The Komodo dragon (the world’s biggest lizard), Gila monster (a venomous desert lizard), green iguana (a big, tree-dwelling lizard), frilled lizard (which raises a brilliantly-colored ruff when threatened), Texas horned lizard (able to squirt blood from its eyes) and flying lizards that glide from tree to tree in rainforests are all examples of well-known types of lizards.
There is a list of different types of lizards on this page. You’ll get a broad introduction to lizard species and learn fascinating things about theseizards’ behaviors in this amazing book. Pictures, interesting facts, conservation status, and links to more information have all been included for each species.
Page Index
- Lizard Facts
Types Of Lizards
- Argentine Black And White Tegu
- Asian Water Monitor
- Coal Skink
- Mexican Beaded Lizard
- Texas Alligator Lizard
- Bearded Dragon
- California Legless Lizard
- Common Basilisk
- Common Lizard
- Flying Lizard
- Frilled Lizard
- Gila Monster
- Green Anole
- Green Iguana
- Jackson’s Chameleon
- Komodo Dragon
- Leopard Gecko
- Marine Iguana
- New Mexico Whiptail
- Perentie
- Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko
- Slow Worm
- Solomon Islands Skink
- Texas Horned Lizard
- Thorny Devil
- Bonus Lizard: Mosasaur
Lizards
The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest lizard.
The order Squamata, which includes snakes (some lizard species are more closely linked to snakes than others), is home to lizards.
Squamates are the name given to animals in the Squamata order.
Lizards account for around 63% of all known squamates, with over 7,000 lizard species (as of June 2022, the Reptile Database lists 7,176 species). By around 1.8 to 1, lizard species outnumber snake species. With the exception of Antarctica, lizards may be found on every continent.
The majority of lizards are carnivores, however not all; several species are nearly completely herbivorous.
Apex predators, such as the Komodo dragon and the perentie, are big lizards that live at the top of the food chain with no native predators.
But, most lizards must seek their own food while avoiding predators and must do so at the bottom of the food chain
The majority of lizards have four limbs. Some lizards have lost their limbs entirely, sliding snake-like across the ground, while others are able to walk on only their hind legs for brief periods. On special “wings,” flying lizards glide from tree to tree.
Several of the lizards listed below are found not only in their native habitats, but also in vivariums all around the world, making them intriguing and unusual pets.
The following is a list of lizards, each with images and information on the species. It includes examples of several different types.
Types Of Lizards: A List Of Lizard Species From All Around The World
Argentine Black And White Tegu
Scientific name: Salvator merianae
Family: Teiidae
Where found: South America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Tegus and monitor lizards look and act similar, but they are from separate continents and have no known relationship. Convergent evolution (the process by which unrelated species develop similar traits) is exemplified by this example.
The largest of the tegus, a group of Central and South American lizards that resemble monitor lizards like the perentie, is the Argentine black and white tegu.
Although young Argentine black and white tegus are green, they soon acquire their characteristic black and white color. Males, which are up to 50% larger than females, grow to lengths of up to 1.37 m / 4.5 ft.
The omnivorous Argentine black and white tegu It eats a range of creatures, from insects to tiny mammals to plant items like fruit and seeds. The eggs of both birds and other reptiles are particularly attractive to it.
Asian Water Monitor
Scientific name: Varanus salvator
Family: Varanidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Least Concern
The Asian water monitor is the world’s longest lizard, according to fact.
The Asian water monitor is the world’s longest lizard, although it weighs significantly less than the Komodo dragon and has a maximum recorded length of 3.21 m/10.53 ft.
The Varanidae family of lizards includes not only all monitor lizards (including the Komodo dragon), but also goannas and other related types of lizards.
The Asian water monitor lives in forests and mangrove swamps and can be found in numerous south and Southeast Asian countries. The species is semi-aquatic and a competent swimmer, as its name suggests. It’s typically found near a body of water.
The Asian water monitor is a generalist predator that feeds on a variety of animals, including fish, rats, and even baby crocodiles.
Coal Skink
Scientific name: Plestiodon anthracinus
Family: Scincidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Coal skinks have blue tails as hatchlings. This is a cool fact.
The coal skink, which only lives in the United States, belongs to the Scincidae family of skinks. The Northern coal skink, Plestiodon anthracinus anthracinus, and the Southern coal skink, Plestiodon anthracinus pluvialis, are two subfamilies of this species that are distributed across Australia.
The average length of a coal skink is about 15.5 cm (6.1 in) and it comes in a variety of hues, from orange-brown to black. It has four stripes on its back and sides, running in a row.
