They are considered a "New World" family because they are found mostly on the Americas. Specifically they are found from southern Canada in North America to the tip of South America and on the islands of Fiji and Madagascar.
     Iguanas range in type from the tree dwelling arboreal type to the terrestrial and the semi-aquatic type. They have well developed limbs and short tongues that are barely protrusible. Most have long tails, crests, and dewlaps. Males are bright and varied in coloring. Most lay eggs in the ground but there are a few who are live bearers.
     The desert and forest dwellers are mainly herbivores while the smaller iguanidae are insectivores or omnivores.

Curlytails: Northern or Cuban Curlytail
- Leiocephalus carinatus
Red-sided Curlytail
- Leiocephalus schreibersii

Swifts: Common Swift or Fence Lizard
- Sceloporus undulatus
Crevice Spiny Swift - Sceloporus poinsetti
Granite Spiny Lizard(Swift)
- Sceloporus orcutti
Mexican Emerald Swift
- Sceloporus malachiticus

Other Iguanids: Collared Lizard - Crotaphytus collaris
Conehead Lizard - Laemanctus longipes
Chuckwalla - Sauromalus (6 species)
Horned Toad or Texas Horned Lizard
- Phrynosoma cornutum
Keel-tailed Lizard - Tropidurus torquatus

Basilisks, until recently were included in the family Iguanidae.
Now they are in their own family consisting of one genera and 4 species.

     These lizards are also considered a "New World" family because they are found on the continent of North America in Central America, starting in Cost Rico and Panama and Costa, southward into Columbia on the continent of South America.
     The basilisks are slender lizards with well developed limbs that are fairly long. They have a helmet-like head crest and a sail-like erectable crest that runs down their back.
They are arboreal and semi-aquatic.
     Being omnivorous they require both vegetable matter and proteins. Many will breed in captivity, laying eggs in ground burrows.

Helmeted Basilisk - Basiliscus basiliscus
Green Basilisk, Double-Crested Basilisk, or Plumed Basilisk
- Basiliscus plumifrons

Red-headed Basilisk
- Basiliscus galeritus
Brown or Striped Basilisk
- Basiliscus vittatus

Agamids consist of 35 genera and over 3900 species.

     These lizards are considered the "Old World" equivalent of the iguanidae because they are found on the "old world" continents of Africa, Asia, and Australia. Another similarity to the iguanidae is that they come in the terrestrial, arboreal, and semi-aquatic types.
     Agamids have well developed limbs, long tails, and often bizarre forms with crest, dewlaps and expandable appendages. The males are often brightly colored.
     Many will breed easily in captivity, laying soft-shelled eggs in ground burrows.

Dragons: Bearded Dragon, Inland - Pogona vetticeps
Bearded Dragon - Pogona barbata
Dwarf Bearded Dragon - Pogona minor
Lawson's or Rankin's Bearded Dragon
- Pogona henrylawsoni
North-west Bearded Dragon
- Pogona mitchelli
Nullarbor Bearded Dragon
- Pogona nullarbor
Water Dragon - Physignathus cocincinus
Western Bearded Dragon - Pogona minima

Other Agamids: Garden Tree Lizard or Indian Bloodsucker - Calotes versicolor
Green Tree Lizard - Acanthosaura capra
Bornean Bloodsucker - Calotes cristellatus
Mountain-horned Lizard
- Acanthosaura armato
Philippine Sailfin - Hydrosaurus pustulatus

Agamas: Bell's Agama - Leiolepis belliana
Blue-throated Agama - Agama atricollis
Desert Agama - Agama mutabilis
Egyptian Thorny-tailed Agama
- Uromastyx aegyptius
Indian Thorny-tailed Agama
- Uromastyx hardwickii
Pyramid, Hardun, or Common Agama
- Agama stellio
Rainbow Lizard - Agama agama
Sawback Agama - Calotes calotes
South African Agama - Agama aculeata
Spiny-tailed Agama or Black
Thorny-tailed Agama
- Uromastyx acanthinurus
Toad Head Agama - Agama savgney

Soa Soa or Lassara Sailfin
- Hydrosaurus amboinensis

The skink family consists of:
50 genera and over 600 species.

