Lizards · Volume 1

• Ants dominate the recorded diet. The species is listed as carnivorous and feeds on insects, mostly ants.
• This is a ground-dwelling lizard of desert and shrubland habitats, with activity recorded during the day.
• Females lay eggs rather than giving birth to live young. The recorded clutch size is 3–10 eggs, with one clutch produced per year.
• The supplied assessment lists the species as Least Concern and records its population trend as Stable.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Moloch horridus

• The neck frill can spring open during a threat display, making this otherwise grey-brown lizard immediately conspicuous.
• When disturbed, it may run upright on its hind legs and escape into the trees.
• Although often noticed for its dramatic frill, it is strongly arboreal: tree trunks and limbs are regular places to perch and move.
• Its breeding season is linked to the wet season, and a clutch may contain about 4–13 eggs that incubate for approximately 70 days.
• Useful field marks include long limbs, a moderately long tail, and a conspicuous neck frill; the mouth and tongue may be pink or yellow.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Chlamydosaurus kingii (Frilled Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• animaldiversity.org
• www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

• It is closely associated with water: records place it along rivers and other waterways, including riparian corridors, mangroves and coastal forest. It may also turn up where these habitats meet cultivated land.
• Daylight is its main observed activity period. At night, field researchers found individuals resting in sheltered sleeping sites such as rock crevices.
• Females lay eggs in clutches reported from 3 to 12, with a mean of 7.5 eggs; the supplied dataset reports 3.5 clutches per year.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Hydrosaurus pustulatus
• Quantitative analyses of squamate dentition demonstrate novel morphological patterns
• WildALERT Taxonomic Database
• The amphibians and reptiles of Mindanao Island, southern Philippines, II
• The amphibians and reptiles of Mindanao Island, southern Philippines, II

• Breeding males develop bright reddish-pink heads, necks and trunks with blue limbs and tails, while females and juveniles are more cryptically olive, dark purple-grey or brownish and may show a pale dorsal streak.
• Although it eats a broad range of small foods, field observations recorded ants as its main food, alongside grasshoppers, flies, a bee and some plant material.
• This rock-dwelling agama uses crevices between large boulders and spaces beneath peeling granite as shelters.
• Females lay clutches of 7–8 eggs; the recorded average clutch size is 7.5 eggs.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Agama mwanzae
• Notes on the behaviour and morphology of Agama mwanzae in northern Tanzania
• Notes on the behaviour and morphology of Agama mwanzae in northern Tanzania
• Notes on the behaviour and morphology of Agama mwanzae in northern Tanzania
• Notes on the behaviour and morphology of Agama mwanzae in northern Tanzania

• Males may show green, blue, or red coloration with yellow or reddish-brown markings, while females are generally paler brown with darker spots.
• Its diet changes with age: the species is mainly plant-eating, but young individuals feed on arthropods and the species also takes some insects.
• A typical reproductive record is one clutch per year; clutch size varies from 3 to 19 eggs, with a mean of 9.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Uromastyx ornata
• Reptiles of AlUla: Ornate mastigure
• Reptiles of AlUla: Ornate mastigure
• Reptiles of AlUla: Ornate mastigure

• This lizard is a sit-and-wait predator: it remains still until insects, caterpillars, earthworms or other small invertebrates come within reach.
• During the day it may bask in patches of dappled sunlight and forage from low branches, matching its mainly arboreal way of life.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Ceratophora tennentii
• Ceratophora tennentii (Rhinoceros Agama) — Animal Diversity Web
• Ceratophora tennentii (Rhinoceros Agama) — Animal Diversity Web
• Ceratophora tennentii (Rhinoceros Agama) — Animal Diversity Web
• Ceratophora tennentii (Rhinoceros Agama) — Animal Diversity Web
• Ceratophora tennentii (Rhinoceros Agama) — Animal Diversity Web
• animaldiversity.org

• This species lives in trees in forest habitat, so its arboreal lifestyle is an important clue when searching for it in Sri Lanka.
• The species lays eggs, and recorded clutches vary from just 1 egg to 16 eggs.
• It is found only in Sri Lanka, mainly in the southwest, with a reported range of less than approximately 17,000 km².

