Squamata
Encyclopedia
Squamata, or the scaled reptiles, is the largest recent order
of reptile
s, including lizard
s and snake
s. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales
or shields. They also possess movable quadrate bone
s, making it possible to move the upper jaw relative to the braincase. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to accommodate comparatively large prey. They are the most variably-sized order of reptiles, ranging from the 16 millimetre (0.62992125984252 in) Jaragua Sphaero
(Sphaerodactylus ariasae) to the 8 metres (26.2 ft) Green Anaconda
(Eunectes murinus) and the now-extinct mosasaur
s, which reached lengths of 14 metres (45.9 ft).
. The squamates and tuatara together are a sister group to crocodiles and birds, the extant archosaur
s. Squamate fossils first appear in the late Triassic
, but a mitochondrial phylogeny suggests that they evolved in the late Permian
. The evolutionary relationships within the squamates are not yet completely worked out, with the relationship of snakes to other groups being most problematic. From morphological data, Iguanid lizards have been thought to have diverged from other squamates very early, but recent molecular phylogenies
, both from mitochondrial
and nuclear DNA
, do not support this early divergence. Because snakes have a faster molecular clock
than other squamates, and there are few early snake and snake ancestor fossils, it is difficult to resolve the relationship between snakes and other squamate groups.
. Hemipenes are usually held inverted, within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue
like that in the human penis
. Only one is used at a time, and some evidence indicates males alternate use between copulations. The hemipenis itself has a variety of shapes, depending on species. Often the hemipenis bears spines or hooks, to anchor the male within the female. Some species even have forked hemipenes (each hemipenis has two tips). Due to being everted and inverted, hemipenes do not have a completely enclosed channel for the conduction of sperm
, but rather a seminal groove which seals as the erectile tissue expands. This is also the only reptile group in which can be found both viviparous and ovoviviparous
species, as well as the usual oviparous reptiles. Some species, like the Komodo dragon
, can actually reproduce asexually
and undergo parthenogenesis
.
. Venom has been known in the families Caenophidia, Anguimorpha
, and Iguania
and has been shown that it evolved a single time along these lineages before the three families diverged because all lineages share nine common toxins. The fossil record does show that the divergence between anguimorphs, iguanians, and advanced snakes dates back roughly 200 MYA to the Late Triassic
/Early Jurassic
.
It has been shown that snake venom evolved via a process by which a gene encoding for a normal body protein, typically one involved in key regulatory processes or bioactivity, is duplicated, and the copy is selectively expressed in the venom gland. Previous literature hypothesized that venom were modifications of salivary or pancreatic proteins, but it has been discovered that different toxins have been recruited from numerous different protein bodies and are diverse as the functions themselves.
Natural selection has driven the origination and diversification of the toxins to counter the defenses of their prey. Once toxins have been recruited into the venom proteome, they form large multigene families and evolve via the birth-and-death model of protein evolution, which leads to a diversification of toxins that allows the sit-and-wait predators the ability to attack a wide range of prey. It has been hypothesized that the rapid evolution and diversification is the result of a prey/predator arms race where both are adapting to counter the other.
It is estimated that 125,000 people a year die from venomous snake bites. In the US alone, more than 8,000 venomous snake bites are reported each year. In addition, large pet constrictors, like boas and pythons, have been known to kill humans through constriction on rare occasions.
Lizard bites, unlike venomous snake bites, are not fatal. The Komodo dragon
has been known to kill people due to its size. The two known venomous species of lizard, the Gila monster
and Mexican beaded lizard have never caused a human death by envenomation.
's history, today many squamate species are endangered due to habitat loss, hunting and poaching, the pet trade, alien species being introduced to their habitat (which puts native creatures at risk through competition, disease, and predation), and many other unnecessary reasons. Because of this, some are in fact extinct with Africa having the most extinct species of squamates. However, breeding programs and wildlife parks are trying to save many endangered reptiles from extinction. Many zoos & breeders educate people about the importance of snake
s and lizard
s.
Of these, the lizards form a paraphyletic
group (since "lizards" excludes the sub-clade of snakes). In newer classifications the name Sauria
is used for reptiles and birds in general, and the Squamata are divided differently:
The relationships between these suborders is not yet certain, though recent research suggests that several families may form a hypothetical venom clade which encompasses a majority (nearly 60%) of squamate species. Named Toxicofera
, it combines the following groups from traditional classification:
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, including lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s and snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
or shields. They also possess movable quadrate bone
Quadrate bone
The quadrate bone is part of a skull in most tetrapods, including amphibians, sauropsids , and early synapsids. In these animals it connects to the quadratojugal and squamosal in the skull, and forms part of the jaw joint .- Evolutionary variation :In snakes, the quadrate bone has become elongated...
s, making it possible to move the upper jaw relative to the braincase. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to accommodate comparatively large prey. They are the most variably-sized order of reptiles, ranging from the 16 millimetre (0.62992125984252 in) Jaragua Sphaero
Jaragua Sphaero
Sphaerodactylus ariasae, the Jaragua Sphaero or dwarf gecko, is a very small Gekkonidae species in the Sphaerodactylus genus. It is one of the world's two smallest known reptiles...
