A lizard is an animal that belongs to the class of reptiles (reptiles). To date, almost 6,000 species are known. Representatives of families can differ greatly; some rare species are listed in the Red Book. Lizards are both reptiles with legs and some legless forms. Reptiles can be vegetarians and eat animal foods. Some varieties are suitable for keeping at home.

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Description

Unlike snakes, these reptiles have divided eyelids. Their body is elastic, elongated, ending in a long tail. Paws are proportional, clawed.

According to general characteristics, the body is covered with keratinized scales, which change several times a year. The tongue may have different shapes, it is usually mobile and extends from the mouth. It is with them that lizards catch prey. On both sides of the head are the hearing organs, which are covered by the eardrums.

Real lizard

The most common reptile is the true lizard. Her body length is 40 cm.

Teeth are used for tearing and grinding food. Monitor lizards use them to cut up their prey.

The only one poisonous species lizards - poisonous tooth.



Reptiles live on all continents except Antarctica. Representatives familiar to Russia - real lizards - live almost everywhere. All species move on different surfaces, clinging tightly to uneven surfaces. Rock lizards are excellent jumpers, their jump height reaches 4 m.



Tail

Lizards are capable of autotomy, which is used in case of danger: muscle contraction allows you to break the cartilaginous formations of the vertebrae and discard part of the tail, narrowing the blood vessels, resulting in blood loss almost never happens. This distracts the enemy, and the animal avoids the attack.

The reptile's tail quickly recovers in a shortened form. Sometimes not one, but several grow back.



Color

Lizards have a color that combines green, white, gray and brown colors. Species that live in the desert exactly repeat the hue of the surrounding area. This is their defense mechanism.

Desert species are capable of changing body color. These include the calot, a reptile with a red head. Among reptiles there are albinos - these are lizards white devoid of pigment.



The gigantic lizard is black and yellow in color.



Giant lizard

Salamanders are black with yellow spots.



Salamander

Geckos have special colors. Some of them pink color with a blue tail.





Floor

There are a number of signs that allow you to roughly determine gender. You can distinguish a male from a femaleonly in adulthood, as sexual dimorphism developslate.

Males of some species are described as having a ridge on their back and head and large pores on their thighs. Another feature of the male is spurs on his paws.

The sex of certain species can be determined by the throat “bags”, preanal scutes and enlarged scales behind the cloaca.

However, only a blood test for testosterone levels will help to accurately distinguish a male from a female. It is done at the veterinary clinic.

Varieties

Lizard species are divided into 6 infraorders, which consist of 37 families.

Each of them has its own characteristics.

Skinks

The order includes 7 families with the following names:

• real lizards;
• night lizards;
• Gerrosaurs;
• skinks;
• Teiids;
• belttails;
• Gymophthalmides.



Large Gerrosaurus

Iguanas

The order consists of 14 families. Some of the representatives of these lizards are true iguanas. This large reptiles, which can reach a length of 2 m. They live mainly in tropical forests.

A striking representative of the order is also the chameleon, which inhabits Africa, Madagascar, Eastern countries, and the USA. Its peculiarity lies in the ability to change skin color depending on the environment.



Chameleon

In the forests of Cameroon there is a four-horned chameleon, which got its name because of the characteristic growths on its head. Males can only develop three “horns”; females usually do not have them.

Gecko-like

The order consists of 7 families.

Its representative can be called the scalefish, which lives in Australia.



Scalelegs

Fusiformes

The order includes 2 superfamilies and 5 families.

These include monitor lizards, earless monitor lizards, spindle monitors, legless monitor lizards, and xenosaurs.

Large xenosaur

Vermiformes

The order consists of 2 genera and the worm family different lizards, which look like worms.

They inhabit Indonesia, China, New Guinea, Philippines.



Worm-like lizard

Monitor lizards

The order includes several families, which consist of the largest lizards.

Typical representatives are the monitor lizard and the poisonous tooth, which are found in the USA and Mexico.



Komodo dragon

Lizard suborder

The order includes the superfamily Shinisaurus.

It includes one species, the crocodile shinisaurus.