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Lyriocephalus scutatus
• IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses of Proposals to CoP18, Proposal 26: Inclusion of the Hump-nosed Lizard Lyriocephalus scutatus in Appendix I
• IUCN Red List Statistics Table 7

• Look for rectangular brown spots across the upper surfaces of the wing membranes and black spots beneath them; this pattern helps distinguish it from other Draco species.
• This lizard is active by day, especially from about 08:00 to 11:00, then again from after 13:00 into the afternoon.
• Females lay eggs in clutches ranging from 1 to 7, with an average clutch size of 4.5 eggs.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Draco volans
• Draco volans (Common Flying Dragon) | Animal Diversity Web
• Draco volans (Common Flying Dragon) | Animal Diversity Web
• Draco volans (Common Flying Dragon) | Animal Diversity Web
• Draco volans (Common Flying Dragon) | Animal Diversity Web

• Males are typically larger and more vividly colored than females. The species has a shorter casque than the veiled chameleon, with ridges extending over the eyes and snout into a shovel-like projection.
• During daylight, individuals spend their active hours in vegetation. They are generally solitary and territorial rather than living in groups.
• Females bury their eggs in ground nests, linking this tree-dwelling species to the forest floor during reproduction.
• Its diet is centered on terrestrial invertebrates, although plant material is taken occasionally. This contrasts with the broader “omnivorous” classification recorded by ReptTraits.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Furcifer pardalis
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Florida's Introduced Reptiles: Veiled Chameleon, Oustalet’s Chameleon, and Panther Chameleon
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Furcifer pardalis | Animal Diversity Web
• Florida's Introduced Reptiles: Veiled Chameleon, Oustalet’s Chameleon, and Panther Chameleon
• animaldiversity.org
• reptile-database.reptarium.cz
• www.gbif.org

• Its eyes can move independently, allowing the chameleon to inspect different parts of its surroundings at the same time. Adults commonly show green-based coloration and bright orange eyes.
• It hunts by ambush, with reported prey including mantises, beetles, moths and cockroaches. Small vertebrates and plant material are also occasionally reported.
• During the day, individuals bask and shift between sun and shade; near dusk they usually settle to roost in trees.
• Females bury their eggs and leave them underground. Incubation commonly lasts about a year, but a captive report recorded hatching after 781 days.
• The species is assessed as Near Threatened and is listed in CITES Appendix II, an international trade-control category.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Calumma parsonii
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)
• IUCN Species Annual Report 2016–2017
• Calumma parsonii (Parson’s chameleon)

• Males bear three pointed head horns, a conspicuous identification feature.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Trioceros jacksonii
• The Reptile Database
• The Reptile Database
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

• Its diet is centered on insects such as flies, grasshoppers, crickets, and insect larvae, but plant material is also reported. Captive individuals have additionally been recorded taking very small lizards and newborn rodents.
• This is a daylight-active chameleon: it warms in sunlight early in the day, then hunts through the remaining daylight hours.
• Females bury their eggs in soil. Reported clutches range from approximately 8–23 eggs, although another dataset gives a broader 4–23-egg range.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Furcifer lateralis
• Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon, Jewel Chameleon)
• Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar
• Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar
• Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon, Jewel Chameleon)
• Furcifer lateralis (Carpet Chameleon, Jewel Chameleon)
• Detecting cryptic speciation in the widespread and morphologically conservative carpet chameleon (Furcifer lateralis) of Madagascar