(Sphaerodactylus ariasae) to the 8 metres (26.2 ft) Green Anaconda
Green Anaconda
Eunectes murinus is a non-venomous boa species found in South America. It is the heaviest known snake species...
(Eunectes murinus) and the now-extinct mosasaur
Mosasaur
Mosasaurs are large extinct marine lizards. The first fossil remains were discovered in a limestone quarry at Maastricht on the Meuse in 1764...
s, which reached lengths of 14 metres (45.9 ft).
Evolution
Squamates are a monophyletic group that is a sister group to the tuataraTuatara
The tuatara is a reptile endemic to New Zealand which, though it resembles most lizards, is actually part of a distinct lineage, order Sphenodontia. The two species of tuatara are the only surviving members of its order, which flourished around 200 million years ago. Their most recent common...
. The squamates and tuatara together are a sister group to crocodiles and birds, the extant archosaur
Archosaur
Archosaurs are a group of diapsid amniotes whose living representatives consist of modern birds and crocodilians. This group also includes all extinct non-avian dinosaurs, many extinct crocodilian relatives, and pterosaurs. Archosauria, the archosaur clade, is a crown group that includes the most...
s. Squamate fossils first appear in the late Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
, but a mitochondrial phylogeny suggests that they evolved in the late Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
. The evolutionary relationships within the squamates are not yet completely worked out, with the relationship of snakes to other groups being most problematic. From morphological data, Iguanid lizards have been thought to have diverged from other squamates very early, but recent molecular phylogenies
Molecular phylogeny
Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...
, both from mitochondrial
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
and nuclear DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
, do not support this early divergence. Because snakes have a faster molecular clock
Molecular clock
The molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution that uses fossil constraints and rates of molecular change to deduce the time in geologic history when two species or other taxa diverged. It is used to estimate the time of occurrence of events called speciation or radiation...
than other squamates, and there are few early snake and snake ancestor fossils, it is difficult to resolve the relationship between snakes and other squamate groups.
Reproduction
The male members of the group Squamata have a hemipenisHemipenis
A hemipenis is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates .Hemipenes are usually held inverted, within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like that in the human penis. Only one is used at a time, and some evidence indicates males alternate use between...
. Hemipenes are usually held inverted, within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue
Erectile tissue
Erectile tissue is tissue in the body that can become erect, usually by becoming engorged with blood.-Erectile tissue in the clitoris and penis:...
like that in the human penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
. Only one is used at a time, and some evidence indicates males alternate use between copulations. The hemipenis itself has a variety of shapes, depending on species. Often the hemipenis bears spines or hooks, to anchor the male within the female. Some species even have forked hemipenes (each hemipenis has two tips). Due to being everted and inverted, hemipenes do not have a completely enclosed channel for the conduction of sperm
Sperm
The term sperm is derived from the Greek word sperma and refers to the male reproductive cells. In the types of sexual reproduction known as anisogamy and oogamy, there is a marked difference in the size of the gametes with the smaller one being termed the "male" or sperm cell...
, but rather a seminal groove which seals as the erectile tissue expands. This is also the only reptile group in which can be found both viviparous and ovoviviparous
Ovoviviparity
Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, or ovivipary, is a mode of reproduction in animals in which embryos develop inside eggs that are retained within the mother's body until they are ready to hatch...
species, as well as the usual oviparous reptiles. Some species, like the Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
, can actually reproduce asexually
Asexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction is a mode of reproduction by which offspring arise from a single parent, and inherit the genes of that parent only, it is reproduction which does not involve meiosis, ploidy reduction, or fertilization. A more stringent definition is agamogenesis which is reproduction without...
and undergo parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis is a form of asexual reproduction found in females, where growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by a male...
.
Evolution of venom
Recent research suggests that the evolutionary origin of venom may exist deep in the squamate phylogeny, with 60% of squamates placed in this hypothetical group called ToxicoferaToxicofera
Toxicofera , is a hypothetical clade which represents about 4600 species of extant squamates It encompasses all venomous reptile species, as well as numerous related non-venomous species....
. Venom has been known in the families Caenophidia, Anguimorpha
Anguimorpha
Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the anguids , monitor lizards, the extinct mosasaurs, and helodermatids . The infraorder was named by Fürbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus...
, and Iguania
Iguania
Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae...
and has been shown that it evolved a single time along these lineages before the three families diverged because all lineages share nine common toxins. The fossil record does show that the divergence between anguimorphs, iguanians, and advanced snakes dates back roughly 200 MYA to the Late Triassic
Late Triassic
The Late Triassic is in the geologic timescale the third and final of three epochs of the Triassic period. The corresponding series is known as the Upper Triassic. In the past it was sometimes called the Keuper, after a German lithostratigraphic group that has a roughly corresponding age...
