- (Saurra), suborder of squamates. Appeared in the Triassic. Ancestors of snakes. The body is ridged, flattened, laterally compressed or cylindrical, of various colors. Skin covered with horny scales. Dl. from 3.5 cm to 4 m (monitor lizards). The front part of the skull is not... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Suborder of reptiles of the order Squamate. Body length from several cm to 3 m or more ( komodo dragon), covered with keratinized scales. Most have well-developed limbs. More than 3900 species, on all continents except Antarctica,... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Lacertilia s. Sauria) reptiles with an anus in the form of a transverse slit (Plagiotremata), with a paired copulatory organ, teeth not in meshes; usually equipped with a front girdle and always have a sternum; in most cases with 4 limbs,... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

- (Lacertilia, Sauria), suborder of reptiles. As a rule, small animals with well-developed limbs, the closest relatives of snakes. Together they form a separate evolutionary lineage of reptiles. Main hallmark its representatives... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

- (Sauria) suborder (or order) of reptiles of the order (or subclass) squamate. Body length from 3.5 cm to 3 m (Komodo dragon). The body is ridged, flattened, laterally compressed or cylindrical. Some have well-developed five-fingered... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Lizards- >) and a female. /> Viviparous lizards: male () and female. Viviparous lizards. Lizards, a suborder of the class animals. They are distinguished by the presence of limbs () and movable eyelids. Length from 3.5 cm to 4 m. The body is covered with keratinized scales. Ya are distributed to... ... Encyclopedia "Animals in the House"

Suborder of reptiles of the order Squamate. The body is from a few centimeters to 3 m or more long (Komodo dragon), covered with keratinized scales. Most have well-developed limbs. More than 3900 species, on all continents (except Antarctica),... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Lacertilia s. Sauria) reptiles with an anus in the form of a transverse slit (Plagiotremata), with a paired copulatory organ, with teeth not in meshes; usually equipped with a front girdle and always have a sternum; in most cases with 4 me... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

Lizards- Striped lizard. LIZARDS, animals of the reptile class. The body ranges from a few cm to 3 m or more in length (Komodo dragon), covered with keratinized scales. Most (agamas, iguanas, geckos, etc.) have well-developed limbs, some... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Mn. Suborder of reptiles of the order Squamate. Ephraim's explanatory dictionary. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern Dictionary Russian language Efremova

Books

• Reptiles. Lizards and crocodiles, S. Ivanov. Currently, there are about 6,000 species of reptiles, and once they were the real “masters” of our planet. The most numerous order of squamate (Squamata), including about ...
• Island of the Purple Lizard. “The old trees in Mikhailovsky remember A.S. Pushkin,” the young biologist Zorich once read. Why shouldn't they remember the poet? Is it possible to test this in practice? Ask the trees...…

Lizards are a very common group of the reptile class. There are many different types these animals have different colors, sizes and habits. It often happens that we call lizards those representatives who do not belong to this group at all. This is because we are accustomed to calling reptiles those who run on four legs and have a long tail. To better understand this, you must first know the structural features of these animals.

Structural features

Lizards live in forests, deserts, mountains and steppes. The body is covered with horny scales. They are not able to breathe through their skin like frogs, because during the process of evolution they lost this ability. Some species are adapted to life in water.

The size of these animals usually ranges from 20 to 40 cm. But there is one species whose size reaches 80 cm. This species is called pearl. But if you take the most big lizard, then her height will be 3 meters. This species is called the Komodo dragon. This is the largest lizard on earth. Separate group in the lizard family- lizards, reach a height of 10 cm. But the most short stature assigned to the South American gecko. His height does not exceed 4 centimeters.

The coloring of these animals is usually green, brown, gray or a mixture of these colors. There are representatives who have a very bright red or blue color.

