| Amphisbaenian
and Lizard Study Guide |
Remember that you should be able to identify specimens
to family by external morphological characteristics alone. Do not rely
upon coloration characteristics since these are often bleached out in
preserved specimens. Typical coloration patterns also tend to vary
greatly in nature. The following information was presented in lab
at each station.
Amphisbaenians
Lizard families
Important North American lizards
Amphisbaenia
- derived morphology related to burrowing
- skull shielded by hard keratin in some species
- most lack all traces of limbs
- eyes are greatly reduced and lie below the skin
- lack external ear openings
- nostrils pointed backwards
- tail greatly reduced
- rings of scales encircling body
Specimens on display:
Amphisbaena fenestrata
Rhineura floridana
Families of lizards
Different sources consider the following families as either separate families or as subfamilies of Iguanidae: Corytophanidae, Crotaphytidae, Hoplocercidae, Opluridae, Phrynosomatidae, Polychrotidae, and Tropiduridae. For our purposes, we will consider them to be separate families. Eublepharidae and Pygopodidae have often been treated as separate families, but here are treated as subfamilies of Gekkonidae.
Iguania
Agamidae
Chamaeleonidae
Iguanidae
Corytophanidae
Crotaphytidae
Hoplocercidae
Opluridae
Phrynosomatidae
Polychrotidae
Tropiduridae
Gekkota
Gekkonidae
Gekkoninae
Eublepharinae
Pygopodinae
Scincomorpha
Cordylidae
Gerrhosauridae
Xantusiidae
Teiidae
Gymnophthalmidae
Lacertidae
Scincidae
Dibamidae
Anguimorpha
Anguidae
Xenosauridae
Shinisauridae
Helodermatidae
Lanthanotidae
Varanidae
Agamidae
- most have generalized lizard morphology
- short, wide heads
- most are relatively small in body size
- heterodont teeth (teeth of different sizes)
- some species have fang-like teeth in front of mouth
- some species have elaborate crests, beards, and dewlaps
- Uromastix has spiny tail for wedging into rocks
- Draco volans has large flaps of skin supported by moveable ribs for gliding
Specimens on display:
Agama agama
Agama anchietae
Agama atra
Agama hispida
Agama stellio
Calotes sp.
Draco sp.
Uromastix sp.
Chamaeleonidae
- highly specialized for arboreal life
- laterally compressed bodies
- prehensile tails
- zygodactylous feet (opposable digits): digits fused into sets of two and three forming mitten-like hands and feet
Specimens on display:
Chamaeleo chamaeleon
Chamaeleo dilepis
Chamaeleo jacksonii
Chamaeleo senegalensis
Corytophanidae
- medium in body size
- often elaborate ornamentation on heads
- well developed crests on back and tail
- gular fold complete
Specimens on display:
Basiliscus sp.
Basiliscus basiliscus
Corytophanes cristatus
Crotaphytidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- collared lizards (Crotaphytus) and leopard lizards (Gambelia)
- medium in body size
- interparietal scale small (distinctly smaller than ear opening)
- Crotaphytus has unusually large head
Specimens on display:
Crotaphytus collaris
Hoplocercidae
No specimens available
Iguanidae
- teeth are homodont (same size and shape)
- relatively large in body size
- row of femoral pores on underside of each thigh
- middorsal scale row often enlarged
Specimens on display:
Ctenosaura sp.
Ctenosaura similis
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Iguana iguana
Sauromalus obesus
Opluridae
No specimens available
Phrynosomatidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- most are small to medium in size
- usually interparietal scale large (nearly as large or larger than ear opening)
- sometimes with bony spines or projecting ridge on head, scales projecting over ear openings, and/or scales forming fringes on sides of toes
Specimens on display:
Callisaurus draconoides
Cophosaurus texanus
Holbrookia maculata
Phrynosoma cornutum
Phrynosoma douglassii
Sceloporus sp.