/Early Jurassic
Early Jurassic
The Early Jurassic epoch is the earliest of three epochs of the Jurassic period...
.
It has been shown that snake venom evolved via a process by which a gene encoding for a normal body protein, typically one involved in key regulatory processes or bioactivity, is duplicated, and the copy is selectively expressed in the venom gland. Previous literature hypothesized that venom were modifications of salivary or pancreatic proteins, but it has been discovered that different toxins have been recruited from numerous different protein bodies and are diverse as the functions themselves.
Natural selection has driven the origination and diversification of the toxins to counter the defenses of their prey. Once toxins have been recruited into the venom proteome, they form large multigene families and evolve via the birth-and-death model of protein evolution, which leads to a diversification of toxins that allows the sit-and-wait predators the ability to attack a wide range of prey. It has been hypothesized that the rapid evolution and diversification is the result of a prey/predator arms race where both are adapting to counter the other.
Bites and fatalities
Lizard bites, unlike venomous snake bites, are not fatal. The Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
has been known to kill people due to its size. The two known venomous species of lizard, the Gila monster
Gila monster
The Gila monster is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexican state of Sonora...
and Mexican beaded lizard have never caused a human death by envenomation.
Conservation
Even though they survived the worst changes in EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
's history, today many squamate species are endangered due to habitat loss, hunting and poaching, the pet trade, alien species being introduced to their habitat (which puts native creatures at risk through competition, disease, and predation), and many other unnecessary reasons. Because of this, some are in fact extinct with Africa having the most extinct species of squamates. However, breeding programs and wildlife parks are trying to save many endangered reptiles from extinction. Many zoos & breeders educate people about the importance of snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s and lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s.
Classification
Classically, the order is divided into three suborders:- Lacertilia, the lizards;
- Serpentes, the snakes;
- AmphisbaeniaAmphisbaeniaThe Amphisbaenia are a usually legless suborder of 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. They are very poorly understood, due to their burrowing lifestyle...
, the worm lizards.
Of these, the lizards form a paraphyletic
Paraphyly
A group of taxa is said to be paraphyletic if the group consists of all the descendants of a hypothetical closest common ancestor minus one or more monophyletic groups of descendants...
group (since "lizards" excludes the sub-clade of snakes). In newer classifications the name Sauria
Sauria
Sauria is a clade of reptiles that includes all living diapsids, as well as their common ancestor and all its extinct descendants. The ancestral saurian was probably a small lizard-like creature living in the Permian Period...
is used for reptiles and birds in general, and the Squamata are divided differently:
- Suborder IguaniaIguaniaIguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae...
– (the agamidsAgamidaeAgamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Phylogenetically they may be sister to the Iguanidae, and have a similar appearance. Agamids usually have...
, chameleonChameleonChameleons 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, the possession by many of a...
s, iguanidsIguanidaeIguanidae is a family of lizards, composed of iguanas and related species.-Classification of Iguanidae:Two different classification schemes have been used to define the structure of this family. These are the "traditional" classification and the classification presented by Frost et al. .Frost et...
. and other New WorldNew WorldThe New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
lizards) - Suborder ScleroglossaScleroglossaScleroglossa is the previously recognized suborder of Squamata that contains the geckos, anguids, worm lizards, monitor lizards, such as helodermatids, skinks and snakes. The name is derived from the Greek, skleros, meaning hard and glossa, meaning tongue.Traditionally, Squamata has been divided...
- Infraorder AnguimorphaAnguimorphaAnguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the anguids , monitor lizards, the extinct mosasaurs, and helodermatids . The infraorder was named by Fürbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus...
– (the monitorsMonitor lizardMonitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...
, Gila monsterGila monsterThe Gila monster is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexican state of Sonora...
, alligator lizardAlligator lizardAlligator Lizard may refer to one of the following:Species of the genus Elgaria:*Northern Alligator Lizard*Southern Alligator LizardSpecies of the genus Gerrhonotus.Species of the genus Abronia ...
s, galliwasps, slow-worms and others) - Infraorder AmphisbaeniaAmphisbaeniaThe Amphisbaenia are a usually legless suborder of 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. They are very poorly understood, due to their burrowing lifestyle...
– worm lizards - Infraorder GekkotaGekkotaGekkota is an infraorder of reptiles in the suborder Scleroglossa, comprising all geckos and the limbless Pygopodidae. The legless lizards of the family Dibamidae are also referred to as blind lizards but recent molecular phylogenies suggest they are not gekkotans.Gekkota are a suborder of...
– (the geckoGeckoGeckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
s) - Infraorder ScincomorphaScincomorphaScincomorpha is an infraorder of saurians....