There is also one feature that distinguishes these animals from their own kind. These are movable eyelids. For example, snakes have fused eyelids, and therefore their eye mobility is low. Representatives of this group are capable of autotomy, that is, they can throw off their tail. This can be used as a distracting maneuver from an attack. For example, when a lizard is attacked by a predator, it can break its spine and throw off its tail, which will wriggle for a while and act as a bait. At this time she will begin to crawl away from the scene of the attack and possibly save his life. Of course, the process is not pleasant, but there is nothing you can do to survive.

Scientists have found that these animals do not have vocal cords, and that's why they are always silent. But there is only one species, which is called the Stechlin and Simon lizard. When danger approaches This animal makes something like a squeak.

Reproduction

There are several methods of reproduction in lizards (it all depends on the species):

1. laying eggs;
2. live birth;
3. eggs bearing viviparity.

In the first method, the female lays from 1 to 35 eggs covered with a shell or a soft leathery shell. They lay eggs in protected places. For example, under stones or in sand. U viviparous species The fetus receives all nutrients from the mother's body. But there are also eggs that carry viviparity. With him, baby develops in egg which is in the mother's body.

Nutrition

The diet of these animals is very varied. Some feed on small insects, others eat only plant foods. There are species that combine plant and animal foods. There are species that feed only on berries. Large lizards eat fish small mammals, snakes.

Protection

These animals have a lot of potential enemies., and in order not to be eaten, they have a lot of means to protect themselves. The main feature of the defense is fast running with sharp turns. Thanks to this, the lizard can easily escape from its pursuer. They can burrow into sand or various foliage and can easily camouflage themselves. And as already mentioned in the article, they throw off their tail when the enemy attacks them. If she is caught, she will begin to bite and dodge very smartly. This will make it difficult to hold her. If they are caught, they often grab the back of the money.

Kinds

Having understood a little general structure and the characteristics of these animals, let's move on to the description various types. It will be difficult to list all types of lizards and their features, because this is the most large group reptiles on Earth. Therefore, we will look at only a few types:

All listed types do not belong to the family of true lizards, but they are related.

general characteristics lizard suborder (SAURIA)

About 3,300 species of reptiles of various shapes and sizes (from 3.5 cm to 4 m; weight up to 150 kg). Some are legless. Methods of movement - from swimming (marine iguanas) to gliding (flying dragon). The diet is varied - from small invertebrates to wild pigs and deer ( giant monitor lizard). The skin is covered with horny scales. Many are capable of autotomy (throwing away the tail). Well-developed vision (many distinguish colors), hearing (some make sounds), touch, parietal eye.

• · gecko family - 600 species, ranging from 3.5 to 35 cm in length. They inhabit tropical and subtropical areas. Lead night look life. The toes are equipped with devices that allow geckos to stay on steep vertical surfaces.
• · iguana family - 700 species, ranging from 10 cm to 2 m in length. They inhabit the Western Hemisphere from Southern Canada to Southern Argentina. In arboreal forms the body is laterally compressed, while in terrestrial forms it is flattened in the dorso-ventral direction. Marine iguanas lead semi-aquatic image life.
• · the agama family - about 300 species, close to iguanas, occupy ecological niches in Eurasia, Africa and Asia, similar to the niches of iguanas in America. They lead an arboreal lifestyle and inhabit rocks, steppes and deserts. Representatives: steppe, Caucasian agamas, round-headed agamas.
• · family of true lizards - about 170 species, distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa. In our region there are fast and viviparous lizards.
• · spindle family - 80 species of legless or limbed lizards found on all continents. We have yellowbellies and spindles.
• · monitor lizard family - 30 species of the largest modern lizards. Distributed in Africa, Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Australia. From small (20 cm) to giant (4 m) monitor lizards. Gray monitor lizard, giant monitor lizards occupy the ecological niche of large predatory animals that are absent in these habitats.

