Fringe-toed lizards are reptiles of the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Uma in the family Phrynosomatidae

Phrynosomatidae

Phrynosomatidae is a diverse family of lizards, found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. Many members of the group are adapted to life in hot, sandy deserts, although the spiny lizards prefer rocky deserts or even relatively moist forest edges, and the short-horned lizard lives in prairie...

. They are adapted for life in sandy deserts.
These lizards have a brown and tan coloration that helps them to blend in with the sand. In addition, they also have special scales which form a fringe on the sides of their toes. These fringes aid with traction, speed and help the lizard avoid sinking into loose, sandy dunes.
They also possess an upper jaw which overlaps the lower, preventing the intrusion of sand particles, and nostrils that can be closed at will.