Lizards

There are well over 3000 species of lizards worldwide. Lizards belong to the order Squamata (they share this with snakes) and the suborder Lacertilia. Lizards exist nearly everywhere on the planet, from the United Kingdom, to Africa to Australia. Wherever there is a mild climate you will probably find lizards. Being cold-blooded they cannot survive in colder climates permanently, but they have been known to survive sub-zero temperatures for weeks at a time.

Being cold-blooded, all reptiles need to be able to thermoregulate. This is where they move to warmer or cooler locations in order to control their body temperatures.

Most lizards eat either insects, fruits/vegetables or a mixture of the two, or even mealworms. There are however some which eat rodents, snakes, other lizards, or carrion.

Species

Agamids

  • Agama agama – Red-headed Agama
  • Chlamydosaurus kingli – Frilled Lizard
  • Physignathus cocincinus – Green Water Dragon
  • Physignathus lesueurii – Brown Water Dragon
  • Pogona vitticeps – Bearded Dragon
  • Uromastyx acanthinurus – Moroccan Spiny-tailed Agama
  • Uromastyx maliensis – Mali Spiny-tailed Agama

Chameleons

  • Brookesia superciliaris – Leaf Chameleon
  • Chamaeleo calyptratus calyptratus – Veiled Chameleon
  • Chamaeleo delepis – Flap-knecked Chameleon
  • Chamaeleo quadricornis – Four-horned Chameleon
  • Chamaeleo montium – Cameroon Sail-finned Chameleon
  • Chamaeleo jacksoni xantholophus – Jackson’s Chameleon
  • Furcifer pardalis – Panther Chameleon

Gecko’s

Iguanians

  • Iguana iguana – Green Iguana
  • Cyclura cornuta cornuta – Rhinoceros Iguana
  • Ctenosaura pectinata – Mexican Spiny-tailed Iguana
  • Ctenosaurus quinquecarinata – Honduran Club-tailed Iguana
  • Dipsosaurus dorsalis – Desert Iguana
  • Sauromalus obesus – Chuckwalla
  • Crotaphytus collaris (and insularis) – Collared Lizards
  • Gambelia wislizenii – Leopard Lizard
  • Phrynosoma modestum & platyrhynos – Horned Lizard
  • Anolis carolinensis – Green Anole
  • Anolis sagrei – Brown Anole
  • Anolis equestris – Knight Anole
  • Basiliscus vittatus – Northern Brown Basilisk
  • Basiliscus plumifrons – Plumed Basilisk
  • Sceloporus magister ssp. – Desert swift
  • Sceloporus malachiticus – Emerald Swift
  • Leiocephalus carinatus armouri – Northern Curly-tailed Lizard

Lacertids

Monitors

Skinks

Whiptails/Tegus