Lizards are the most numerous and widespread group of modern reptiles. Appearance lizards are extremely diverse. Their head, body, legs and tail can be modified to one degree or another and deviate significantly from the usual type, which is familiar to everyone. In some species the body is noticeably compressed laterally, in others it is valval or flattened from top to bottom, in others it is cylindrically shortened or elongated in length, like that of snakes, from which some lizards are almost indistinguishable in appearance. Most species have two pairs of developed five-fingered limbs, but in some cases only the front or rear pair of legs are retained, and the number of fingers can be reduced to four, three, two and one, or they are absent altogether. Most lizards are characterized by incomplete ossification of the anterior part of the skull, the presence of a sometimes not completely closed upper temporal arch, strong fusion of the upper jaws with the rest of the cranial bones, and the presence of special columnar bones connecting the roof of the skull with its base. The jaws of lizards are, as a rule, equipped with well-developed single-vertex or multi-vertex teeth, which are attached to the inside (pleurodont teeth) or to the outer edge (acrodont teeth). Often there are also teeth on the palatine, pterygoid and some other bones. They are often differentiated into false canines, incisors and molars.

The tongue of lizards is extremely diverse in structure, form, and partly in the function it performs. Wide, fleshy and relatively inactive in geckos and agamas, it is highly elongated, deeply forked, very mobile and capable of being retracted into a special vagina in monitor lizards. The bifurcation of the tongue observed in many species, combined with its high mobility, is associated, in addition to touch, also with the function of the Jacobson organ, which opens inside the mouth. The short and thick tongue is often used to capture prey, and in chameleons it is thrown far out of the mouth for this purpose. The skin of lizards is covered with horny scales, the nature and location of which varies greatly, which is of decisive importance for taxonomy. In many species, large scales located on the head and other parts of the body increase to the size of scutes, each of which receives a special name. Often on the head and body there are tubercles, spines, horns, ridges or other horny outgrowths formed by modified scales and sometimes reaching significant sizes in males. Some groups of lizards are characterized by the presence under the scales of the body and head of special bone plates - osteoderms, which, articulated with each other, can form a continuous bone shell. In all species, the upper stratum corneum of scales is shed during periodic molting and is replaced by a new one. The shape and size of the tail are very diverse. As a rule, it gradually becomes thinner towards the end and is distinguished by its considerable length, noticeably exceeding the body and head combined. However, in a number of cases it is shortened like a blunt cone, thickened at the end in the form of a radish, spatulately flattened, or has some other unusual shape. Most often oval or round in cross section, it is often compressed in the horizontal or vertical plane in the form of an oar. Finally, a number of lizards have a prehensile tail or can curl like a spiral. Many lizards have the ability to autotomy. The fracture occurs along a special non-ossified layer across one of the vertebrae, and not between them, where the connection is stronger. Soon the tail grows back, but the vertebrae are not restored, but are replaced by a cartilaginous rod, which is why a new detachment is possible only higher than the previous one. Often the torn tail is not completely separated, but a new one still grows, resulting in two-tailed and multi-tailed individuals. It is interesting that in many cases the scales of the restored tail differ from normal ones, and have characteristics of more ancient species. The dry skin of lizards is devoid of glands, but some roundheads (Phrynocephalus) have real skin glands on their backs, the function of which is not entirely clear. In representatives of a number of families, on the lower surface of the thighs there are rows of so-called femoral pores - special iron similar formations, from which columns of hardened secretion protrude from the males during the breeding season. In other species, similar formations are located in front of the anus or on its sides, respectively called anal and inguinal pores.

