Lizard | Definition, Types, Characteristics, Classification, & Facts | Britannica (original) (raw)

lizard, (suborder Sauria), any of more than 5,500 species of reptiles belonging in the order Squamata (which also includes snakes, suborder Serpentes). Lizards are scaly-skinned reptiles that are usually distinguished from snakes by the possession of legs, movable eyelids, and external ear openings. However, some traditional (that is, non-snake) lizards lack one or more of these features. For example, limb degeneration and loss has occurred in glass lizards (Ophisaurus) and other lizard groups. Movable eyelids have been lost in some geckos, skinks, and night lizards. External ear openings have disappeared in some species in the genera Holbrookia and Cophosaurus. Most of the living species of lizards inhabit warm regions, but some are found near the Arctic Circle in Eurasia and others range to the southern tip of South America.

Snakes arose from lizards and are thus considered to be a highly specialized group of limbless lizards. In addition to those traits they have in common with non-snake lizards, snakes are often separated from other lizards in popular literature because they share a set of unique traits that are relatively easy to observe. For a full description of snakes, see snake.

General features

Lizards are by far the most diverse group of modern reptiles in body shape and size. They range from 2 cm (0.8 inch) snout to vent in geckos (family Gekkonidae) to 3 metres (10 feet) in total length in monitor lizards (family Varanidae). The weight of adult lizards ranges from less than 0.5 gram (0.02 ounce) to more than 150 kg (330 pounds). The popular conception of a lizard as a scampering reptile about 30 cm (12 inches) in total length with a slender tail may be applied accurately only to a small number of species. Representatives of several families are limbless and resemble snakes, whereas others have long hind legs that permit bipedal locomotion. Male lizards may be outfitted with a wide array of ornamentation—such as extensible throat fans and frills, throat spines, horns or casques on the head, and tail crests.

Lizards occupy diverse habitats that range from underground warrens and burrows to the surface and elevated vegetation. Some move slowly and rely on cryptic coloration for protection, whereas others can run swiftly across desert sands. Lizards of the family Mosasauridae, an extinct group, were strictly marine. Some mosasaurs were giants and grew to lengths of 10 metres (33 feet). One living lizard, the marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of the Galapagos Islands, feeds on algae in the sea. However, it spends much of its time basking on lava rocks on the islands. No other extant lizard species is marine, but several are partially aquatic and feed on freshwater organisms.

The role lizards play in human ecology is poorly known. Some lizards are sources of food and clothing or agents of pest control, whereas others are pests. Some larger lizards (such as the iguanas [Iguana and _Ctenosaura_] of Mexico, Central America, and South America) are eaten and are an important food source. Others are used for leather goods. Monitor lizards and tegus (family Teiidae) are harvested for their skins, and these skins have a major effect on local economies of rural areas in Third World countries. Although lizards are often portrayed as insectivores, many also consume small vertebrates and at least some plant material; strict herbivory has evolved independently in several groups of lizards. Nevertheless, lizards eat large numbers of insects and other invertebrates, particularly in the tropics and in deserts. These insect-control services affect humans in many subtle ways; however, such effects have not been well studied. Large predatory lizards (such as monitors and tegus) can be pests—often preying on farm animals or stealing chicken eggs—that affect the livelihoods of ranchers and farmers.

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Some relatively small lizard species, such as geckos, have not only colonized many islands by rafting with humans on boats but have also invaded cities and towns throughout the world. For example, throughout Brazil, one of the best-known lizards, the Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), is so common in houses and buildings that most Brazilians know more about it, based on their own observations, than they know about any of the endemic species. As is the case with many introduced lizards, the Mediterranean gecko appears to do very well living with people in disturbed areas but does not seem to invade undisturbed habitats.

For the most part, lizards are not disease vectors and pose little danger to humans who take proper precautions when handling them. Lizards are often infected with various parasites, including a type of malaria, but these parasites tend to be species specific. Salmonella bacteria may be transmitted from a lizard to a human, particularly if the lizard is placed in a person’s mouth. Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and some viral and fungal infections may also pass from lizard to human. Persons handling lizards are advised to practice good personal hygiene.

Only two species, the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico and the Mexican beaded lizard (H. horridum) of western Mexico, are venomous. Both species bite humans only when provoked, and fatalities are very rare. Among the most harmless of lizards are geckos, which are falsely believed to be highly venomous by many indigenous cultures throughout the world. Reasons for this suspicion are unclear; however, the geckos’ nocturnal activity, elliptical pupils, and ability to walk up smooth vertical surfaces could make them seem supernatural to some cultures.

Lizards are also valued as subjects for biological research. Their varied modes of reproduction and their ability to regulate body temperatures are two of many areas studied by comparative physiologists (see thermoregulation). The great abundance and observability of numerous species make them ideal subjects for ecologists and ethologists. The ability of some species to regenerate broken tails has led to their use as research subjects by behavioral ecologists and developmental biologists. Since they are relatively clean and easy to keep, lizards are also quite popular as house pets.