Lizard

Description

Lizard is the common name for all squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians). It encompasses over 7,000 species and ranges across all continents except Antarctica and most oceanic island chains. The grouping is paraphyletic, as some lizards are more closely related to snakes than they are to other lizards. Lizards range in size from chameleons and geckos a few centimeters long to the 3-meter-long Komodo dragon.

Most lizards are quadrupedal, running with a strong side-to-side motion. Some lineages (“legless lizards”) have secondarily lost their legs, and have long snake-like bodies. Some lizards, such as the forest-dwelling Draco, can glide. They are often territorial, the males fighting off other males and signalling, often with bright colours, to attract mates and to intimidate rivals. Lizards are mainly carnivorous, often being sit-and-wait predators; many smaller species eat insects, while the Komodo eats mammals as big as water buffalo.

Lizards use various antipredator adaptations, including venom, camouflage, reflex bleeding, and the ability to sacrifice and regrow their tails.

More Information

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Fact file

• Scientific name: Lacertilia
• Class: Reptilia
• Domain: Eukaryota
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Order: Squamata
• Phylum: Chordata