Lizard Families

Question 1

6 genera, 33 sp
Asia, sub-saharan Africa, SW N America, N Central America
Lack adhesive toe pads, moveable eyelids, skin seems soft (small scales)

Answer 1

Eublepharidae

Question 2

55 genera, 1023 sp
Worldwide, including remote pacific islands
Extensive toe pads (scansors), small scales-soft skin, most don’t have eyelids

Answer 2

Gekkonidae

Question 3

11 genera, 135 sp
Europe, Middle East, North Africa, North and South America
Smooth skin, toe pads, many have “leaf-toed” morphology (broad divided toe pads not exclusive to the family)

Answer 3

Phyllodactylidae

Question 4

130 genera, 1584 sp
Worldwide
Cylindrical bodies, long pointy heads, cone-like tails, smooth fish-like (cycloid) scales, legs sometimes reduced or absent

Answer 4

Scincidae

Question 5

3 genera, 34 sp
Southwestern US, Mexico, Central America, Cuba
Small, compressed body, immovable eyelids, head and ventral scales are large plates (not side of head), may resemble gekko sp but w/o toe pads, junction b/w head and body is square

Answer 5

Xantusiidae

Question 6

41 genera, 322 sp
Europe, Africa, Asia
Long legs, long tails, large scale plates all over head, granular on body, junction b/w head and body is square

Answer 6

Lacertidae

Question 7

18 genera, 147 sp
North America, South America, West Indies
Highly mobile hunters, long legs, long tail, pointed snout, plate scales all over head, junction b/w head and body isn’t square

Answer 7

Teiidae

Question 8

1 genera, 77 sp
Africa, southern Asia, Australia
Large mobile predators, long neck, long legs, forked tongue, pointy head, small head scales

Answer 8

Varanidae

Question 9

10 genera, 73 sp
North America, South America, Eurasia, North Africa
Heavily armored, lateral pleat, limbs often reduced or absent, triangular pointy head, square scales

Answer 9

Anguidae

Question 10

1 genus, 6 sp
North America, Central CA south to Baja California
Legless lizards, small, smooth cycloid scales encircle body, shovel shaped rostral scale, eyelids present, usually one dorsal stripe and several thin lateral stripes, head resembles anguidae

Answer 10

Anniellidae

Question 11

1 genus, 2 sp
Southwestern N America to Guatemala
Large-bodied, dangerously venomous, yellow/black coloration, scales bead-like, forked tongue

Answer 11

Helodermatidae

Question 12

2 genera, 12 sp
Western US, Northern Mexico
Highly mobile predators, long legs, long tails, large heads, collared lizards have black collar makes, leopard lizards have black and orange spots

Answer 12

Crotaphytidae

Question 13

8 genera, 39 sp
Southwest N America, Central America, South America, West Indies, Fiji
Large bodied, herbivorous, some have extensive dorsal crests

Answer 13

Iguanidae

Question 14

9 genera, 136 sp
N America to Central America
Keeled spiny scales, short noses, some have horns and are spiny, some less spiny, many are very small

Answer 14

Phrynosomatidae

Question 15

53 genera, 410 sp
Africa, Asia, Australia, Melanesia, Caucasus, Balkans
Scales usually keeled or spiny, many have mid-dorsal crests, many have throat flaps/fans, acrodont teeth, box like skull

Answer 15

Agamidae

Question 16

10 genera, 185 sp
Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, South Asia, Yemen, Oman, Spain, Portugal
Eyes move independently, head often ornamented, projectile tongue often longer than body, acrodont teeth,head and body laterally compressed, zygodactylous feet, no external ear openings

Answer 16

Chamaeleonidae