– (skinkSkinkSkinks are lizards belonging to the family Scincidae. Together with several other lizard families, including Lacertidae , they comprise the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha...
s, whiptail lizards and common European lizards) - Infraorder Serpentes – (the snakeSnakeSnakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s)
- Infraorder Anguimorpha
The relationships between these suborders is not yet certain, though recent research suggests that several families may form a hypothetical venom clade which encompasses a majority (nearly 60%) of squamate species. Named Toxicofera
Toxicofera
Toxicofera , is a hypothetical clade which represents about 4600 species of extant squamates It encompasses all venomous reptile species, as well as numerous related non-venomous species....
, it combines the following groups from traditional classification:
- Suborder Serpentes (snakes)
- Suborder IguaniaIguaniaIguania 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 AnguimorphaAnguimorphaAnguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include the anguids , monitor lizards, the extinct mosasaurs, and helodermatids . The infraorder was named by Fürbringer in 1900 to include all autarchoglossans closer to Varanus and Anguis than Scincus...
, consisting of:- Family VaranidaeVaranidaeVaranidae is a group of lizards of the superfamily Varanoidea. The family is a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, and the crocodile monitor. Varanidae contains the living genus Varanus and a number of extinct taxa...
(monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon) - Family AnguidaeAnguidaeThe 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. Anguidae is divided into three subfamilies and contains 94 species in eight genera. Their closest living relatives are the...
(alligator lizards, glass lizards, etc.) - Family Helodermatidae (Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard)
- Family Varanidae
List of extant families
| Amphisbaenia Amphisbaenia The Amphisbaenia are a usually legless suborder of 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. They are very poorly understood, due to their burrowing lifestyle... |
|||
| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphisbaenidae Amphisbaenidae The Amphisbaenidae are a family of amphisbaenians, commonly known as worm lizards. They are found in North and South America, some Caribbean islands, and in sub-Saharan Africa... Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1865 |
Tropical worm lizards | Darwin's worm lizard (Amphisbaena darwinii) | - |
| Bipedidae Bipedidae Bipedidae, are a family of amphisbaenians. They are found only in Mexico. Ajolotes are carnivorous, burrowing reptiles, but unlike other species of amphisbaenian, they possess two stubby forelimbs placed far forward on the body... Taylor Richard Taylor Richard Taylor may refer to:*Richard Taylor , father of U.S. president Zachary Taylor*Richard Taylor , British general*Richard Taylor , son of U.S... , 1951 |
Bipes worm lizards | Mexican mole lizard Mexican Mole Lizard The Mexican mole lizard, five-toed worm lizard, Ajolote or Ajolote lizard , is one of four amphisbaenians that have legs. They are pink lizard-like reptiles that live for 1 to 2 years and eat ground dwelling insects and earthworms... (Bipes biporus) |
|
| Rhineuridae Rhineuridae The Rhineuridae are a monotypic family of worm lizards containing the monotypic genus, Rhineura, which contains the species R. floridana. This species is found only in Florida no further north than the panhandle. No subspecies are currently recognized... Vanzolini Paulo Vanzolini Paulo Emilio Vanzolini is a Brazilian scientist and music composer. He is best known by his samba compositions, including the famous 'Ronda' and 'Boca da Noite', and for his scientific works in herpetology. He is considered one of the greatest samba composers from São Paulo... , 1951 |
North American worm lizards | North American worm lizard Rhineuridae The Rhineuridae are a monotypic family of worm lizards containing the monotypic genus, Rhineura, which contains the species R. floridana. This species is found only in Florida no further north than the panhandle. No subspecies are currently recognized... (Rhineura floridana) |
 |
| Trogonophidae Trogonophidae Trogonophidae, , is a small family of amphisbaenians, containing five species in four genera. Trogonophids are found in North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and western Iran. They are limbless, carnivorous, lizard-like reptiles highly modified for burrowing... Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1865 |
Palearctic worm lizards | Checkerboard worm lizard Checkerboard Worm Lizard The checkerboard worm lizard, Trogonophis wiegmanni, is a species of reptile in the Trogonophidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Trogonophis.It is found in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.... (Trogonophis wiegmanni) |
- |
| Anguidea or Diploglossa | |||
| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| 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. Anguidae is divided into three subfamilies and contains 94 species in eight genera. Their closest living relatives are the... Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles... , 1811 |
Glass lizards, alligator lizards & slow worms | Slow worm Anguis fragilis Anguis fragilis, or slow worm, slow-worm or slowworm, is a limbless reptile native to Eurasia. It is also sometimes referred to as the blindworm or blind worm, though the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds considers this to be incorrect.Slow worms are semi-fossorial lizards spending much... (Anguis fragilis) |
 |
| Anniellidae Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1852 |
American legless lizards | California legless lizard American legless lizard The family Anniellidae, known as American legless lizards contains two species in a single genus Anniella: A. pulchra, the California Legless Lizard, and the rare, A. geronimensis, Baja California Legless Lizard.... (Anniella pulchra) |
 |