• Look for the red stripe running from the eye toward the snout, red body spotting and large blue-ringed eyes. The toes have adhesive lamellae—specialized gripping scales—and no claws.
• Daylight is its active period. It may rest or bask on smooth surfaces, where its adhesive toe structures help it grip.
• A typical clutch contains two eggs, and females may produce several clutches in a year. Incubation lasts approximately 47–82 days.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Phelsuma grandis
• Madagascar giant day gecko
• Madagascar giant day gecko
• In situ adaptation and ecological release facilitate the occupied niche expansion of a non-native Madagascan day gecko in Florida
• Madagascar giant day gecko
• Madagascar giant day gecko
• Madagascar giant day gecko; NCBI Taxonomy Browser
• www.gbif.org
• nationalzoo.si.edu

• Although mainly active by day, individuals have been documented foraging and otherwise moving around artificial lights at night.
• The species is native to Mauritius, while introduced populations or records are reported from Rodrigues and Madagascar, including Ivoloina.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Phelsuma cepediana
• Phelsuma cepediana — The Reptile Database
• Phelsuma cepediana — The Reptile Database
• Nocturnal foraging and activity by diurnal lizards: Six species of day geckos using the night-light niche

• This gecko is recorded as arboreal, with forest listed as its habitat type.
• Males have a vivid turquoise upper surface, a dark stripe through the eye, and fine dark speckling on the flanks.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Lygodactylus williamsi
• The Reptile Database
• The Reptile Database / dated IUCN assessment lead
• The Reptile Database, public Loveridge diagnosis
• The Reptile Database
• IUCN Red List, Lygodactylus williamsi, 2012 assessment

• Its flattened, leaf-like tail, mottled brown, gray, or rust coloration, and lichen-like patches help it blend into forest surroundings. Vein-like ridges and notches make the tail resemble a damaged dead leaf.
• The eyes have vertical pupils, and pointed scales above the eyes give the head a horned appearance—useful features for recognizing this small gecko.
• When threatened, it may gape to reveal a bright mouth and produce a loud call, shifting from camouflage to a conspicuous warning display.
• Females place clutches of two spherical eggs among leaf litter on the forest floor. Egg-laying begins near the start of Madagascar’s rainy season, around November.
• Although it lives in trees and shrubs, it is usually found in vegetation close to the ground—within roughly 3 m—rather than high in the canopy.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko
• nationalzoo.si.edu

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Uroplatus sikorae
• Two new species of coccidia from leaf-tailed geckos, Uroplatus spp., from Madagascar
• Uroplatus sikorae species account

• Its thick, cylindrical body is bluish-gray to gray and marked with red, orange, yellow, or black spots. Prominent eyes with vertical pupils and visible ear openings are useful features to look for.
• Microscopic setae—tiny bristle-like structures—cover its adhesive toe pads, helping it climb vertical surfaces and even overhangs.
• The gecko can lighten or darken its coloration for camouflage. Skin folds can also reduce the visible shadow of its body against tree surfaces.
• If threatened, it can use tail autotomy: shedding its tail as a defensive escape mechanism.
• Its diet is mostly invertebrate prey, ranging from mosquitoes and termites to grasshoppers, beetles, cockroaches, crickets, moths, and spiders; it may also take small vertebrates such as rats, mice, and snakes.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Tokay gecko
• Tokay gecko
• Tokay gecko
• Tokay gecko
• Tokay gecko
• Tokay gecko

• It is tied to karst landscapes: limestone formations, humid evergreen forest, and dry-rock surfaces are part of its recorded habitat.
• Its known range spans northern Vietnam and the border region of western Guangxi in China.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Goniurosaurus luii
• IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses of Proposals to CoP18, Proposal 27: Goniurosaurus luii
• Ecological niche overlap of two allopatric karst-adapted tiger geckos (Goniurosaurus) from northern Vietnam: microhabitat use and implications for conservation
• IUCN/TRAFFIC Analyses of Proposals to CoP18, Proposal 27: Goniurosaurus luii

• It lives above the ground in shrubland and is active during the day.
• Pregnancy lasts about seven months, and births take place in mid- to late autumn—an unusual schedule for a cool-climate gecko.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Naultinus gemmeus
• Extended gestation with late-autumn births in a cool-climate viviparous gecko from southern New Zealand (Reptilia: Naultinus gemmeus)