Sceloporus clarkii
Sceloporus graciosus
Sceloporus grammicus
Sceloporus jarrovvii
Sceloporus magister
Sceloporus malachiticus
Sceloporus occidentalis
Sceloporus olivaceus
Sceloporus poinsettii
Sceloporus undulatus
Sceloporus woodi
Uma notata
Urosaurus ornatus
Uta stansburiana
Polychrotidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- anoline lizards
- slender with pointed snouts
- distinctively colored dewlaps
- lamallae on undersides of toes for climbing with enlarge toepads
Specimens on display:
Anolis carolinensis
Anolis cristatellus
Anolis evermanni
Anolis gundlachi
Anolis krugi
Anolis monensis
Anolis poncensis
Anolis pulchellus
Anolis stratulus
Anolis woodi
Norops polylepis
Norops sagrei
Norops woodi
Polychrus acutirostris
Tropiduridae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- gular fold incomplete medially
- Tropidurus has spiny appearance with rough scales, spiny tails, and sometimes row of scales along spine
Specimens on display:
Leiocephalus sp.
Tropidurus hispidus
Tropidurus spinulosus
Gekkonidae
- enlarged toe discs for climbing
- most species have vertical pupils
- eye covered with clear spectacle
- more than 10 scales between eyes
Specimens on display:
Aristelliger georgeensis
Cyrtodactylus sp.
Gehyra mutilata
Gekko gekko
Gonatodes sp.
Hemidactylus brookii
Hemidactylus fasciatus
Hemidactylus mabouia
Hemidactylus turcicus
Homonota horrida
Lepidodactylus lugubris
Lygodactylus capensis
Phyllopezus pollicaris
Ptyodactylus hasselquistii
Sphaeorodactylus sp.
Uroplatus henkeli
Eublipharinae
- mostly terrestrial, lack toe pads for climbing
- only geckos with eyelids
- head covered in small scales equal in size
Specimens on display:
Coleonyx variegatus
Pygopodinae
No specimens available
Cordylidae
- typical cordylids are armadillo and girdle-tailed lizards (Cordylus), very spiny
- some are legless
Specimens on display:
Cordylus cordylus
Cordylus polyzonus
Pseudocordylus microlepidotus
Gerrhosauridae
- prominent lateral fold along side of body
- legged (Gerrhosaurus) and legless (Tetradactylus and Angolosaurus) forms
Specimens on display:
Gerrhosaurus flavigularis
Xantusiidae
- relatively flat bodies for living in crevices
- have vertical pupils, lack moveable eyelids
- do not have toepads (geckos have toepads)
- very large bony scales on head (geckos have numerous small scales)
- dorsal scales granular, ventral scales rectangular plates, 1-2 scales between eyes
Specimens on display:
Xantusia sp.
Teiidae
- similar morphology to lacertids
- back of head feels flexible when pressed (head of lacertid feels hard”)
- osteoderms not present (present in lacertids)
- no teeth on palate (often teeth on palate in lacertids)
- ventral scales quadrangular, arranged in 12 longitudinal rows
- several enlarged pre-anal scales
Specimens on display:
Ameiva sp.
Ameiva exsul
Ameiva festiva
Ameiva wetmorei
Cnemidophorus gularis
Cnemidophorus lemniscatus
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
Teius teyou
Gymnophthalmidae
No specimens available
Lacertidae
- similar to teiids
- head feels hard when pressed (head of teiid feels flexible)
- osteoderms present on head (not present in teiids)
- teeth often on palate (no teeth on palate in teiids)
- ventral scales quadrangular, arranged in 12 longitudinal rows
- one large pre-anal scale
- Acanthodactylus has fringed toes for moving on sand
Specimens on display:
Acanthodactylus scutellatus
Eremias argus
Heliobolus lugubris
Ichnotropis squamulosa
Lacerta laevis
Lacerta trilineata
Takydromus wolteri
Scincidae
- osteoderms on head and body
- shiny appearance of scales
- scales same size all over body (except head)
- many species have leg reduction
Specimens on display:
Chalcides ocellatus
Cryptoblepharus boutonii
Emoia cyanura
Eumeces inexpectatus
Eumeces obsoletus
Eumeces tetragrammus
Feylinia sp.
Mabuya blandingi
Mabuya frenata
Mabuya homalocephala
Mabuya mabuya
Mabuya guaporicola
Mabuya skitonianus
Mabuya striata
Mabuya unimarginata
Neoseps reynoldsi
Tiliqua rugosa (live and pickled)
Typhlosaurus cregoi
Dibamidae
No specimens available
Anguidae
- osteoderms on head and body
- scales shiny and similar in size
- species range from legged to legless
- Elgaria has square scales arranged in longitudinal rows, distinct folds along sides of body
- Ophisaurus is legless
Specimens on display:
Elgaria coerulea
Elgaria multicarinata
Mesaspis monticola
Ophisaurus attenuatus
Ophisaurus compressus
Ophisaurus ventralis
Xenosauridae
No specimens available
Shinisauridae
No specimens available
Helodermatidae
- bead-like bony scales on dorsum, ventral scales squarish and arranged in transverse rows
- bright aposematic color patterns
- heavy-bodied
- head covered in small scales equal in size
Specimens on display:
Heloderma horridum
Heloderma suspectum (live and pickled)
Lanthanotidae
No specimens available
Varanidae
- among the largest lizards
- elongated heads
- forked, snake-like tongues
- long tails
- well developed muscular legs
- reduced, bead-like scales
Specimens on display:
Varanus sp.