| Xenosauridae Xenosauridae The Xenosauridae is a family of lizards native to Central America and China. Also known as knob-scaled lizards, they have rounded, bumpy scales and osteoderms. Most species prefer moist or semi-aquatic habitats, although they are widespread within their native regions, with some even inhabiting... Cope Edward Drinker Cope Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen... , 1866 |
Knob-scaled lizards | Chinese crocodile lizard Chinese crocodile lizard The Chinese crocodile lizard is a semi-aquatic lizard found only in cool forests in the Hunan, Guangxi Zhuang, and Guizhou provinces of China. The Chinese crocodile lizard spends much of its time in shallow water or in overhanging branches and vegetation, where it hunts its prey of fish, tadpoles,... (Shinisaurus crocodilurus) |
 |
| Gekkota Gekkota Gekkota is an infraorder of reptiles in the suborder Scleroglossa, comprising all geckos and the limbless Pygopodidae. The legless lizards of the family Dibamidae are also referred to as blind lizards but recent molecular phylogenies suggest they are not gekkotans.Gekkota are a suborder of... |
|||
| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Dibamidae Dibamidae Dibamidae is a family of legless lizards found in tropical forests. Relatively little is known about the dibamid lizards, which are native to Mexico, SE Asia, Indonesia, the Philippine Islands and western New Guinea.... Boulenger George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:... , 1884 |
Blind lizards | Dibamus nicobaricum Dibamus nicobaricum Dibamus nicobaricum is a species of lizard found in the Nicobar Islands of India.-Description:Snout conical, obtuse, slightly projecting. 4 enlarged shields on the head besides the rostral and labials, viz... |
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| Gekkonidae Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1825 |
Geckos | Thick-tailed gecko Underwoodisaurus milii Underwoodisaurus milii is a species of Gekkonidae also classified as Nephrurus milii. It is commonly known as the thick-tailed or barking gecko. These names come from its distinctive plump tail and sharp, barking defensive call.... (Underwoodisaurus milii) |
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| Pygopodidae Pygopodidae Pygopodidae is a family of squamates that have reduced or absent limbs and are related to the geckos. There are at least 35 species in two subfamilies and eight genera. They have unusually long, slender, bodies, giving them a strong resemblance to snakes... Boulenger George Albert Boulenger George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:... , 1884 |
Legless lizards | Burton's snake lizard Lialis burtonis Lialis burtonis, or Burton's legless lizard, is a pygopodid lizard found in Australia and New Guinea.-Description:... (Lialis burtonis) |
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| Iguania Iguania Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the iguanas, chameleons, agamids, and "New World lizards" such as anoles and Phrynosomatidae... |
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| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Agamidae Agamidae Agamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Europe. Many species are commonly called dragons or dragon lizards. Phylogenetically they may be sister to the Iguanidae, and have a similar appearance. Agamids usually have... Spix Johann Baptist von Spix Dr. Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix was a German naturalist.Spix was born in Höchstadt, Middle Franconia, as the seventh of eleven children. His boyhood home is the site of the Spix Museum , opened to the public in 2004... , 1825 |
Agamas | Eastern bearded dragon Eastern Bearded Dragon The Eastern bearded dragon is an agamid lizard found in wooded parts of Australia. It is one of a group of species known commonly as Bearded Dragons... (Pogona barbata) |
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| Chamaeleonidae Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray .... , 1825 |
Chameleons | Veiled chameleon Veiled Chameleon The veiled chameleon, Chamaeleo calyptratus, is a large species of chameleon found in the mountain regions of Yemen, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It is also sometimes referred to as the Yemen Chameleon.... (Chamaeleo calyptratus) |
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| Corytophanidae Corytophanidae Corytophanidae is a family of lizards also called casque head lizards or helmeted lizards. They typically have well-developed head crests in the shape of a casque. This crest is a sexually dimorphic characteristic in males of Basiliscus, but is present in both sexes of Corytophanes and Laemanctus... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Casquehead lizards | Plumed basilisk Plumed basilisk The plumed basilisk, Basiliscus plumifrons, also called a green basilisk, double crested basilisk, or Jesus Christ lizard, is a species of corytophanid to Latin America.-Taxonomy and etymology:... (Basiliscus plumifrons) |
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| Crotaphytidae Crotaphytidae The family Crotaphytidae, or collared lizards, are desert-dwelling reptiles native to the southwest USA and northern Mexico. They are very fast-moving animals, with long limbs and tails, and are carnivorous, feeding mainly on insects.... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Collared and leopard lizards | Common collared lizard Common Collared Lizard The Common collared lizard, Oklahoma collared lizard or collared lizard, Crotaphytus collaris, is a North American lizard that can reach a foot long in length , with a large head and powerful jaws. They are well known for the ability to run on their hind legs, looking like small dinosaurs... (Crotaphytus collaris) |
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| Hoplocercidae Hoplocercidae Family Hoplocercidae, or the hoplocercids, are a family of lizards native to the tropical forests of Central and South America. There are ten described species in three genera... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Wood lizards or clubtails | Club-tail iguana (Hoplocercus spinosus) | - |