The smallest known lizards (some geckos) reach a length of only 3.5-4 cm, while the largest - monitor lizards grow to at least 3 m, weighing 150 kg. As a rule, males are larger than females, but in some cases females, on the contrary, are noticeably larger than males. The eyes of lizards in most cases are well developed and protected by eyelids, of which only the lower one is movable, while the upper one is greatly shortened and usually loses its mobility. Along with this, in many species the movable eyelids are replaced by a solid transparent membrane that covers the eye like a watch glass, like in snakes. Using the example of a number of species from different systematic groups, it is easy to trace the gradual stages of transition from opaque separate eyelids to the appearance of first a transparent window in the still mobile lower eyelid and then until the lower eyelid completely fuses with the upper and the formation of an already motionless window in it. Such fused eyelids are found in most nocturnal lizards - geckos, a number of legless and burrowing species, as well as in some skinks and other lizards, both diurnal and nocturnal. Night lizards, as a rule, have significantly enlarged eyes with a pupil in the form of a vertical slit with straight or saw-toothed edges. In the retina of the eyes of diurnal lizards there are special elements of color vision - cones, thanks to which they are able to distinguish all the colors of the solar spectrum. In most nocturnal species, light-sensitive elements are represented by rods, and the perception of colors is inaccessible to them. As a rule, lizards have good hearing. The eardrum can be located openly on the sides of the head, hidden under the scales of the body, or it can be completely overgrown with skin, so that the external auditory opening disappears. Sometimes it, together with the tympanic cavity, is reduced, and the animal is able to perceive sound only seismically, that is, pressing its whole body against the substrate. Most lizards only make a dull hiss or snort. More or less loud sounds - squeaking, clicking, chirping or croaking - are capable of being produced by different geckos, which is achieved using the tongue or rubbing the horny scales against each other. In addition to geckos, some sand lizards (Psammodromus) can also “squeal” quite loudly. The sense of smell is less developed than other senses, but some lizards are quite capable of finding prey by smell. The nostrils of many, especially desert species, are closed with special valves that prevent sand from entering the nasal cavity. Some lizards have a well-developed sense of taste and willingly drink, for example, sugar syrup, choosing it among tasteless solutions. However, their taste sensitivity to bitter substances is insignificant. Many lizards have tactile hairs, formed from keratinized cells of the upper layer of skin and regularly located along the edges of individual scales. In addition, special tactile spots are often located in different places of the body and head, on which sensitive cells are concentrated. Many lizards have a so-called third, or parietal, eye, usually visible as a small light spot in the center of one of the scutes covering the back of the head. In its structure, it is somewhat reminiscent of an ordinary eye and can perceive certain light stimuli, transmitting them along a special nerve to the brain. The coloration of lizards is extremely varied and, as a rule, harmonizes well with the surrounding environment. In species living in deserts, light, sandy tones predominate; lizards living on dark rocks often have a brown, almost black color, and lizards living on tree trunks and branches are mottled with brown and brown spots, reminiscent of bark and moss. Many tree species are colored to match the green foliage. Similar colors are typical for a number of agamas, iguanas and geckos. The overall color of the body largely depends on the nature of the pattern, which can be composed of individual symmetrically located spots, longitudinal or transverse stripes and rings, round eyes, or randomly scattered spots and specks throughout the body. In combination with the color of the main background of the body, these patterns further camouflage the animal in the surrounding area, hiding it from enemies. For coloring daytime species characterized by very bright red, blue and yellow tones, while nocturnal species are usually more uniformly colored. The coloration of some lizards varies significantly depending on sex and age, with males and juveniles usually being more brightly colored. A number of species are characterized by a rapid change in color under the influence of changes in the environment or under the influence of internal states - excitement, fear, hunger, etc. This ability is inherent in some iguanas, geckos, agamas and other lizards.

Distribution and lifestyle.