• During the day, it can shelter beneath loose bark or inside hollow tree limbs—useful places to look for an arboreal gecko in woodland.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Strophurus taenicauda
• Nathan Dam and Pipelines EIS, Detailed Fauna Methodology and Results
• Nathan Dam and Pipelines EIS, Detailed Fauna Methodology and Results
• Nathan Dam and Pipelines EIS, Detailed Fauna Methodology and Results
• Nathan Dam and Pipelines EIS, Detailed Fauna Methodology and Results
• Queensland Government: Changes made to wildlife categories on 19 November 2009
• www.gbif.org

• It is identified by an extremely spiny rump and thighs, with irregular basal scales around the tubercles in those areas.
• A recorded clutch contains two eggs.
• It is the largest and most heavily spined member of the Nephrurus asper species group.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Nephrurus amyae
• Nephrurus amyae | The Reptile Database
• Nephrurus amyae | The Reptile Database
• Appendix 1 – data and metadata
• Nephrurus amyae | The Reptile Database

• This iguana is herbivorous, feeding on plant material.
• The retained trait record gives a maximum snout-vent length of 255 mm; this excludes the tail and is not carapace length.
• The retained 2012 assessment data classify the species as Critically Endangered and record a decreasing population trend; this is a dated assessment, not a newly checked 2026 status.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Brachylophus vitiensis
• ReptTraits exact-species row; DOI-linked dataset
• ReptTraits exact-species row; DOI-linked dataset

• Its diet is unusually specialized: it feeds almost exclusively on marine algae, including algae growing in intertidal and submerged beds.
• Females bury their eggs in sand or volcanic ash, using nesting burrows that may be 30–80 cm deep. The young hatch after approximately 95 days of incubation.
• Males defend mating territories during an approximately three-month breeding season, while nesting generally takes place from January to April, depending on the island.
• The species is gray to black, with pyramid-shaped dorsal scales, a short blunt snout and a slightly laterally compressed tail. Juveniles may show a lighter stripe along the back.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Amblyrhynchus cristatus
• Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Marine Iguana) | Animal Diversity Web
• Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Marine Iguana) | Animal Diversity Web
• Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Marine Iguana) | Animal Diversity Web
• Amblyrhynchus cristatus (Marine Iguana) | Animal Diversity Web

• This iguana is active by day and may spend long periods basking or searching for food on the ground. At night, it retreats into rock crevices, caves, or other covered places.
• The species is classified as Endangered in the IUCN Red List assessment, while its recorded population trend is increasing.
• Its habitat record combines a terrestrial way of life with forest and shrubland habitat types.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Cyclura lewisi
• Grand Cayman blue iguana

• Its very long tail can grip branches, while grasping feet and long claws help it move through the tree canopy.
• The emerald monitor searches a varied menu among the branches, including insects and other arthropods, with small arboreal mammals taken occasionally.
• Although often associated with rainforest, this strongly tree-dwelling lizard is also recorded from mangroves and cocoa plantations.
• Females lay eggs, and captive breeding reports describe incubation lasting about 154–190 days.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Varanus prasinus
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web
• Varanus prasinus (Emerald Monitor) | Animal Diversity Web

• Sharp claws help this monitor grip surfaces, and its long prehensile tail can grasp branches—useful equipment for life in the trees.
• It is active during the day and lives in humid lowland forest, where it spends its life in an arboreal setting.
• Females lay eggs in clutches reported to contain 2–7 eggs, and may produce up to four clutches in a year. In one captive observation, fertile eggs hatched after approximately 23 weeks.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor
• Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for the Blue Tree Monitor

• A Komodo dragon's diet changes with age. Adults can consume carrion and large vertebrates such as deer, pigs, goats, and water buffalo, while juveniles hunt smaller prey including insects, reptiles, eggs, and birds.
• It is mainly active by day, but a burrow provides a cooler retreat at night and during very hot weather.
• Adults are generally stone-colored and have heavy bodies, sturdy limbs, large distinct scales, and a yellow forked tongue; juveniles are more vividly patterned.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Varanus komodoensis
• Komodo dragon
• Komodo dragon
• Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon) | Animal Diversity Web
• Komodo dragon