| Iguanidae Iguanidae Iguanidae is a family of lizards, composed of iguanas and related species.-Classification of Iguanidae:Two different classification schemes have been used to define the structure of this family. These are the "traditional" classification and the classification presented by Frost et al. .Frost et... |
Iguanas | Marine iguana Marine iguana The Marine Iguana is an iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands that has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to live and forage in the sea, making it a marine reptile. The Iguana can dive over 30 ft into the water. It has spread to all the islands in the archipelago, and is... (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) |
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| Leiosauridae Leiosauridae Leiosauridae is a family of lizards. It contains the following genera:*Genus Diplolaemus*Genus Leiosaurus*Genus Pristidactylus... Frost et al., 2001 |
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| Liolaemidae Liolaemidae Liolaemidae are a family of iguanian lizards. They are traditionally included in the Iguanidae as subfamily Liolaeminae, which some more recent authors prefer to delimit in a more restricted way... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Swifts | Shining tree iguana (Liolaemus nitidus) |  |
| Opluridae Opluridae The Opluridae, or Madagascan iguanas, are a family of moderately sized lizards native to Madagascar. There are seven species in two genera, with most of the species being in Oplurus. The family includes species that live amongst rocks, some that live in trees, and one that inhabits sand dunes... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Madagascan iguanas | Chalarodon Chalarodon Chalarodon is a genus of Malagasy terrestrial iguanian lizard. Its only species is Chalarodon madagascariensis.Its Malagasy relatives are the iguanians of the genus Oplurus.It is common in some of the drier areas of Madagascar.... (Chalarodon madagascariensis) |
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| 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... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Earless, spiny, tree, side-blotched and horned lizards | Greater earless lizard Greater earless lizard The greater earless lizard is a species of earless lizard endemic to the southwestern United States. It is called "greater" because it grows larger than the earless lizards of the genus Holbrookia, to which it is closely related. While C... (Cophosaurus texanus) |
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| Polychrotidae Polychrotidae Polychrotidae is a family of lizards commonly known as anoles . NCBI places the anole in subfamily Polychrotinae of the family Iguanidae. Four genera are common: Anolis, Norops, Phenacosaurus, and Polychrus.... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Anoles | Carolina anole Carolina anole The Carolina anole is an arboreal lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Other common names include the green anole, American anole and red-throated anole... (Anolis carolinensis) |
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| Tropiduridae Tropiduridae The Tropiduridae is a family of iguanid lizards native to South America and the West Indies. Commonly known as Neotropical ground lizards, most are ground-dwelling animals, and the family includes some lizards adapted to relatively cold climates, including those of the Andes mountains and Tierra... Frost & Etheridge, 1989 |
Neotropical ground lizards | (Microlophus peruvianus) |  |
| Platynota Platynota Platynota is a group of anguimorph lizards. Since it was named in 1839, it has included several groups, including monitor lizards, snakes, mosasaurs, and helodermatids. Its taxonomic use still varies, as it is sometimes considered equivalent to the group Varanoidea and other times viewed as a... or Varanoidea Varanoidea Varanoidea is a superfamily of lizards, including the well-known family Varanidae . Also included in the Varanoidea are such extinct marine and semi-aquatic forms as mosasaurs and dolichosaurs, the venomous helodermatids , the Lanthanotidae , and the extinct Necrosauridae.Throughout their long... |
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| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Helodermatidae | Gila monsters | Gila monster Gila monster The Gila monster is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexican state of Sonora... (Heloderma suspectum) |
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| Lanthanotidae Lanthanotidae The Earless monitor lizard is a semi-aquatic, brown lizard native to northern Borneo. It is the only species in the family Lanthanotidae, a group related to the true monitor lizards, as well as to the beaded lizards.... |
Earless monitor | Earless monitor Lanthanotidae The Earless monitor lizard is a semi-aquatic, brown lizard native to northern Borneo. It is the only species in the family Lanthanotidae, a group related to the true monitor lizards, as well as to the beaded lizards.... (Lanthanotus borneensis) |
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| Varanidae Varanidae Varanidae is a group of lizards of the superfamily Varanoidea. The family is a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, and the crocodile monitor. Varanidae contains the living genus Varanus and a number of extinct taxa... |
Monitor lizards | Perentie Perentie The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native to Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon, crocodile monitor and the water monitor... (Varanus giganteus) |
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| Scincomorpha Scincomorpha Scincomorpha is an infraorder of saurians.... |
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| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Cordylidae Cordylidae Cordylidae is a family of small to medium sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as "Girdled", Spinytail lizards or Girdle-tail lizards. Girdled lizards are diurnal and insectivorous... |
Spinytail lizards | Girdle-tailed lizard (Cordylus warreni) |  |
| Gerrhosauridae Gerrhosauridae The Gerrhosauridae is a family of lizards native to Africa and Madagascar. Also known as plated lizards, they live in a range of habitats, from rocky crevices to sand dunes. Their form is variable, with some species having four fully developed limbs, and others with vestigial hind limbs only... |