Varanus exanthematicus (live)
Varanus monitor
Important North American lizards
Crotaphytidae
Crotophytus collaris
Iguanidae
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Sauromalus obesus
Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma sp.
Sceloporus undulatus
Uma sp.
Uta stansburiana
Polychrotidae
Anolis carolinensis
Scincidae
Eumeces fasciatus
Teiidae
Cnemidophorus sp.
Eumeces fasciatus (five-lined skink)
Family Scincidae
Morphological characteristics:
- shiny osteoderms scales, roughly same size all over body
Living specimens:
- five distinct longitudinal light lines on dorsum
- juveniles have bright blue tail
- head of male reddish during breeding season
- old adult males olive brown and lack light lines
Sceloporus undulatus (northern fence lizard)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- rough, keeled scales
- long toes with well-developed claws
- no transverse gular fold
Living specimens:
- dorsal color gray or brown
- males have broad dark blue or green patch surrounded by black on posterior part of throat, bright blue patches bordered by black on sides of belly
Uma sp. (fringe-toed lizards)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- medium in size for phrynosomatids
- body and tail flattened
- scales finely granular, almost velvety texture on dorsum
- toes with lateral fringes of elongated, pointed scales
- eyelids have projecting, often pointed scales
- snout shovel-shaped
- upper jaw overlaps lower jaw
- scales project over ear opening
Living specimens:
- white or light buff in coloration
Uta stansburiana (side-blotched lizard)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- small overlapping dorsal scales that are weakly keeled
- resemble Sceloporus, but with distinct transverse gular fold
Living specimens:
- brownish and speckled, subspecies have variable color patterns
- sometimes light dorso-lateral stripes
- males have conspicuous dark patch behind each front leg
Crotophytus collaris (collared lizard)
Family Crotaphytidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large lizard with large head
- tail rounded and long
- hind legs much larger than front legs
- dorsal scales small and smooth, ventral scales larger
Living specimens:
- straw yellow, bluish, or greenish in color, sometimes tinged with orange
- conspicuous black collar on neck consisting of two bands, anterior one broken in middle
- usually six narrow, dark gray bars across back
Phrynosoma sp. (horned lizards)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- squat, flattened body shape
- dorsal scales small and granular with larger, pointed, keeled scales among them giving a spiny appearance
- head short and blunt, ornamented with group of bony, backward projecting horns
Living specimens:
- brownish, tan, or yellowish in color
Dipsosaurus dorsalis (desert iguana)
Family Iguanidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large and stout, long tail
- head relatively small and blunt
- scales on head small and uniform
- scales on body smaller and lightly keeled
- short crest of enlarged mid-dorsal scales
- rostral scale not divided
Living specimens:
- white in color, reddish brown flecks and reticulations on dorsum merging to form longitudinal lines toward sides of body
- tail has rings of dark dots
Sauromalus obesus (chuckwalla)
Family Iguanidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large and robust, thick tail
- scales small on sides of body, larger on head and tail
- dorsal scales flat and granular
- scales on sides of neck and body somewhat enlarged and pointed
- rostral scale divided
Living specimens:
- color variable, usually relatively dark
- head, neck, and shoulders black with gray and white flecks
- posterior part of body lighter gray or reddish
- tail gray or straw yellow
- juveniles have dark crossbands, especially on tail
Anolis carolinensis (green anole)
Family Polychrotidae
Morphological characteristics:
- pointed snout, slender body, long and thin tail
Living specimens:
- green or brown in color
- males have bright red dewlap under chin
Cnemidophorus sp. (racerunners, whiptails)
Family Teiidae
Morphological characteristics:
- slender bodies, long tails, narrow heads with pointed snouts
- ventral scales in eight rows
Living specimens:
- most species have distinct longitudinal light stripes running length of body, some have blotched or reticulated patterns
Amphisbaenians
Lizard families
Important North American lizards
Amphisbaenia
- derived morphology related to burrowing
- skull shielded by hard keratin in some species
- most lack all traces of limbs
- eyes are greatly reduced and lie below the skin
- lack external ear openings
- nostrils pointed backwards
- tail greatly reduced
- rings of scales encircling body
Specimens on display:
Amphisbaena fenestrata
Rhineura floridana
Families of lizards
Different sources consider the following families as either separate families or as subfamilies of Iguanidae: Corytophanidae, Crotaphytidae, Hoplocercidae, Opluridae, Phrynosomatidae, Polychrotidae, and Tropiduridae. For our purposes, we will consider them to be separate families. Eublepharidae and Pygopodidae have often been treated as separate families, but here are treated as subfamilies of Gekkonidae.
