A
– Anole
– Armadillo Lizard
B
– Bearded Dragon
– Blue-spotted Tree Monitor
– Broad-headed Skink
C
– Chameleon
– Crested Gecko
– Collared Lizard
D
– Draco (Flying Lizards)
– Dumeril’s Monitor
– Desert Spiny Lizard
E
– Earless Monitor
– Eastern Water Dragon
– European Green Lizard
F
– Frilled Lizard
– Fan-fingered Gecko
– False Chameleon (Anolis species)
G
– Gecko
– Gila Monster
– Giant Leaf-tailed Gecko
H
– Horned Lizard
– House Gecko
– Harlequin Gecko
I
– Iguana
– Indo-Chinese Forest Lizard
J
– Jeweled Lacerta
– Jaragua Sphaero
K
– Knight Anole
– Keeled Earless Lizard
L
– Legless Lizard
– Lacerta
M
– Monitor Lizard
– Malagasy Giant Chameleon
– Moroccan Eyed Lizard
N
– Neon Tree Dragon
– Northern Alligator Lizard
O
– Ornate Monitor
– Otago Skink
P
– Plated Lizard
– Painted Dragon
Q
– Queensland Whiptail
– Quick-tailed Grass Lizard
R
– Rock Agama
– Red-headed Agama
S
– Skink
– Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko
T
– Tegu
– Thorny Devil
U
– Uromastyx
V
– Veiled Chameleon
– Viper Gecko
W
– Water Dragon
– Western Fence Lizard
X
– Xenagama
– Xenosaurus
Y
– Yucatan Banded Gecko
– Yemen Chameleon
Z
– Zonosaurus
– Zebra-tailed Lizard
Lizards are fascinating creatures that belong to the class Reptilia, which also includes snakes, turtles, and crocodiles. They are found all over the world, from rainforests to deserts, and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. In this article, we will explore some of the most interesting and diverse lizards, from A to Z.
Anole: A small and agile lizard, often found in North and Central America. They can change color depending on their mood, health, and environmental factors.
Armadillo Lizard: Native to desert areas of southern Africa, this lizard is known for its unique defense mechanism of biting its tail and forming a circular shield when threatened.
Bearded Dragon: Native to Australia, these lizards are popular pets due to their docile nature and distinctive appearance.
Blue-spotted Tree Monitor: Found in Indonesia, they are arboreal and known for their bright blue spots against a dark background.
Broad-headed Skink: A lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States, recognizable by its broad, flattened head.
Chameleon: Unique reptiles known for their ability to change colors and independently mobile eyes. They are mostly found in Africa and Madagascar.
Crested Gecko: Originally from New Caledonia, these geckos have eyelash-like crests and are popular pets.
Collared Lizard: Often found in North America’s deserts, known for its bright colors and the collar-like markings around its neck.
Draco (Flying Lizards): These lizards have adapted flaps of skin that allow them to glide from tree to tree in their Asian habitats.
Dumeril’s Monitor: A medium-sized monitor lizard from Madagascar, known for its subdued colors and calm demeanor.
Desert Spiny Lizard: Found in the southwestern US and Mexico, it’s known for the spiny scales on its back.
Earless Monitor: A rare lizard from Borneo that lacks external ear openings.
Eastern Water Dragon: Native to eastern Australia, they are semi-aquatic and can be found near water sources.
European Green Lizard: Brightly colored lizards found across Europe, recognizable by their vivid green scales.
Frilled Lizard: Known for its dramatic neck frill, which it displays when threatened. Native to northern Australia.
Fan-fingered Gecko: Found in parts of Africa and the Middle East, named for its uniquely shaped toes.
False Chameleon (Anolis species): Not true chameleons, but Anolis lizards that resemble them and are found primarily in the Americas.
Gecko: A broad group of lizards known for their vocalizations, adhesive toe pads, and unique eyes.
Gila Monster: One of the only venomous lizards, native to the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.