Plated lizards | Sudan plated lizard Sudan plated lizard Sudan plated lizard , also known as the great plated lizard or rough-scaled plated Lizard is a lizard of the Gerrhosauridae family.-Physical description:... (Gerrhosaurus major) |
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| Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards, sometimes known as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called 'spectacled' because of their transparent lower eyelids, so they can still see with closed eyes... |
Spectacled lizards | Bachia bicolor |  |
| Lacertidae Lacertidae Lacertidae is the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. The group includes the genus Lacerta, which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe... Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles... , 1811 |
Wall or true lizards | Ocellated lizard (Lacerta lepida) |  |
| Scincidae Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles... , 1811 |
Skinks | Western blue-tongued skink Western Blue-tongued Lizard The Western Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua occipitalis, is a variety of large skink native to Australia... (Tiliqua occipitalis) |
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| Teiidae Teiidae Teiidae is a family of lizards native to the Americas, generally known as whiptails. The group includes the parthenogenic genera Cnemidophorus and Aspidoscelis, and the non-parthenogenic Tupinambis. It has over 230 member species in ten genera... |
Tegus or whiptails | Blue tegu Blue Tegu The blue tegu is a smaller tegu, growing to about 1 meter long, renowned for its light blue coloration, which is most intense on adult males. Even immature animals can be easily distinguished from other mostly black and white tegu species by the "singe mark" on their nose... (Tupinambis teguixin) |
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| Xantusiidae | Night lizards | Granite night lizard Granite night lizard The Granite night lizard is a flat-bodied species of lizard with a broad, flat head and a soft skin. It has rounded, dark dorsal spots on a pale yellow or cream background. Its scales are granular on its dorsum, but large and squarish on the ventral surface... (Xantusia henshawi) |
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| 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.* Family: Acrochordidae Bonaparte, 1831 -- wart snakes... |
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| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Acrochordidae Acrochordidae The Acrochordidae are a monotypic family created for the genus Acrochordus. This is a group of primitive aquatic snakes found in Australia and Indonesia. Currently, 3 species are recognized.-Description:... Bonaparte Charles Lucien Bonaparte Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano was a French naturalist and ornithologist.-Biography:... , 1831 |
File snakes | Marine file snake Acrochordus granulatus Acrochordus granulatus is a snake species found from India through Southeast Asia to the Solomon Islands. It is completely aquatic and almost helpless on land. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:... (Acrochordus granulatus) |
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| Aniliidae Aniliidae The Aniliidae are a monotypic family created for the monotypic genus Anilius that contains the species A. scytale, found in South America. This snake possesses a vestigial pelvic girdle that is visible as a pair of cloacal spurs. It is ovoviviparous. The diet consists mainly of amphibians and... Stejneger Leonhard Hess Stejneger Leonhard Hess Stejneger was a Norwegian-born American ornithologist, herpetologist and zoologist. Stejneger specialized in vertebrate natural history studies. He gained his greatest reputation with reptiles and amphibians.... , 1907 |
Coral pipe snakes | Burrowing false coral (Anilius scytale) | |
| Anomochilidae Cundall, Wallach and Rossman, 1993. |
Dwarf pipe snakes | Leonard's pipe snake Anomochilus leonardi Anomochilus leonardi is a species of snake in the family Anomochilidae, which is endemic to Malaysia. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Conservation status:... , (Anomochilus leonardi) |
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| Atractaspididae Atractaspididae The Atractaspididae are a family of snakes found in Africa and the Middle East. Currently, 12 genera are recognized.-Description:This family includes many genera formerly classed in other families, on the basis of fang type. It includes fangless , rear-fanged , fixed-fanged , and viper-like species... Günther Albert C. L. G. Günther Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist.... , 1858 |
Mole vipers | Bibron's burrowing asp (Atractaspis bibroni) | |
| Boidae Gray John Edward Gray John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. 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 boa species found in South America. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description: Adults grow to an average of 5 and 6.5 feet in length. This species exhibits an immense variety of colors and patterns. The basic color can be anywhere from black, brown,... (Corallus hortulanus) |
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| Bolyeriidae Hoffstetter Robert Hoffstetter Robert Hoffstetter was a 20th century taxonomist who was influential in categorizing reptiles. He labeled the Bolyeriidae family of snakes.-References:... , 1946 |
Round Island boas | Round Island burrowing boa (Bolyeria multocarinata) | |
| Colubridae Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles... , 1811 |
Colubrids | Grass snake Grass Snake The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:... (Natrix natrix) |
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| 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.-Description:Adults can grow to 39 in in length.Dorsal scales smooth, in 19 or 21 rows... (Cylindrophis ruffus) |