Forests, grasslands, and rocky areas are all home to this American lizard. It lays eggs, much like other lizards.
Mexican Beaded Lizard
Scientific name: Heloderma horridum
Family: Helodermatidae
Where found: North America, Central America
Conservation status: Least Concern
A fun fact: There was only one beaded lizard species until recently. After regional differences were deemed significant enough for each population to be designated as a distinct species, four species have been identified.
The Mexican beaded lizard has special glands in its lower jaw, similar to the Gila monster, which it closely related. A bite from the species is very excruciating, even if it is rarely fatal to humans. The species is often persecuted by humans as a result of its perceived danger.
The Mexican beaded lizard used to be a single species with four subspecies until recently. The genus Heloderma now contains five species, including the Gila monster, since each of them is now recognized as an independent species.
The bobbled, beaded look of the scales on the beaded lizards earned them their name. Osteoderms (bony deposits) give extra protection, which is why this occurs.
Texas Alligator Lizard
Scientific name: Gerrhonotus infernalis
Family: Anguidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: The Texas Alligator lizard is the largest lizard found in Texas.
The Texas alligator lizard is one of nine alligator lizards of genus Gerrhonotus, so-named due to their alligator-like appearance.
The largest lizard in Texas, the Texas alligator lizard reaches lengths of up to 64 cm / 25 in. It has brown-green skin and large, square scales. Crossing its back are a series of black and white stripes.
The Texas alligator lizard inhabits a variety of forest and shrubland habitats. It is typically found in rocky areas near streams.
Bearded Dragon
Family: Agamidae
Genus: Pogona
Where found: Australia
Bearded dragons get their name from their beard-like throats, which grow in size and color when the dragon is frightened.
Bearded dragons are mid-sized lizards with spiky scales on their sides, tails, and faces. They have flattened bodies and triangular heads. When the lizard is threatened, their spiny-scaled throat pouches enlarge and change color.
Bearded dragons come in six different varieties. The genus Pogona belongs to the Agamidae family and they are a couple in this genus. Australia is home to the bearded dragon.
The largest bearded lizards reach a length of around 60 cm / 2 ft. They’re tree-dwelling climbers who are typically friendly. Deserts and other arid environments are home to them.
One of the most popular pet reptiles is the central bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps.
California Legless Lizard
Scientific name: Anniella pulchra
Family: Anniellidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
The movable eyelids and external ear openings of legless lizards, which are absent in snakes, may be used to identify them from snakes.
The Anniellidae family of legless lizards includes just six species, one of which is the California legless lizard. These lizards move in a snake-like manner and are limbless, as the name suggests.
In California, USA, and Mexico, the California legless lizard is a burrowing creature that lives in sand dunes and sandy places.
A 20 cm / 7.87 in long California legless lizard It is approximately a kilometer long. The color of the species ranges from silver to metallic brown, with yellow undersides.
One of numerous lizard groups that have lost their legs as they evolved is the American legless lizards. The reptile order Squamata includes both lizards and snakes.
Common Basilisk
Scientific name: Basiliscus basiliscus
Family: Corytophanidae
Where found: Central America, South America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Common basilisks are excellent swimmers and climbers, as well as being able to walk on water.
The casquehead lizard family, Corytophanidae, includes nine species, one of which is the common basilisk lizard. Male common basilisks, like other members of this family, have crests on their heads, backs, and tails.
The basilisk is a big lizard that can reach up to 0.8 m / 2.62 ft in length. It is approximately a mile long. The back of the species is striped with deeper stripes, and it is brown/olive-green in color. From southern Nicaragua in Central America to Colombia and Venezuela in South America, it normally lives near rivers and is found in tropical rainforests.
Because of its ability to run across the surface of water on its hind legs, the common basilisk lizard is known as the “Jesus Christ lizard.” This talent is utilized by the lizard to escape from predators.
The lizard may cover distances of up to 20 meters (65.6 feet) thanks to special scales on its huge hind feet. Before disappearing beneath the surface, the ordinary basilisk is a powerful swimmer.
Common Lizard
cientific name: Zootoca vivipara
Family: Lacertidae
Where found: Europe, Asia
Conservation status: Least Concern
A interesting fact: Ireland (and Great Britain) are home to only the common lizard (and one other reptile).
The common lizard is found over a wider area than any other lizard, ranging from Spain to Japan and including the British Isles and Scandinavia.
This little lizard reaches a maximum size of 0.7 m / 2.76 in. Although there are many different color variations, it is typically brown in hue with darker and lighter splotches and stripes.