• Females lay a single egg per clutch. The species is oviparous, meaning it reproduces by laying eggs.
• Species-specific literature documents parental-care behavior, an unusual detail to watch for when observing breeding individuals.
• This skink is recorded as active during the day and living terrestrially in forest habitat.
• Its recorded diet is carnivorous, with insects specifically noted as food in captivity.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Tribolonotus gracilis
• Vocalization of the Crocodile Skink, Tribolonotus gracilis, and Evidence of Parental Care
• Tribolonotus gracilis | The Reptile Database

• Its large, rough scales, oversized head and short blunt tail give it a distinctive shingle-like appearance. The dark-blue tongue contrasts with the pink mouth, while the body is commonly brown to black with irregular pale bands.
• Although it is classified as omnivorous, plant material makes up most of its diet. It also takes slow-moving prey such as snails and beetles.
• A morning shingleback may be seen basking before it begins foraging in the warmer part of the day. During cold weather, it can remain inactive in a shelter for extended periods.
• Shinglebacks give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. A typical litter contains two or three young, with births occurring from December to April after the spring mating period.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Tiliqua rugosa
• Shingleback Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard
• Shingleback Lizard

• When threatened, it can puff up its body and eject blood from the corners of its eyes. Its cryptic coloration and burrowing also help it cope with dry, exposed habitats.
• Harvester ants dominate its diet: one stomach-content study found ants in about 69% of prey items.
• Females usually lay a single yearly clutch in a burrow, with about 14–37 eggs that hatch after roughly 40–61 days of incubation.
• Specialized channels on the back can direct rainwater toward the mouth, an adaptation documented for this dry-environment lizard.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
• Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
• Phrynosoma cornutum (Texas Horned Lizard) | Animal Diversity Web
• Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
• Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)
• Texas Horned Lizard | Missouri Department of Conservation

• Look for the pair of dark bands crossing the neck, along with dark crossbands or spots on the back. Males are often more brightly colored than females.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Crotaphytus collaris
• Eastern Collared Lizard — Missouri Department of Conservation
• Crotaphytus collaris (Collared Lizard) — Animal Diversity Web
• Crotaphytus collaris (Collared Lizard) — Animal Diversity Web
• Crotaphytus collaris (Collared Lizard) — Animal Diversity Web
• Crotaphytus collaris (Collared Lizard) — Animal Diversity Web
• Eastern Collared Lizard — Missouri Department of Conservation
• Crotaphytus collaris (Collared Lizard) — Animal Diversity Web
• Eastern Collared Lizard — Missouri Department of Conservation
• animaldiversity.org

• It is active by day. At Banco Chinchorro, researchers estimated about 8.9 hours of activity in a typical day.
• Its recorded diet is made up of invertebrates, placing small animals such as insects and other spineless prey on the menu.
• The species lays eggs; one dataset records one egg per clutch and 20 clutches produced per year.
• Adult size varies in the Banco Chinchorro sample, and males were larger than females. The recorded adult range was 48.18–88.68 mm in snout–vent length, with masses of 1.5–15 g.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Anolis allisoni
• Vulnerability to climate change of Anolis allisoni in the mangrove habitats of Banco Chinchorro Islands, Mexico
• Anolis allisoni | The Reptile Database
• Vulnerability to climate change of Anolis allisoni in the mangrove habitats of Banco Chinchorro Islands, Mexico
• Anolis allisoni | The Reptile Database
• Vulnerability to climate change of Anolis allisoni in the mangrove habitats of Banco Chinchorro Islands, Mexico

