|
Autarchoglossa
Autarchoglossa is a clade (evolutionary grouping) of squamates that includes skinks, anguimorphs, snakes, and relatives. Autarchoglossa is supported as a monophyletic grouping (i.e. a valid clade) by morphological features in living and extinct lizards and snakes. Some phylogenetic analyses based on molecular features such as DNA sequences in living squamates do not support Autarchoglossa. The recent proposal of the Toxicofera clade places Iguania within Autarchoglossa, which is not supported by morphological analyses. Placing Iguania within Autarchoglossa may lead to confusion as Autarchoglossa means "free-tongued", and iguanians do not have this feature. To circumvent this, it has been proposed that Autarchoglossa be renamed to Unidentata (single egg-tooth, a feature both groups share) and be redefined to include Iguania.Vidal, N. and Hedges, S.B. 2005. The phylogeny of squamate reptiles (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) inferred from nine nuclear protein-coding genes. ''C.R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plestiodon Fasciatus
The (American) five-lined skink (''Plestiodon fasciatus'') is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the six native species of lizards in Canada. Common names Other common names for ''P. fasciatus'' include blue-tailed skink (for juveniles) and red-headed skink (for adults). It is technically appropriate to call it the American five-lined skink to distinguish it from the African skink '' Trachylepis quinquetaeniata'' (otherwise known as five-lined mabuya) or the eastern red-headed skink to distinguish it from its western relative '' Plestiodon skiltonianus'' (otherwise known as the western skink). The blue-tailed skink proper is ''Cryptoblepharus egeriae'' from Christmas Island, but in North America the juveniles of any ''Eumeces'' or ''Plestiodon'' species may be called this. Description The American five-lined skink is small to medium-sized, growing to about ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cordylidae
Cordylidae is a family of small- to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards, or girdle-tail lizards. Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae, occurring in Africa and Madagascar. These two scientific families of lizards, known as Cordyliformes or Cordyloidea, are sometimes combined into a larger concept of Cordylidae. Recent molecular analyses confirm the clade made up of Cordylidae and Gerrhosauridae (Cordyloidea) and place it in a larger clade including Xantusiidae (Cordylomorpha Vidal & Hedges, 2009).Nicolas Vidal; S. Blair HedgeThe molecular evolutionary tree of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians/ref> Description and behavior Girdled lizards are diurnal and insectivorous. They are terrestrial, mostly inhabiting crevices in rocky terrain, although at least one species digs burrows and another lives under exfoliating bark on trees. They have flattened heads and bodies, a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varanidae
The Varanidae are a family of lizards in the superfamily Varanoidea and order Anguimorpha. The family, a group of carnivorous and frugivorous lizards, includes the living genus '' Varanus'' and a number of extinct genera more closely related to ''Varanus'' than to the earless monitor lizard (''Lanthanotus''). ''Varanus'' includes the Komodo dragon (the largest living lizard), crocodile monitor, savannah monitor, the goannas of Australia and Southeast Asia, and various other species with a similarly distinctive appearance. Their closest living relatives are the earless monitor lizard and Chinese crocodile lizard. The oldest members of the family are known from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia. Taxonomy The Varanidae were defined (using morphological characteristics) by Estes, de Queiroz and Gauthier (1988) as the clade containing the most recent common ancestor of '' Lanthanotus'' and ''Varanus'' and all of its descendants. A similar definition was formulated by Conrad ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Teiidae
Teiidae is a family of lacertoidean lizards native to the Americas. Members of this family are generally known as whiptails or racerunners; however, tegus also belong to this family. Teiidae is sister to the Gymnophthalmidae, Gymnopthalmidae, and both families comprise the Teiioidea. The Teiidae includes several Parthenogenesis, parthenogenic species – a mode of clonal reproduction. Presently, the Teiidae consists of approximately 150 species in eighteen genus, genera. Morphology and behavior Teiids can be distinguished from other lizards by the following characteristics: large rectangular scale (zoology), scales that form distinct transverse rows Anatomical terms of location#Dorsal and ventral, ventrally and generally small granular scale (zoology), scales Dorsum (anatomy), dorsally, head scales that are separate from the skull bones, and teeth that are solid at the base and "glued" to the jaw bones. Additionally, all teiids have a forked, snake-like tongue. They all possess we ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lanthanotidae