The maximum number of lizard species lives in the tropical and subtropical zones of the globe, in countries with temperate climate there are fewer of them, and the further you go to the north and south, the more their number decreases. For example, only one species reaches the Arctic Circle - the viviparous lizard. The life of some lizards is closely connected with water, and although there are no true marine forms among lizards, one of them, the Galapagos iguana (Amblyrhynchus crislatus), penetrates into coastal waters ocean. In the mountains, lizards rise to the level of eternal snow, living at altitudes of up to 5000 m above sea level. Under specific environmental conditions, lizards acquire the corresponding features of specialization. Thus, desert forms develop special horny combs on the sides of their fingers - sand skis, which allow them to quickly move along the loose surface of sand and dig holes. Lizards that live in trees and rocks usually have long, prehensile limbs with sharp claws and a prehensile tail that often aids in climbing. Many geckos, which spend their entire lives on vertical surfaces, have special extensions on the underside of their toes with tiny tenacious hairs that can attach to the substrate. Many lizards that lack limbs and lead a burrowing lifestyle have a serpentine-like elongated body. Such adaptations to certain living conditions in lizards are extremely varied, and almost always they concern not only the features of the external structure or anatomy, but also affect many important physiological functions organisms associated with nutrition, reproduction, water metabolism, rhythm of activity, thermoregulation, etc. The optimal environmental temperature, most favorable for the life of lizards, lies in the range of 26-42 ° C, and in tropical and desert species it is higher than in inhabitants of the temperate zone, and in nocturnal forms, as a rule, it is lower than in daytime ones. When the temperature rises above the optimum, lizards take refuge in the shade, and when extreme temperatures remain for a long time, they completely stop their activity, falling into a state of so-called summer hibernation. The latter is often observed in desert and arid areas in the south. IN temperate latitudes In the fall, lizards go to winter, which for different species lasts from 1.5-2 to 7 months a year. They often overwinter several dozen or even hundreds of individuals in one shelter.

In lizards, the transition from real crawling on the belly to a gradual raising of the body above the substrate and, finally, to movement with the body raised high on the legs is clearly visible. To the inhabitants open spaces The movement is characterized by a fast trot, and many then switch to running on two legs, which is observed not only in exotic species, but also in some species of our fauna. It is curious that the South American iguana Basiliscus americanus is even capable of running short distances in water in this state, slapping its hind legs on its surface. The ability to run fast is usually combined with the presence long tail, playing the role of a balancer, as well as a steering wheel for turning while running. Many geckos move in very short bursts, remaining in one place for a long time. Arboreal species develop the ability to climb, which often involves a prehensile tail. Finally, some specialized forms, such as flying dragons (Draco), are capable of gliding flight thanks to folds of skin on the sides of the body supported by highly elongated ribs. Many lizards jump well, catching prey on the fly. Some desert species have adapted to “swimming” in the thickness of the sand, in which they spend most of their lives.

Most lizards are predators, feeding on all kinds of animals that they are able to grab and overpower. The main food of small and average size species include insects, spiders, worms, mollusks and other invertebrates. More large lizards They eat small vertebrates - rodents, birds and their eggs, frogs, snakes, other lizards, as well as carrion. A smaller number of lizards are herbivores. Their food consists of fruits, seeds and succulent parts of plants. Lizards slowly creep up to their prey and then grab it in a final lunge. As a rule, the prey is eaten whole, but may first be torn into pieces by the jaws. Like other reptiles, lizards are able to remain without food for a long time, using up reserves nutrients, deposited in fat bodies located in the body cavity. In many species, in particular geckos, fat is also deposited in the tail, the size of which greatly increases. Lizards drink water by licking it with their tongue or scooping it with their lower jaw. Desert species are content with water in the body of the prey they eat, and in some of them it can accumulate in special sac-like formations located in the abdominal cavity. Desert iguanas of the genus Sauromalus have special lymphatic sacs under the skin on the sides of the body, filled with gelatinous fluid, which largely consists of water accumulated during rains and then slowly dissipated during periods of prolonged drought.

The lifespan of lizards varies significantly. In many relatively small species it does not exceed 1-3 years, while large iguanas and monitor lizards live 50-70 years or more. Some lizards survived 20 - 30 and even 50 years in captivity. Most lizards benefit by eating significant quantities of harmful insects and invertebrates. The meat of some large species is quite edible, which is why they are often the object of special fishing, and the skin of these reptiles is also used by humans. In a number of countries, the catching and extermination of some lizards is prohibited by law. Currently, about 4,000 species of various lizards are known, usually grouped into 20 families and almost 390 genera.