Giant Leaf-tailed Gecko: Found in Madagascar, these geckos are known for their large, leaf-like tails which aid in camouflage.
Horned Lizard: Often called “horned toads”, they are native to North America and are known for their spiky appearance and ability to squirt blood from their eyes as a defense.
House Gecko: Commonly found in homes around the world, especially in warmer climates.
Harlequin Gecko: A brightly colored gecko native to New Zealand.
Iguana: Large herbivorous lizards, with the Green Iguana being the most well-known species.
Indo-Chinese Forest Lizard: A brightly colored lizard found in the forests of Southeast Asia.
Jeweled Lacerta: A beautifully marked lizard native to Europe, known for its bright colors and jewel-like patterns.
Jaragua Sphaero: One of the world’s smallest reptiles, found on the island of Hispaniola.
Knight Anole: The largest species of anole, native to Cuba.
Keeled Earless Lizard: Found in Mexico, these lizards lack external ears and have keeled scales.
Legless Lizard: These reptiles look like snakes but are lizards that have either tiny, vestigial legs or none at all.
Lacerta: A genus of lizards found in Europe and parts of Asia, known for their agile nature.
Monitor Lizard: A group of large lizards known for their intelligence and varied diets. They are found in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Malagasy Giant Chameleon: One of the largest chameleons, native to Madagascar.
Moroccan Eyed Lizard: Recognizable by the blue “eyebrows” above its eyes, native to North Africa.
Neon Tree Dragon: A brightly colored arboreal lizard from Southeast Asia.
Northern Alligator Lizard: Native to the western US and Canada, these lizards have a segmented, alligator-like appearance.
Ornate Monitor: A large and beautifully patterned monitor lizard from Africa.
Otago Skink: A large, dark-colored skink from New Zealand.
Plated Lizard: Native to Africa, these lizards have tough, plate-like scales.
Painted Dragon: A colorful lizard found in Australia.
Queensland Whiptail: A small, slender lizard native to Australia.
Quick-tailed Grass Lizard: Found in South America, known for its fast and agile movements.
Rock Agama: Lizards known for their striking colors and habitats on rocky outcrops, mainly in Africa.
Red-headed Agama: A type of rock agama with a distinctive bright red head.
Skink: Lizards with sleek bodies and short legs, found worldwide.
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko: Native to Madagascar, this gecko has a unique appearance resembling dead leaves.
Tegu: Large South American lizards known for their intelligence and varied diet.
Thorny Devil: An Australian lizard covered in sharp spines and known for its ability to collect water with its skin.
Uromastyx: A genus of herbivorous lizards found in North Africa and South Asia, known for their spiny tails.
Veiled Chameleon: A popular pet species with a distinctive casque on its head, native to Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Viper Gecko: A small gecko with a snake-like appearance, found in Pakistan.
Water Dragon: Arboreal lizards that often live near water, such as the Australian water dragon and Asian water dragon.
Western Fence Lizard: Commonly called the “blue belly”, it’s found in the western US.
Xenagama: A genus of lizards found in Somalia, known for their unique flattened appearance.
Xenosaurus: A genus of lizards found in Mexico and Central America, known for their rough scales.
Yucatan Banded Gecko: A small gecko native to the Yucatan peninsula.
Yemen Chameleon: Another name for the Veiled Chameleon, due to its native habitat.
Zonosaurus: A genus of lizards found in Madagascar, known for their armored appearance.
Zebra-tailed Lizard: Recognizable by its striped tail, which it waves as a defensive display. Found in the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico.
Conclusion
Lizards are incredibly diverse and fascinating creatures that have adapted to a wide range of environments around the world. From the aardvark gecko to the emerald swift, each species has its own unique characteristics and adaptations that make it well-suited to its particular habitat and lifestyle. Whether you are a reptile enthusiast or simply curious about these amazing creatures, there is always more to learn about the world of lizards.