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| Elapidae Elapidae Elapidae is a family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, terrestrially in Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America and aquatically in the Pacific and Indian Oceans... Boie Friedrich Boie Friedrich Boie was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. He was born at Meldorf in Holstein and died at Kiel.... , 1827 |
Cobras, coral snakes, mambas, kraits, sea snakes, sea kraits, Australian elapids | King cobra King Cobra The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, with a length up to 5.6 m . This species, which preys chiefly on other snakes, is found predominantly in forests from India through Southeast Asia to the Philippines and Indonesia... (Ophiophagus hannah) |
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| Loxocemidae Loxocemidae The Loxocemidae are a monotypic family of snakes created for the monotypic genus Loxocemus that contains the species L. bicolor found in Central America. Loxocemidae is the smallest snake family, having just one species and one genera. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:Being the... Cope Edward Drinker Cope Edward Drinker Cope was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist and ichthyologist. Born to a wealthy Quaker family, Cope distinguished himself as a child prodigy interested in science; he published his first scientific paper at the age of nineteen... , 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 nonvenomous python species found in Africa. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade. No subspecies are currently recognized. They are also known as royal pythons or ball pythons. The name ball python refers to the animal's tendency to curl into... (Python regius) |
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| Tropidophiidae Brongersma, 1951 |
Dwarf boas | Northern eyelash boa Trachyboa Trachyboa is a genus of dwarf boas found in Central and South America. They are largely terrestrial fish-eating snakes that inhabit tropical lowlands. Currently, 2 species are recognized.-Geographic range:... (Trachyboa boulengeri) |
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| Uropeltidae Müller Johannes Peter Müller Johannes Peter Müller , was a German physiologist, comparative anatomist, and ichthyologist not only known for his discoveries but also for his ability to synthesize knowledge.-Early years and education:... , 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 Antarctica, Australia, Ireland, Madagascar, Hawaii, various other isolated islands, and above the Arctic Circle. All have relatively long, hinged fangs that permit deep penetration and injection of venom. Four... Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel Nicolaus Michael Oppel was a German naturalist. He was a student of, and worked as an assistant to, André Marie Constant Duméril at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle in Paris, France, cataloging and classifying species of reptiles... , 1811 |
Vipers, pitvipers, rattlesnakes | European asp Vipera aspis Vipera aspis is a venomous viper species found in southwestern Europe. Bites from this species can be more severe than from the European adder, V. berus; not only can they be very painful, but about 4% of all untreated bites are fatal... (Vipera aspis) |
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| 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. Currently, two species are recognized and no subspecies.-Description:... Bonaparte Charles Lucien Bonaparte Charles Lucien Jules Laurent Bonaparte, 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano was a French naturalist and ornithologist.-Biography:... , 1845 |
Sunbeam snakes | Sunbeam snake Xenopeltis unicolor Xenopeltis unicolor is a non-venomous sunbeam snake species found in Southeast Asia and some regions of Indonesia. This is a primitive snake known for both its highly iridescent scales and its ability to reproduce quickly, as it is Oviparous and as such can lay up to 10 eggs at a time. No... (Xenopeltis unicolor) |
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| 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. Currently, 3 families and 12 genera are recognized.-Families:-See also:... |
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| Family | Common Names | Example Species | Example Photo |
| Anomalepidae Taylor Edward Harrison Taylor Edward Harrison Taylor was an American herpetologist from Kansas.He was born in Maysville, Missouri and studied at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, graduating with a B.A. in 1912. Subsequently, he went to the Philippines, where at first he held a teacher's post in a village in central... , 1939 |
Dawn blind snakes | Dawn blind snake (Liotyphlops beui) | |
| Leptotyphlopidae Leptotyphlopidae The Leptotyphlopidae are a family of snakes found in North 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 Norwegian-born American ornithologist, herpetologist and zoologist. Stejneger specialized in vertebrate natural history studies. He gained his greatest reputation with reptiles and amphibians.... , 1892 |
Slender blind snakes | Texas blind snake Texas Blind Snake Leptotyphlops dulcis is a blind snake species found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Three subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.-Physical description:... (Leptotyphlops dulcis) |
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| Typhlopidae Typhlopidae The Typhlopidae are a family of blind snakes. They are found mostly in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and all mainland Australia and various islands. The rostral scale overhangs the mouth to form a shovel like burrowing structure. They live underground in burrows, and since... Merrem Blasius Merrem Blasius Merrem was a German naturalist.Merrem was born at Bremen, and studied at the university of Göttingen under Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. He developed an interest in zoology, particularly ornithology... , 1820 |
Blind snakes | European blind snake Typhlops vermicularis Typhlops vermicularis, the European blind snake or European worm snake, is a reptile species in the genus Typhlops found in Europe and in Lebanon .... (Typhlops vermicularis) |
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