The most common group of the reptile class are lizards, of which there are almost six thousand species. They differ in size, color and habits. Even if we do not take into account the fact that new species of lizards are regularly discovered, the names and photographs of all the animals of this suborder would still not be possible to fit into one article. Let's meet only representatives of this group.

Types of lizards: names and photos

The suborder of lizards is divided into six infraorders, including 37 families. We present one entertaining species from each infra-detachment.

1. Iguanas . The most famous representative The iguana is the Yemen chameleon. The species is distinguished by its large size among chameleons. Males reach a length of 60 cm. Characteristic feature representatives of this family have the ability to mimicry. They change body color for camouflage purposes. The Yemen chameleon turns brown when threatened. However, don't expect him to bright colors- for such a spectacle you will have to take a closer look at other species.



2. Skinks . The Crimean lizard is found in Moldova, in the Black Sea Russia (Republic of Crimea), the Balkan Peninsula and the Ionian Islands. It reaches twenty centimeters in length. The color is brown or green with dark rows of longitudinal spots. It has the ability to shed its tail and grow a new one, like all representatives of the True lizard family.


3. Monitor lizards . In addition to extinct sea ​​predators The mosasaurian infraorder also includes the largest modern lizard - the Komodo dragon, which grows up to three meters in length and reaches a weight of more than 80 kg. At an early age they feed on eggs, birds, and small animals. Over time, they move on to larger prey. At one time, the Komodo dragon is able to eat an amount of meat equal to 80% of its own weight. Thanks to its elastic stomach and movable bone joints, this species swallows an animal the size of a goat whole.



4. Gecko-like. The Madagascar day gecko or green felsuma is one of the largest representatives of its family. Individuals of this species reach up to 30.5 cm in length. The color is bright green. They spend most of their life, not exceeding ten years, in trees in search of insects, fruits and flower nectar, which constitute the main diet of green felsum.



5. Vermiformes . Representatives of the vermiform infraorder bear little resemblance to lizards familiar to the average person. A typical representative - the American worm-like lizard - has no legs, no eyes, no ears. The animal does not even resemble a snake, but rather an earthworm, but they have no family ties with the latter. American worm-like lizards lead a burrowing lifestyle, representing another amazing branch of lizard evolution.


6. Fusiformes . Representatives of this infra-detachment also decided to give up their extra limbs. The brittle spindle, or copperhead, is often confused with the copperhead snake from the family Colubridae. This species of lizard is easily tamed by humans and lives in captivity twice as long as in the wild, being protected from natural enemies.

Lizard Reproduction

With rare exceptions, lizards reproduce sexually. Otherwise, parthenogenesis occurs, in which the offspring develops from the female’s egg without the participation of a male. All lizards are oviparous. However, some of them lay shelled eggs, from which hatchlings emerge after a while. Other species are ovoviviparous. The young hatch from the eggs just before leaving the female's body. Representatives of lizard species that are small in size die immediately after laying eggs or giving birth to their young.

Reproduction in captivity requires maintaining a calm environment for the animals, as stress significantly reduces the reproductive function of lizards.

Sometimes it is possible to identify different types of lizards based on their names and photographs. However, some related species so similar that only a specialist can recognize them. Looking at other lizards, an uninitiated person will completely rank them among other groups of animals. Biological research family ties between representatives of this suborder of reptiles.

The types of lizards, names and photos of their subspecies are of interest not only to professional herpetologists and terrariumists, but also to everyone who likes to observe the nature of our planet, marveling at the amazing diversity of the animal world. The diversity of lizards, from blind burrowing creatures to three-meter predatory giants, is only an echo of the former greatness of this group, when ancient mosasaurs roamed the oceans. The largest species of this extinct family, Hoffmann's mosasaurus, could reach a length of almost twenty meters and was the king of the sea predators of the end Cretaceous period. Impressive lizard, isn't it?