• Adult males carry a long, fleshy nasal appendage that projects upward, while females lack it.
• Females can be separated from the similar A. gemmosus by their smaller, less colorful throat fan, reduced ear opening, and a conspicuous central back crest made of enlarged triangular scales.
• The male has a flexible fleshy snout appendage used in social display; females lack this horn.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Anolis proboscis
• Redescription of Anolis proboscis Peters & Orcés, with the discovery of the females and comments on distribution and taxonomy
• The Reptile Database
• Reptiles of Ecuador, Alejandro Arteaga and cited research
• Reptiles of Ecuador, Alejandro Arteaga and cited research
• Reptiles of Ecuador, Alejandro Arteaga and cited research
• Reptiles of Ecuador, Alejandro Arteaga and cited research
• The Reptile Database, distribution uncertainty

• This lizard is recorded from a saxicolous microhabitat and a rocky/shrubland habitat type, so rocky ground and shrubs are key features to look for in its habitat.
• When threatened, it can grip its tail with its mouth and curl into an armored defensive ring.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Ouroborus cataphractus
• The Reptile Database
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan; accepted former combination
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan
• Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan
• The Reptile Database

• Heavy spiny scales and an armored tail help protect it; an alarmed animal can retreat to its burrow.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Smaug giganteus
• The Reptile Database
• South African National Biodiversity Institute, with explicitly flagged database disagreement
• South African National Biodiversity Institute
• South African National Biodiversity Institute
• The Reptile Database, additional Lesotho listing

• Its color can range from teal-blue to deep green, set off by a pale yellow belly and yellow eye ring. Young lizards are paler and have dark stripes along the sides.
• This lizard lives above the ground in cloud-forest canopies, often among bromeliads and dense vegetation. It has been reported at elevations from approximately 1,350–2,740 m and commonly around 40 m above the forest floor.
• A prehensile tail helps identify its arboreal body plan: the tail is adapted for gripping as the lizard moves through vegetation.
• Unlike an egg-laying lizard, this species gives birth to live young. Reported reproductive figures differ between sources, ranging from approximately 7–12 young annually in one account to a ReptTraits mean of 5.0318877551020407.
• Its cloud-forest habitat faces pressure from forest destruction and agricultural expansion, while collection for the pet trade is also reported as a threat.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Abronia graminea
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard
• Emerald alligator lizard

• Look for bead-like scales, a solid-black snout, a rounded tail, and short, stout limbs with long claws. Black bands or blotches contrast with pink, orange, or salmon coloration.
• Its tongue detects faint scents, helping the lizard gather chemical information from its surroundings.
• The young may hatch in early winter but stay underground until spring, living on residual yolk after emerging from the eggs.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park
• Gila Monster — Saguaro National Park

• Its crocodilian appearance comes from a gray-brown body, a yellow-tan underside, red-orange throat and side markings, banded tail, and two rigid rows of enlarged tail scales.
• This semiaquatic lizard hunts small freshwater animals, from crustaceans and aquatic snails to fish and tadpoles.
• The species is assessed as Endangered, and its recorded population trend is decreasing.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• ReptTraits — Shinisaurus crocodilurus
• Shinisaurus crocodilurus | The Reptile Database
• Vertebral microanatomy in squamates: structure, growth and ecological correlates
• Shinisaurus crocodilurus | The Reptile Database
• Chinese crocodile lizard
• Chinese crocodile lizard

• A green body, reddish-orange head, laterally flattened tail, and raised horn-like scales along the back make this lizard distinctive. Its short, rounded teeth and powerful jaws are suited to its hard-shelled prey.
• Its diet centers on aquatic or semiaquatic animals with shells, including snails, crawfish, and freshwater clams. Powerful jaws help it crush this type of prey.
• The tail is flattened from side to side, helping the lizard swim. A clear third eyelid functions underwater.
• Low branches and exposed roots over water can serve as basking places. If disturbed, the lizard may drop from a branch into the water to escape.
• Eggs are placed in covered holes in riverbanks, and the young hatch independently after roughly 179 days of incubation.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• Caiman lizard
• www.nationalzoo.si.edu