     Skinks are very wide spread and found on six continents; Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. They are terrestrial and often burrowers. Their diet consisting mostly of insects though some are omnivorous.
     Skinks have elongated and rather circular bodies. They have little necks with small pointed heads. Their legs are short, even absent on some species, and their tails vary from short to long and are generally colorful.
     Many skinks will breed fairly easily in captivity. Some are livebearers and some are egglayers.

African Five-lined Skink or Rainbow Rock Skink - Mabuya quinquelaeniata
Apocathary Skink - Scincus scinscus
Berber or Desert Skink
- Eumeces algeriensis
Blue-tongued Skink - Tiliqua scincoides
Cunningham's Skink - Egernia cunninghami
Eyed Skink or Ocellated skink
- Chalcides ocellatus

Five-lined Skink - Eumeces faciatus
Great Plains Skink - Eumeces obsoletus
Green Tree Skink - Dosia smaragdinum
Pinecone Skink or Shingleback Skink
- Trachydosaurus rugosus
Snake-eyed Skink - Ablepharus kitaibeli
Solomans Giant Skink - Corucia zebrata
Striped Skink - Mabuya striata

The chameleon lizards consists of:
2 genera and about 50 species.

     Chameleons are found in Europe, in Asia through much of India, and in all of Africa, especially Madagascar. They are all arboreal, living in trees, and are insectivores. Some are egglayers and others are livebearers.
     One of the chameleons most distinguishing features is their remarkable to color changing ability. They change color depending on mood, lighting, temperature and other environmental influences.
     They have highly ridged, laterally compressed bodies, large heads, and sticky long tongues which they can accurately project at insect prey. The opposing digits of their feet are fused in groups of two or three which they use, along with their prehensile tail to move from branch to branch. They move slowly and methodically.
     The chameleons eyes are cone shapes protruding from their head, with a small opening at the end for the pupil. The eyes move independently from each other and rotate in all directions.

Common Chameleon
- Chamaeleo chameleon
Flap-neck Chameleon - Chamaeleo dilepsis
Four Horned Chameleon
- Chamaeleo quadricornus
Jackson's Chameleon or Three-horned Chameleon - Chamaeleo jacksoni

Madagascan Chameleon
- Chamaeleo verrucosis
Millers Giant Chameleon
- Chamaeleo melleri
Veiled Chameleon - Chamaeleo calyptractus
Panther Chameleon - Furcifer pardalis
Veiled Chameleon - Chamaeleo calyptractus

This group of lizards consists of:
about 40 genera with about 200 species.

     The Teiidae family can be found in North America and South America, specifically in the United States, central America, south and central Argentina, and Chile
. Their terrain varies from tree dwelling to desert dwelling, with some types being limbless burrowers. For the most part, they have well developed limbs, long tails, large platelike heads, and an extensible forked tongue.
     In their diet, the Tegus and Greaved Lizards vary from being carnivorous to partly or mostly herbivorous. Because of their nervous nature, they don't always do real well in captivity, and are sparse breeders.

Ameiva - Ameiva ameiva
Black and WhiteTegu - Tupinambis teguixin
Golden Tegu - Tupinambis nigropunctatus

Jungle Runner - Cnemidophorus lemniscatus
Red Tegu - Tupinambis rufescens
Six-lined Racerunner
- Cnemidophorus sexlineatus

The monitor family consists of:
one genera and about 30 species.

     These lizards are found in Australia and the neighboring islands of Asia. Most of these are fairly large ground dwelling lizards and all are carnivorous.
     Monitors have well developed limbs and a long whiplike tail. They have an elongated body topped of with a long head and pointed snout. The monitors jaws are very, very powerful.
     Many species do well in captivity, but successful breeding is pretty rare.