While most lizards deposit eggs, the common lizard is one of a tiny group that produces live offspring. This mode of reproduction (viviparity = live birth) is reflected in the species’ alternate name, Viviparous lizard.
Flying Lizard
Genus: Draco
Family: Agamidae
Where found: Asia
The fact that flying lizards can glide for up to 9.14 meters (30 feet) is an interesting tidbit.
Flying lizards, flying dragons, and gliding lizards are all terms used to describe Draconian lizards. This group’s members have a flap of skin on either side of their bodies, known as a patagium, and contain about 39 species. The patagium functions as a wing for the lizards, allowing them to fly through the air when stretched on specially-longened rib bones.
Unlike birds, flying lizards are unable to flap or jump into the air from the ground; instead, they crawl or hop around.
Both as a technique of escaping from predators and as a technique of traversing the forest, flying lizards employ their gliding talent; gliding from tree to tree is much more energy-efficient than climbing.
These insectivorous (insect-eating) lizards are only occasionally seen on the forest floor, spending practically all of their lives in the trees.
Frilled Lizard
Scientific name: Chlamydosaurus kingii
Family: Agamidae
Where found: Australia, New Guinea
Conservation status: Least Concern
Jurassic Park’s Dilophosaurus was modeled with a frill similar to that of the frilled lizard (there is no proof that the actual Dilophosaurus had such a frill), which is a neat fact.
The frilled lizard, sometimes known as the frill-necked lizard, is a species of lizard found in Australia and New Guinea. It belongs to the Agamidae family of lizards, which contains over 300 species.
The threat display of the frilled lizard, which is characterized by the lizard lifting a huge, brightly-colored frill over its head, is well-known. This is frequently sufficient to shock or frighten a would-be attacker.
The frilled lizard is a frequent sight and has a grey to orange-brown coloration. The lizard’s coloring helps it blend in with its surroundings and is most commonly seen on tree trunks. The frilled lizard is a huge lizard, measuring 85 cm / 2.79 ft from nose to tail. It can walk bipedally (meaning just its hind legs) with the help of its limbs.
Gila Monster
Scientific name: Heloderma suspectum
Family: Helodermatidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Near Threatened
The Gila monster is the sole venomous lizard in the United States, as a little extra trivia.
The beaded lizard family, Helodermatidae, includes five species, including the Gila monster. All five beaded lizards are venomous, unlike virtually all other lizards (the exceptions being certain monitor lizards).
The Gila monster, the biggest lizard native to the United States, can grow up to 0.56m/1.84 ft in length. The species has acquired a fearsome reputation due to its large size, distinctive orange and black coloration, and poisonous bite. Despite being extremely painful, a bit from the sluggish moving lizard is seldom fatal to humans.
Southwest United States and Sonora, Mexico are home to the Gila monster. It may be found in arid grasslands and scrublands.
Green Anole
Scientific name: Anolis carolinensis
Family: Dactyloidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
A fun fact about the green anole: It isn’t closely related to “true” chameleons, despite being dubbed the “American Chameleon” for its color-changing abilities.
The southwestern United States are home to the green anole, a small lizard. Its length ranges from 20 to 20 cm / 8 in, with the lizard’s tail accounting for approximately half of its overall length.
Due to its capacity to change color from green to brown, the green anole is dubbed the “American Chameleon.” The chameleon’s color changes depending on its surroundings.
The green anole is not a true chameleon, but rather belongs to the anole family, Dactyloidae, not the chameleon family, Chamaeleonidae. Despite its color-changing ability.
The male green anole has a huge, expandable pink dewlap (skin flap) on its neck. This is utilized to threaten opponent males and show females.
Green Iguana
Scientific name: Iguana iguana
Family: Iguanidae
Where found: South America, North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
The green iguana isn’t always green, as a little bonus fact. The species may be blue, red, orange, black, or brown depending on where it is discovered.
From Brazil to Mexico, the green iguana is a huge arboreal (tree-dwelling) lizard. The biggest specimens are over 2 meters long, or 6.56 feet. A typical length for a large iguana is around 1.7 m / 5.6 ft., and they may weigh up to 8 kg / 17.6 lb.
The iguana is a vegetarian that eats leaves and fruit. It lives mostly in the trees, but may also dig tunnels (or use those of other species) and excavate burrows. It swims well and uses its tail to propel itself through the water.
Jackson’s Chameleon
Family: Chamaeleonidae
Where found: Africa
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Unlike most other chameleons, Jackson’s chameleon gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs.
Jackson’s chameleon is a member of the chameleon family Chamaeleonidae found in forests in East Africa.