Iguania
Agamidae
Chamaeleonidae
Iguanidae
Corytophanidae
Crotaphytidae
Hoplocercidae
Opluridae
Phrynosomatidae
Polychrotidae
Tropiduridae
Gekkota
Gekkonidae
Gekkoninae
Eublepharinae
Pygopodinae
Scincomorpha
Cordylidae
Gerrhosauridae
Xantusiidae
Teiidae
Gymnophthalmidae
Lacertidae
Scincidae
Dibamidae
Anguimorpha
Anguidae
Xenosauridae
Shinisauridae
Helodermatidae
Lanthanotidae
Varanidae
Agamidae
- most have generalized lizard morphology
- short, wide heads
- most are relatively small in body size
- heterodont teeth (teeth of different sizes)
- some species have fang-like teeth in front of mouth
- some species have elaborate crests, beards, and dewlaps
- Uromastix has spiny tail for wedging into rocks
- Draco volans has large flaps of skin supported by moveable ribs for gliding
Specimens on display:
Agama agama
Agama anchietae
Agama atra
Agama hispida
Agama stellio
Calotes sp.
Draco sp.
Uromastix sp.
Chamaeleonidae
- highly specialized for arboreal life
- laterally compressed bodies
- prehensile tails
- zygodactylous feet (opposable digits): digits fused into sets of two and three forming mitten-like hands and feet
Specimens on display:
Chamaeleo chamaeleon
Chamaeleo dilepis
Chamaeleo jacksonii
Chamaeleo senegalensis
Corytophanidae
- medium in body size
- often elaborate ornamentation on heads
- well developed crests on back and tail
- gular fold complete
Specimens on display:
Basiliscus sp.
Basiliscus basiliscus
Corytophanes cristatus
Crotaphytidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- collared lizards (Crotaphytus) and leopard lizards (Gambelia)
- medium in body size
- interparietal scale small (distinctly smaller than ear opening)
- Crotaphytus has unusually large head
Specimens on display:
Crotaphytus collaris
Hoplocercidae
No specimens available
Iguanidae
- teeth are homodont (same size and shape)
- relatively large in body size
- row of femoral pores on underside of each thigh
- middorsal scale row often enlarged
Specimens on display:
Ctenosaura sp.
Ctenosaura similis
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Iguana iguana
Sauromalus obesus
Opluridae
No specimens available
Phrynosomatidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- most are small to medium in size
- usually interparietal scale large (nearly as large or larger than ear opening)
- sometimes with bony spines or projecting ridge on head, scales projecting over ear openings, and/or scales forming fringes on sides of toes
Specimens on display:
Callisaurus draconoides
Cophosaurus texanus
Holbrookia maculata
Phrynosoma cornutum
Phrynosoma douglassii
Sceloporus sp.
Sceloporus clarkii
Sceloporus graciosus
Sceloporus grammicus
Sceloporus jarrovvii
Sceloporus magister
Sceloporus malachiticus
Sceloporus occidentalis
Sceloporus olivaceus
Sceloporus poinsettii
Sceloporus undulatus
Sceloporus woodi
Uma notata
Urosaurus ornatus
Uta stansburiana
Polychrotidae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- anoline lizards
- slender with pointed snouts
- distinctively colored dewlaps
- lamallae on undersides of toes for climbing with enlarge toepads
Specimens on display:
Anolis carolinensis
Anolis cristatellus
Anolis evermanni
Anolis gundlachi
Anolis krugi
Anolis monensis
Anolis poncensis
Anolis pulchellus
Anolis stratulus
Anolis woodi
Norops polylepis
Norops sagrei
Norops woodi
Polychrus acutirostris
Tropiduridae
Some consider this to be subfamily of Iguanidae
- gular fold incomplete medially
- Tropidurus has spiny appearance with rough scales, spiny tails, and sometimes row of scales along spine
Specimens on display:
Leiocephalus sp.