Australian Monitor - Varanus giganteus
Australian Ridge-tailed Monitor
- Varanus acanthurus
Black Rough-necked Monitor
- Varanus rudicollis
Black Tree Monitor - Varanus beccarii
Bogert's Monitor - Varanus bogerti
Blue-tailed Monitor - Varanus doreanus
Crocodile or Papuan Monitor
- Varanus salvadorii
Dumeril's Monitor - Varanus dumerilii
Gould's Monitor - Varanus gouldi
Green Tree or Emerald Monitor
- Varanus prasinus
Irian Jayan Peach-throated Monitor
- Varanus jobiensis

Komodo Dragon - Varanidae komodoensis
Mangrove Monitor - Varanus indicus
Nile Monitor, Ornate Nile Monitor
- Varanus niloticus
Pygmy Mulga Monitor - Varanus gilleni
Rusty Monitor - Varanus kingorum
Salvator or Asian Water Monitor
- Varanus salvator
Savannah Monitor - Varanus exanthematicus
Southern Argus Monitor
- Varanus panoptes rubidus
Spiny-tailed Monitor - Varanus acanthurus
Storr's Monitor - Varanus storri
Timor Monitor - Varanus timorensis
White-throated Monitor - Varanus albigularis

This group of lizards consists of:
20 genera and about 70 species.

     Lacertidae are "Old World" typical lizards from the continents of Africa, Europe and Asia.
     These lizards are distinguished by a collar of large scales on the underside of their necks. Most of their other physical characteristics can be described by "long" and "thin". They have slender elongated bodies with a well defined head above a narrow neck, a long extendable tongue that is deeply forked, a long slender tail that can be shed, and thin toes.
     Typical lizards are hardy and easily kept in captivity though they move very quickly. The structure of their tail supports fast zigzag movements and very accurate jumps that are needed to catch their insect prey. They are all insectivores.
     Many will breed easily in captivity. Most are egglayers though some give live birth.

Algerian Sand Lizard
- Psammodrumus algirus
Dwarf Keeled Lizard - Algyroides fitzingeri
Emerald Lizard or Green Lizard
- Lacerta viridis
Eyed Lizard - Lacerta lepida
Greek Wall Lizard - Lacerta graeca
Ruins Lizard - Lacerta [Podarcis] sicula
Sand Lizard or Mongolian Lacerata
- Lacerta agilis
Spiny-footed Lizard
- Acanthodactylus erythrurus

Turkish Rock Lacerata - Lacerta saxicola
Ukrainian Lacerata - Lacerta taurica
Viviparous Lizard - Lacerta vivipara
Wall Lizard - Lacerta [Podarcis] muralis

Other species: - Lacerta muralis muralis
- Lacerta muralis brieggemanni
- Lacerta sicula sicula
- Lacerta [Podarcis] lilfordi
- Lacerta [Podarcis] pityusensis

This group of lizards consists of:
2 subfamilies, 10 genera and about 40 species.

     The Cordylidae lizards are found in Africa southeast of the Sahara and in Madagascar.
   The Girdled Lizards are in the subfamily Cordylinae. These lizards have enlarged scales around the body like girdles, and they are typically spiny. The other subfamily, the Plated Lizards Gerrhosaurinae, have a body armor produced by bony plates beneath their scales. Most of the species have well developed limbs. They are all carnivorous and feed on small mammals.
     Many do well in captivity and can be bred. The Girdled Lizards (Cordylidae) give live birth and the Plated Lizards (Gerrhosaurinae) lay eggs.