Like other chameleons, Jackson’s chameleon is able to change color. It is typically leaf-green, but under various environmental, emotional or health conditions will change to various other shades, including black, blue-grey and olive-green.
Male Jackson’s chameleons are among the most striking-looking of all lizards due to their three prominent horns (one next to each eye, the other on the nose).
Komodo Dragon
Scientific name: Varanus komodoensis
Family: Varanidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Endangered
Fun fact: the Komodo dragon is considered the world’s largest lizard due to its weight, but the Asian water monitor is longer.
The Komodo dragon is the world’s biggest lizard. The largest documented individual of a wild Komodo dragon is 3.13 m/10.27 in length, and the average length is 2.44 m/8 ft.
The Komodo dragon’s saliva has been found to include poisons, making it one of the few venomous lizards known to scientists.
Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang are the four islands where this enormous Asian lizard may be found. They are all part of the Indonesian island nation.
Leopard Gecko
Scientific name: Eublepharis macularius
Family: Eublepharidae
Where found: Asia
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Because the leopard gecko is bred in captivity in large numbers for the pet trade, it is considered to be the first domesticated lizard.
The Eublepharidae family of leopard geckos includes this species. Eyelids are unique to members of this family, and they are referred to as “eyelid geckos” because of it.
The leopard gecko is named after the large cat it resembles, with its black spots and pale yellow color. The leopard gecko, like the genuine leopard, is a carnivore that eats insects and tiny vertebrates (the species has been known to eat its youngsters, although this may be due to a lack of alternative food).
This mid-sized lizard is a common pet that grows to an average length of around 21.5 cm / 8.46 in. (males are somewhat bigger).
Marine Iguana
Scientific name: Amblyrhynchus cristatus
Family: Iguanidae
Where found: Galápagos Islands
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Fun fact: The marine iguana is the only marine lizard.
The only reptile that is classified as a marine reptile is the marine iguana. It regularly goes into the water to feed on red and green algae. Big guys dive to depths of 39 m / 984 ft., while little people feed in the intertidal zone.
The marine iguana is somewhat smaller than the “typical” green iguana found on the Central and South American mainland, with a maximum length of around 1.4 m / 4.59 ft.
During the breeding season, males of the marine iguana become more colorful. In certain places, males are more vivid, with crimson and other hues appearing on their skin.
The Galápagos Islands, an Ecuadorian archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, are home to the marine iguana, which is endemic to them. The Galápagos land iguanas, as well as hybrids between marine and land iguanas, are found only on the islands.
New Mexico Whiptail
Genus: Aspidoscelis neomexicanus
Family: Teiidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
A fun fact about New Mexico whiptails is that they are all females.
Whiptails, racerunners, and tegus are all members of the Teiidae family of lizards, which includes the New Mexico whiptail. In the United States, it may be found in New Mexico and Arizona, as well as Chihuahua. New Mexico’s state reptile is this species.
The New Mexico whiptail is black with seven yellow-white stripes that run from its head to its tail, and it has an average length of around 8 cm / 3.15 in.
The small striped whiptail and the western whiptail are two other whiptail species that have been combined to create the New Mexico whiptail. The New Mexico whiptail is parthenogenetic (i.e., its egg cell may develop into an embryo without being fertilized), so the species can reproduce by mating just females. As a consequence, all whiptails in New Mexico are female.
Perentie
Scientific name: Varanus giganteus
Family: Varanidae
Where found: Australia
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Perenties often stand on their hind legs (supported by their tails) in order to view their surroundings; a behavior known as “tripoding”.
In rocky and desert environments in Australia, the perentie is a big monitor lizard. The perentie is a comparable size to both the Crocodile monitor and the Nile monitor, although being smaller than the Komodo dragon and Asian water monitor, reaching lengths of up to 2.5 m / 8.2 ft and weights of over 20 kg / 44 lb.
The perentie is an apex predator, armed not only with sharp teeth, claws and a powerful tail, but also with venomous saliva which increases the efficacy of its already powerful bite.
Unsurprisingly, the perentie is an apex predator, with no natural predators of its own. Its diet consists of a wide variety of vertebrates, with reptiles – including other monitor lizards and even other perenties – forming a significant proportion of its prey.
The perentie is the largest “goanna” – a group of Australian lizards of genus Varanus named by early European settlers for their (loose) resemblance to iguanas.
Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko
Scientific name: Uroplatus phantasticus
Family: Gekkonidae
Where found: Madagascar
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: The Satanic leaf-tailed gecko’s large eyes are an adaptation for a nocturnal lifestyle.