The earless monitor lizard (''Lanthanotus borneensis'') is a semiaquatic, brown lizard native to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. It is the only living species in the family Lanthanotidae and it is related to the true monitor lizards. Taxonomy The earless monitor lizard was described in 1878 by Franz Steindachner. The genus name ''Lanthanotus'' means "hidden ear" and the species name ''borneensis'' refers to its home island of Borneo. The uniqueness of the species was immediately recognized and Steindachner placed it in its own family, Lanthanotidae. In 1899, George Albert Boulenger relegated it to the family Helodermatidae, together with the beaded lizards and Gila monster, on the basis of morphological similarities. Further studies were conducted in the 1950s where it was found that although it is related to Helodermatidae, this relationship is relatively distant. The similarity is in part the result of convergent evolution and they should be recognized as separate famil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at about 360 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group of reptiles found in Europe. Habitat The European and Mediterranean species of lacertids live mainly in forest and scrub habitats. ''Eremias'' and ''Ophisops'' species replace these in the grassland and desert habitats of Asia. African species usually live in rocky, arid areas. '' Holaspis'' species are among the few arboreal lacertids, and its two species, '' Holaspis guentheri'' and '' Holaspis laevis'', are gliders (although apparently poor ones), using their broad tail and flattened body as an aerofoil. Description Lacertids are small to medium-sized lizards. Most species are less than 9cm long, excluding the tail. The largest living species, '' Gallotia stehlini'', reaches 46cm, and some extinct forms were larger still. They are primarily insect ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helodermatidae
The Helodermatidae or beaded lizards are a small family of lizards endemic to North America today, mainly found in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, the central lowlands of Chiapas, on the border of Guatemala, and in the Nentón River Valley, though they were formerly more widespread in the ancient past. Traditionally, the Gila monster and the Mexican beaded lizard were the only species recognized, although the latter has recently been split into several species. While the fossil record of this family may date back to as far as the Cretaceous with genera such as '' Primaderma'' and '' Paraderma'' of North America, the oldest definitive members of the Helodermatidae date to the Early Oligocene The Rupelian is, in the geologic timescale, the older of two age (geology), ages or the lower of two stage (stratigraphy), stages of the Oligocene epoch (geology), Epoch/series (stratigraphy), Series. It spans the time between . It is preceded b ..., with '' Lowesaurus matthewi'' fro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gymnophthalmidae
Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards with at least 250 species, sometimes known commonly as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called "spectacled" because of their transparent lower eyelids, which allow them to still see with closed eyes. As in most lizards, except geckos, these eyelids are movable. The Alopoglossidae have been recently moved from this family. Description and ecology Spectacled lizards are related to the Teiidae, but they look like skinks (slightly more distant relatives) with smooth scales. They are generally small lizards; many species have reduced limbs. Unusually among lizards, however, it is generally the hind limbs that are reduced or absent, rather than the forelimbs. Bauer (1998). Gymnophthalmids live in a wide variety of habitats, from desert to mountain to rain forest, throughout Central America and South America. They are usually inhabitants of the forest floor or wet areas associated with tropical forests, either nocturnal or intermitte ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerrhosauridae
The Gerrhosauridae are a family of lizards native to Africa and Madagascar. They are close relatives of skinks and were once classified in the same family as them. Habitat Also known as plated lizards, species in the family Gerrhosauridae live in a range of habitats, from rocky crevices to sand dunes. Description Their form is variable, some species having four fully developed limbs, and others having vestigial hind limbs only. Reproduction Most species are believed to be oviparous. Classification Family Gerrhosauridae *Subfamily Gerrhosaurinae **Genus '' Broadleysaurus'' - rough-scaled plated lizard (1 species) **Genus '' Cordylosaurus'' - blue-black plated lizard (1 species) **Genus '' Gerrhosaurus'' - (7 species) **Genus '' Matobosaurus'' - (2 species) **Genus '' Tetradactylus'' - (8 species) *Subfamily Zonosaurinae **Genus '' Tracheloptychus'' - keeled plated lizards (2 species) **Genus ''Zonosaurus'' - zonosaurs (17 species) References Further reading * Boulenger GA (1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