Lizards- a suborder of squamous reptiles, the largest group of modern reptiles, currently numbering more than 3,500 species, united in 20 families and almost 350 genera. Lizards can be found on all continents except Antarctica. and each of them is characterized by certain groups of these animals. In Europe these are real lizards, in Asia - agamas and some geckos, in Africa - belt-tailed lizards, and in Australia - monitor lizards and scale-tailed lizards.

The greatest species diversity of lizards is in tropical and subtropical zones Earth, in countries with a temperate climate there are fewer of them, and only one species reaches the Arctic Circle - the viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivi-raga). Lizards inhabit a wide variety of biotopes on our planet - from arid deserts to tropical rain forests and subalpine meadows, descend into the deepest gorges and rise into the mountains to a height of up to 5 thousand m above sea level, to the zone of eternal snow.

Most lizards live on the surface of the earth, but many of them penetrate into its thickness (many skinks) or rush upward into the crowns of trees (many agamas and geckos). And lizards such as the flying dragon (Draco volans) or the lobed-tailed gecko (Ptychozoon kuhli) are trying to do again what reptiles already did many millions of years ago - master the airspace. Not alien to lizards and sea ​​element- on the Galapagos Islands live marine iguanas (Amblyrhync-hus cristatus), excellent swimmers and diving seaweed which they feed on.

The appearance of lizards is so diverse that it is difficult to name any characteristic feature. Moreover, lizards have so many common features with snakes, that sometimes even a specialist finds it difficult to distinguish them. It’s not for nothing that lizards and snakes are only suborders of the same order. Thus, representatives of 7 families of lizards in in full force or partially deprived of legs; in our country these are the spindletail (Anguis fragilis) and the yellowbell (Ophisaurus apodus).

Holo-eyes, like snakes, have fused and transparent eyelids, many lizards have barely noticeable (or even completely absent) ear openings, and, finally, there are poisonous lizards - the poisonous teeth, which live in the USA and Mexico. Many lizards have a very bizarre appearance due to the presence of various skin outgrowths and folds in the form of ridges, bumps and horns. As an example, just remember the Australian lizard - Moloch horridus, absolutely harmless, but with a terrifying appearance.

The coloring of many lizards is variegated and varied, and in some species it can vary depending on the physiological state. There are such lizards in our country. Thus, the color of the steppe agama (Tgarelus sanguinolenta) becomes brighter when high temperatures or during mating tournaments - at this time the males develop a characteristic blue “beard”. However, most lizards have camouflage coloring - making them invisible against the surrounding background.

For example, lizards that live in the desert are often yellow, gray, or brown colors, and in the greenery tropical forest- in bright green. The appearance of lizards is closely related to their lifestyle. Woody species They have tenacious claws and a tail or special pads on their fingers that allow them to stay on branches in the most unimaginable positions.

Thanks to such pads, covered with numerous microscopic hooks, some geckos can even stick to glass. Such are the leks (Gecko gekko), the daytime Madagascar geckos (Phelsuma) and many other geckos. Lizards that lead a burrowing lifestyle have reduced or absent limbs and a serpentine body. These characteristics are most clearly expressed in worm-like lizards of the genus Dibamus, common in Indochina, the Indo-Australian and Philippine islands and New Guinea.

Most lizards move very quickly, but I especially want to note the American cnemidophores (Cnemidophorus), which walk on their hind legs using their tail to maintain balance. For their speed of movement, these lizards received a second name - runner lizards. But the Australian frilled agama (Chlamydosaurus kingi) is not inferior to them in terms of speed of movement. A helmed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) from Central America, reaching a length of 80 cm, moves on its hind legs with such speed that it can run not only on land, but also on water.

Many lizards can make certain sounds. Some of them hiss like snakes (for example, monitor lizards). Others make more varied sounds. These are, first of all, geckos. They make squeaks, clicks, chirps and the like, using not only their tongue, but also the friction of the scales on their tail. The skink gecko (Tegatoscincus scincus), living in the Central Asian republics of our country, has such a “musical” tail.