The satanic leaf-tailed gecko is one of 21 species in the genus Uroplatus, which belongs to the Gekkonidae family. With specially-adapted, flat or leaf-shaped tails that help them blend in among the trees, they are masters of camouflage. Madagascar, a small island country in Africa, is home to these lizards.
The humid, tropical woods of eastern Madagascar are home to the satanic leaf-tailed gecko. With its leaf-shaped tail, it grows to a length of roughly 9 cm/3.54 in. The lizard’s fearsome appearance is complete with spines on its head and back.
Slow Worm
Scientific name: Anguis fragilis
Family: Anguidae
Where found: Europe
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Like many lizards, the slow worm is able to shed its tail as a means of avoiding predation. The tail eventually regrows, but not to its original length.
The slow worm is a lizard, despite its limbless snake-like appearance. It’s one of several reptile families that have lost their limbs, and it’s one of three recognized slow worm species from the genus Anguis.
The smooth, brown-gray skin of the slow worm grows to a length of 40 to 50 cm / 15.75 to 16.69 in. Females have a dark stripe going down the back, while males are lighter and frequently have blue marks.
Slugs and worms are food for the slow worm. It can be found in western and central Europe, where it lives in forests, woodlands, heathlands, and gardens.
The sluggish worm is mostly nocturnal and hides itself during the day, however it may be seen basking in the sun on rare occasions. It exists in grass, loose earth, and leaf debris, and has a semi-fossorial (burrowing) lifestyle.
Solomon Islands Skink
Scientific name: Corucia zebrata
Family: Scincidae
Where found: Solomon Islands
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Fun fact: Solomon Islands skinks live in a communal group known as a circulus. Such behavior is rare among reptiles.
The Solomon Islands skink, a scincidae family lizard, may only be found in the Solomon Islands, a group of Pacific Ocean islands north of Australia. With a typical length of around 64 cm / 25 in, the Solomon Islands skink is the world’s biggest skink.
The Solomon Islands skink, unlike most lizards, is herbivorous and eats a wide range of plant materials, including leaves and flowers.
When the Solomon Islands skink is climbing, its long, stocky tail is prehensile (capable of grasping). The majority of the species’ life is spent in the trees, which it lives in.
One of a tiny number of reptiles that live in a communal group is the Solomon Islands skink. The young are protected by members of the group, which is known as a circulus.
Texas Horned Lizard
Scientific name: Phrynosoma cornutum
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Where found: North America
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Like other horned lizards, the Texas horned lizard is able to project a stream of foul-tasting blood from its eyes if threatened by a predator.
The genus Phrynosoma includes 21 tiny lizards known as horned lizards, or “horny toads,” which are part of the Texas horned lizard family. North America is home to all horny toad species.
These lizards have a slim resemblance to amphibians, as they have squat, flat bodies.
Not just Texas, but also several surrounding states and northern Mexico, are home to the Texas horned lizard. In the United States, it is the most horned lizard. Ants and other tiny invertebrates are the main sources of food.
Thorny Devil
Scientific name: Moloch horridus
Family: Agamidae
Where found: Australia
Conservation status: Least Concern
Fun fact: Tiny grooves in the thorny devils’ skin transport water directly to its mouth. This allows the desert-living lizard to drink the dew that forms on its body overnight.
In dry areas of central and west Australia, the thorny devil is a tiny lizard.
This desert-dwelling lizard has a fierce look due to the rows of spines covering its body and limbs, which are inspired by both its English and scientific names.
The ancient deity Moloch is mentioned in the thorny devil’s scientific name, which refers to human sacrifice. The term “horridus” refers to the horrible.
A “fake” head is positioned behind the thorny devil’s head to discourage potential predators.
Bonus Lizard: Mosasaur
Scientific name: Mosasaur
Family: Mosasauridae
Where found: Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica
Conservation status: Extinct
Mosasaurs survived the end of the Cretaceous Period and were wiped out by the Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction Event, which wiped out the dinosaurs.
During the Late Cretaceous period, Mosasaurs were a kind of marine reptile. Both ichthyosaurs and pliosaurs had become extinct earlier in the epoch, leaving them as the dominant marine predators at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
The apex predators of the Late Cretaceous oceans were the largest mosasaurs, which grew to lengths of around 15 m / 50 ft. Their tails could have sported shark-like fins, and their hands and feet had evolved into paddles.
Mosasaurs are thought to have evolved from a (now extinct) group of marine lizards known as the Aigialosaurids, and monitor lizards are their closest living relatives, according to many paleontologists. Others think that mosasaurs and snakes are more closely connected.