Tropidurus hispidus
Tropidurus spinulosus
Gekkonidae
- enlarged toe discs for climbing
- most species have vertical pupils
- eye covered with clear spectacle
- more than 10 scales between eyes
Specimens on display:
Aristelliger georgeensis
Cyrtodactylus sp.
Gehyra mutilata
Gekko gekko
Gonatodes sp.
Hemidactylus brookii
Hemidactylus fasciatus
Hemidactylus mabouia
Hemidactylus turcicus
Homonota horrida
Lepidodactylus lugubris
Lygodactylus capensis
Phyllopezus pollicaris
Ptyodactylus hasselquistii
Sphaeorodactylus sp.
Uroplatus henkeli
Eublipharinae
- mostly terrestrial, lack toe pads for climbing
- only geckos with eyelids
- head covered in small scales equal in size
Specimens on display:
Coleonyx variegatus
Pygopodinae
No specimens available
Cordylidae
- typical cordylids are armadillo and girdle-tailed lizards (Cordylus), very spiny
- some are legless
Specimens on display:
Cordylus cordylus
Cordylus polyzonus
Pseudocordylus microlepidotus
Gerrhosauridae
- prominent lateral fold along side of body
- legged (Gerrhosaurus) and legless (Tetradactylus and Angolosaurus) forms
Specimens on display:
Gerrhosaurus flavigularis
Xantusiidae
- relatively flat bodies for living in crevices
- have vertical pupils, lack moveable eyelids
- do not have toepads (geckos have toepads)
- very large bony scales on head (geckos have numerous small scales)
- dorsal scales granular, ventral scales rectangular plates, 1-2 scales between eyes
Specimens on display:
Xantusia sp.
Teiidae
- similar morphology to lacertids
- back of head feels flexible when pressed (head of lacertid feels hard”)
- osteoderms not present (present in lacertids)
- no teeth on palate (often teeth on palate in lacertids)
- ventral scales quadrangular, arranged in 12 longitudinal rows
- several enlarged pre-anal scales
Specimens on display:
Ameiva sp.
Ameiva exsul
Ameiva festiva
Ameiva wetmorei
Cnemidophorus gularis
Cnemidophorus lemniscatus
Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
Teius teyou
Gymnophthalmidae
No specimens available
Lacertidae
- similar to teiids
- head feels hard when pressed (head of teiid feels flexible)
- osteoderms present on head (not present in teiids)
- teeth often on palate (no teeth on palate in teiids)
- ventral scales quadrangular, arranged in 12 longitudinal rows
- one large pre-anal scale
- Acanthodactylus has fringed toes for moving on sand
Specimens on display:
Acanthodactylus scutellatus
Eremias argus
Heliobolus lugubris
Ichnotropis squamulosa
Lacerta laevis
Lacerta trilineata
Takydromus wolteri
Scincidae
- osteoderms on head and body
- shiny appearance of scales
- scales same size all over body (except head)
- many species have leg reduction
Specimens on display:
Chalcides ocellatus
Cryptoblepharus boutonii
Emoia cyanura
Eumeces inexpectatus
Eumeces obsoletus
Eumeces tetragrammus
Feylinia sp.
Mabuya blandingi
Mabuya frenata
Mabuya homalocephala
Mabuya mabuya
Mabuya guaporicola
Mabuya skitonianus
Mabuya striata
Mabuya unimarginata
Neoseps reynoldsi
Tiliqua rugosa (live and pickled)
Typhlosaurus cregoi
Dibamidae
No specimens available
Anguidae
- osteoderms on head and body
- scales shiny and similar in size
- species range from legged to legless
- Elgaria has square scales arranged in longitudinal rows, distinct folds along sides of body
- Ophisaurus is legless
Specimens on display:
Elgaria coerulea
Elgaria multicarinata
Mesaspis monticola
Ophisaurus attenuatus
Ophisaurus compressus
Ophisaurus ventralis
Xenosauridae
No specimens available
Shinisauridae
No specimens available
Helodermatidae
- bead-like bony scales on dorsum, ventral scales squarish and arranged in transverse rows
- bright aposematic color patterns
- heavy-bodied
- head covered in small scales equal in size
Specimens on display:
Heloderma horridum
Heloderma suspectum (live and pickled)
Lanthanotidae
No specimens available
Varanidae
- among the largest lizards
- elongated heads
- forked, snake-like tongues
- long tails
- well developed muscular legs
- reduced, bead-like scales
Specimens on display:
Varanus sp.
