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Lizard
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Lizard (disambiguation).
Lizard
Temporal range: Early Jurassic – Recent, 199–0Ma
Possible Late Triassic record.
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Central bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Class: Reptilia
Subclass: Diapsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia*
Günther, 1867
Families
Many, see text.
Range of the lizards, all species
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with more than 9,766 species,[1] ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group, traditionally recognized as the suborder Lacertilia, is defined as all extant members of the Lepidosauria (reptiles with overlapping scales) that are neither sphenodonts (i.e., tuatara) nor snakes – they form an evolutionary grade.[2] While the snakes are recognized as falling phylogenetically within the Toxicofera clade from which they evolved, the sphenodonts are the sister group to the squamates, the larger monophyletic group, which includes both the lizards and the snakes.
Lizards typically have feet and external ears, while snakes lack both of these characteristics. However, because they are defined negatively as excluding snakes, lizards have no unique distinguishing characteristic as a group. Lizards and snakes share a movable quadrate bone, distinguishing them from the sphenodonts, which have more primitive and solid diapsid skulls. Many lizards can detach their tails to escape from predators, an act called autotomy. Vision, including color vision, is particularly well developed in most lizards, and most communicate with body language or bright colors on their bodies, as well as with pheromones.
The adult length of species within the suborder ranges from a few centimeters for chameleons such as Brookesia micra and geckos such...