Girdled Lizards - Cordylinae:
Armadillo Lizard - Cordylus cataphractus
Common Sungazer - Cordylus cordylus
Giant Zonare, Sungazer, Girdled Lizard, or Girdle-tailed Lizard
- Cordylus giganteus
Jones Armadillo Lizard
- Cordylus tropidosternum
Ornamental Flat Lizard
- Platysaurus guttatus

Plated Lizards -Gerrhosaurinae:
Sudan Plated Lizard - Gerrhosaurus major
Ornate Giant Sudan Plated Lizard
- Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus
Madagascar Giant Plated Lizard
- Zonosaurus maximus
Yellow-throated Plated Lizard
- Gerrhosaurus validus

This family consists of:
several subfamilies, about 8 genera and about 60 species.

     They Alligator Lizards are found in Europe, Asia, the northwestern part Africa, North America and South America.
     All of the Anguidae family have elongated bodies and long tails that they can shed. Their limbs are very slight or often gone, giving them a snake like appearance. However, their moveable eyelids betray them as lizards. A snakes eyelids are fused.
     They have either a notched or forked tongue and are either insectivores or carnivores.

Subfamily - Anguinea:
Slowworm or Blindworm
- Anguis fragilis
Glass Snake or Scheltopusik
- Ophisaurus apodus

Subfamily - Gerrhonotinae:
Green Arboreal Alligator Lizard
- Abronia Graminea
Southern Alligator Lizard
- Gerrhonotus multicarinatus

This group of lizards consists of:
7 genera and 18 species.

     These lizards are from Australia and New Guinea.
     They have serpentine-like bodies with no front legs and the back legs are nothing more that flaps. They have fused eyelids and an extensible notched tongue.
     Their diet consists of small lizards and invertebrates.

Burton's Snake Lizard - Lialis burtonis

Common Scaly-foot - Pygopus lipidopodus

This family consists of:
3 genera and 6 species.

     The Night Lizards are found in semi-desert environments in North America, specifically lower California, central America and in the West Indies.
     They have fused eyelids and short tongues that do not protrude. They are nocturnal and carnivorous.

Granite Night Lizard - Xantusia henshawi

Yuccan Night Lizard - Xantusia vigilis

This family consists of:
2 genera and 4 species.

     The crocodile lizard is found in Asia, specifically China, and the strange lizard is found in North America, specifically central and southern Mexico.
     They both have well developed limbs. The crocodile lizard is semi-aquatic and eats fish and aquatic invertebrates, while the strange lizard is primarily insectivorous.           Neither is known to be kept in captivity.

Crocodile Lizard - Shinisaurus crocodilurus

Strange Lizard - Xenosaurus (3 species)

This family consists of:
a single species.

     It is found only in north-west Borneo. The earless monitor has an elongated body, short blunt tail, a broad flat head on a thick neck and no external ear openings.
     It is found around waterways and has been known to eat raw strips of fish in captivity.

Bornean Earless Monitor - Lanthanotus borneensis

This group consists of:
1 genus and only 2 species.

     They are found in North America, specifically in south-western United States and Mexico. They have a stout body with a broad head, well developed limbs, a short fat tail, and they are carnivorous.

These are
VENOMOUS LIZARDS!

These lizards may only be kept with a license.

Gila Monster - Heloderma suspectum

Beaded Lizard - Heloderma horridum

This group of lizards consists of:
1 genus and 3 species.

     They are found in southeast Asia and New Guinea. They are wormlike with no limbs, though there are stumps on the males. There Eye and ear openings are covered with skin and they burrow.
     These lizards are rarely kept in captivity.

This lizards is a:
single genus and a single species.

     It is found in North America, specifically central Mexico. It has a wormlike body and skin covered eyes and ears.
     It is not known to have been kept in captivity.

This is a little know family that consists of:
a single genus with only 4 species.

     They are found in central Africa. They are wormlike and limbless, living in loose soil and leaf matter, possibly eating termites.
     Not known to be held in captivity.

This is a small group that consists of:
a single genus and 2 species.

     They are found in North America, specifically in central and coastal California in the United States. They have small limbless bodies, small eyes, no obvious ears and a forked tongue. They eat invertebrates.
     They are not known to be held in captivity.