Varanus exanthematicus (live)
Varanus monitor
Important North American lizards
Crotaphytidae
Crotophytus collaris
Iguanidae
Dipsosaurus dorsalis
Sauromalus obesus
Phrynosomatidae
Phrynosoma sp.
Sceloporus undulatus
Uma sp.
Uta stansburiana
Polychrotidae
Anolis carolinensis
Scincidae
Eumeces fasciatus
Teiidae
Cnemidophorus sp.
Eumeces fasciatus (five-lined skink)
Family Scincidae
Morphological characteristics:
- shiny osteoderms scales, roughly same size all over body
Living specimens:
- five distinct longitudinal light lines on dorsum
- juveniles have bright blue tail
- head of male reddish during breeding season
- old adult males olive brown and lack light lines
Sceloporus undulatus (northern fence lizard)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- rough, keeled scales
- long toes with well-developed claws
- no transverse gular fold
Living specimens:
- dorsal color gray or brown
- males have broad dark blue or green patch surrounded by black on posterior part of throat, bright blue patches bordered by black on sides of belly
Uma sp. (fringe-toed lizards)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- medium in size for phrynosomatids
- body and tail flattened
- scales finely granular, almost velvety texture on dorsum
- toes with lateral fringes of elongated, pointed scales
- eyelids have projecting, often pointed scales
- snout shovel-shaped
- upper jaw overlaps lower jaw
- scales project over ear opening
Living specimens:
- white or light buff in coloration
Uta stansburiana (side-blotched lizard)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- small overlapping dorsal scales that are weakly keeled
- resemble Sceloporus, but with distinct transverse gular fold
Living specimens:
- brownish and speckled, subspecies have variable color patterns
- sometimes light dorso-lateral stripes
- males have conspicuous dark patch behind each front leg
Crotophytus collaris (collared lizard)
Family Crotaphytidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large lizard with large head
- tail rounded and long
- hind legs much larger than front legs
- dorsal scales small and smooth, ventral scales larger
Living specimens:
- straw yellow, bluish, or greenish in color, sometimes tinged with orange
- conspicuous black collar on neck consisting of two bands, anterior one broken in middle
- usually six narrow, dark gray bars across back
Phrynosoma sp. (horned lizards)
Family Phrynosomatidae
Morphological characteristics:
- squat, flattened body shape
- dorsal scales small and granular with larger, pointed, keeled scales among them giving a spiny appearance
- head short and blunt, ornamented with group of bony, backward projecting horns
Living specimens:
- brownish, tan, or yellowish in color
Dipsosaurus dorsalis (desert iguana)
Family Iguanidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large and stout, long tail
- head relatively small and blunt
- scales on head small and uniform
- scales on body smaller and lightly keeled
- short crest of enlarged mid-dorsal scales
- rostral scale not divided
Living specimens:
- white in color, reddish brown flecks and reticulations on dorsum merging to form longitudinal lines toward sides of body
- tail has rings of dark dots
Sauromalus obesus (chuckwalla)
Family Iguanidae
Morphological characteristics:
- large and robust, thick tail
- scales small on sides of body, larger on head and tail
- dorsal scales flat and granular
- scales on sides of neck and body somewhat enlarged and pointed
- rostral scale divided
Living specimens:
- color variable, usually relatively dark
- head, neck, and shoulders black with gray and white flecks
- posterior part of body lighter gray or reddish
- tail gray or straw yellow
- juveniles have dark crossbands, especially on tail
Anolis carolinensis (green anole)
Family Polychrotidae
Morphological characteristics:
- pointed snout, slender body, long and thin tail
Living specimens:
- green or brown in color
- males have bright red dewlap under chin
Cnemidophorus sp. (racerunners, whiptails)
Family Teiidae
Morphological characteristics:
- slender bodies, long tails, narrow heads with pointed snouts
- ventral scales in eight rows
Living specimens:
- most species have distinct longitudinal light stripes running length of body, some have blotched or reticulated patterns