The largest modern lizard is considered to be the giant Indonesian monitor lizard (Varanus komodoensis) from Komodo Island, which reaches a length of 3 m and weighs up to 120 kg. And the smallest lizard, not exceeding 4 cm in length, is the South American gecko - Spherodactylus elegans.

Lizard nutrition

Most lizards are predators. The size of the prey depends on the size of the lizards themselves. Small and medium-sized lizards feed mainly on various insects, spiders, worms, mollusks and small vertebrates. Larger lizards eat larger prey - fish, amphibians, other lizards and snakes, birds and their eggs, and various mammals.

Fewer lizards are herbivores. However (just as was noted in the essay about turtles), many lizards, eating mainly plant foods, willingly add food of animal origin to their “menu” and, conversely, predators - plant food.

Moreover, in most herbivorous lizards, the young initially feed on insects and only over time switch to the food of their parents. Food specialization among lizards is relatively rare, but nevertheless it occurs, and this must be taken into account. Yes, food marine iguanas predominantly one type of algae is of exclusively theoretical and general educational interest, and the narrow feeding specialization of some roundheads on ants or termites may also be of practical interest to us.

Lizard Reproduction

The reproduction of lizards (as well as turtles) is not particularly diverse. During the breeding season, which in countries with a temperate climate and a clearly defined change of seasons occurs in the spring, and in tropical regions can be completely acyclical, male lizards organize mating tournaments and court females, after which they mate with them. Most lizards lay eggs.

Typically, eggs have a thin leathery shell, less often (mainly in geckos) - a dense, calcareous shell. The number of eggs varies among different species and can range from 1-2 to several dozen. The female lays eggs one or several times during the year, in a wide variety of, but always secluded places - in holes, cracks, under stones and snags, in tree hollows, etc.

Some geckos glue eggs to tree trunks and branches, in rocky outcrops, etc. In most cases, after laying eggs, lizards do not return to them. Only a few of them take care of their offspring. Among our lizards this is the yellow-bellied lizard (Ohisaurus apodus). Females of this species not only guard the clutch, but also look after it - periodically turning it over and cleaning it of debris.

Even for some time after the young yellowbellies hatch, the females continue to protect them and even give up food.
One of the forms of caring for offspring may include the ability of some lizards to delay the laying of eggs, waiting for the onset of conditions favorable for this. Yes, y snapping lizard eggs can linger in the oviducts for 20 days. In others, for example, in the viviparous lizard (Lacerta vivipara), until hatching. This different stages one process - ovoviviparity. But in some species of lizards (most often these are skinks) there is also a true viviparity, when the fibrous shell of the egg is reduced and part of the oviduct comes into contact with the chorion - that is, a semblance of a placenta is formed, with the help of which the embryo is nourished at the expense of the mother’s body.

One of the reasons that causes viviparity is the cold climate, so the percentage of viviparous species increases as you move north and into the mountains. It is interesting that even lizards of the same species, depending on the altitude above sea level, can either lay eggs or give birth to live young. For example, Tibetan roundheads lay eggs at an altitude of 2 thousand m above sea level, and are viviparous at an altitude of 4 thousand m.

Concluding the conversation about the reproductive biology of lizards, it is advisable to mention the so-called parthenogenetic reproduction, characteristic of some of them. Moreover, the species, as a rule, does not have males as such; females lay unfertilized eggs, from which, nevertheless, completely normal young ones hatch.

Parthenogenetic lizards in our country include the Armenian lizard (Lacerta armeniaca), white-bellied lizard (L. unisexualis), Dahl's lizard (L. dah1y) and Rostombekov's lizard (L. rostombekovi).

Lifespan of lizards. For many small species it is short, only 2-5 years, and sometimes even 1 year. But large lizards, primarily monitor lizards, can live in captivity for up to 50-70 years.