Crocodile Shinisaurus

Record breakers

Of the existing representatives of lizards, the largest is komodo dragon. Some individuals have enormous dimensions, reaching three meters in length and a weight of 85 kg in adulthood. A monitor lizard weighing 91.7 kg is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. These reptiles eat small animals, but can also attack larger prey. The Komodo dragon feeds on wild boars, wild goats, and cattle.

The smallest lizards in the world are the Haraguana sphero and the Virginia round-toed gecko. Their dimensions do not exceed 19 mm, weight - 0.2 g.

Domestic species

Various geckos are especially popular among owners.



Pink with gray tail hemiteconix

If you need a calm pet for children, it is better to gethemiteconyx. They have different colors depending on the breed. Their tail stores nutrients, which they use as a reserve when food is lacking. Because of this, the tail appears gray, while the body is most often pink. This is a reptile with a very expressive look.



Felzuma

If you want to keep it at homeIf the animal is more active, you can choose felsuma. She has a beautiful emerald color. You can watch her during daylight hours.

At home they also keep varieties of agamas. The most popular of them are bearded and woody. The first received its name due to the neck pouch, which, when frightened or in mating season stretches and darkens. The tree or black-throated agama is also capable of changing skin tone. Such pets are reluctant to make contact with the owner and prefer to hide.



Many lizards eat insects. They prefer a variety of crickets, mealworms, and will not refuse raw eggs or pieces of meat, a mixture of chopped boiled chicken, carrots and lettuce.

The food is supplemented with vitamins and minerals. A terrarium for home maintenance must have water. If the pet refuses food but drinks, there is no reason to worry: the lizard has simply decreased its activity and is not hungry.

Reproduction

The mating season occurs in spring and summer. Large species reproduce once a season, small ones - several times a year. Males conflict, approach each other from the side, trying to look bigger. The small one gives up without a fight and retreats.

If the males are the same size, a fight ensues between them, during which they use their teeth. The winner gets the right to the female. In some species, an imbalance in the sex ratio leads to parthenogenesis - females lay eggs without the participation of males. Lizards have two types of reproduction: viviparity and egg laying.

Females of small reptiles lay no more than 4 eggs, large ones - up to 18. The weight of one varies from 4 to 200 g. The size of the round-toed gecko egg is no more than 6 mm in diameter. In the monitor lizard it reaches 10 cm in length.

The females bury the clutches in the ground and hide them in burrows. The incubation period lasts from 3 weeks to one and a half months. It depends on the climate. Having hatched, the cubs begin an independent life.

Pregnancy lasts 3 months, embryos northern species overwinter in the womb. Their lifespan does not exceed 5 years.

LIZARDS (Lacertilia, Sauria), suborder of reptiles of the squamate order; includes 20 families, including true lizards, geckos, agamas, iguanas, monitor lizards, serpentines, chameleons; in total more than 3900 species.
The body of lizards from 3.5 cm to 3.5 m long (Komodo dragon) is covered with keratinized scales. The body is flattened, laterally compressed (or cylindrical), of various colors. The tongue of geckos and agamas is wide, fleshy, while that of monitor lizards is long, slightly forked, thickened at the end. The eyelids are movable or fused (in gologlins), forming “spectacles”. Most limbs are well developed, some are reduced or completely absent. Many species of lizards are capable of throwing off their tails (autotomy). Some are poisonous (venomous teeth).

Lizards live on all continents except Antarctica, mainly in the tropics and subtropics; in steppes, deserts and forests. Most lead a terrestrial lifestyle, some live in the soil, on trees, on rocks; marine iguana lives near the water and goes into the sea. Some are capable of gliding flight. Small lizards feed on invertebrates, mainly insects, and sometimes small vertebrates; herbivores or omnivores are less common. The giant Komodo dragon attacks various mammals.
Lizards are mostly oviparous, but they are also viviparous. Some species are characterized by parthenogenesis. Lizard meat is edible, and the skin is used for various crafts. 36 species and subspecies of lizards are listed in the IUCN Red List. Lizards are kept in horizontal or cubic terrariums in conditions as close as possible to their natural habitat.

Anoles

A genus of lizards from the Iguanidae Family.
One of the largest genera of iguana lizards, numbering about 200 species.
Distributed in Central America and the Caribbean, several species have been introduced into the southern United States. They live in tropical rainforests, most species are wood image life, only a few live on earth.
Small, medium and large lizards from 10 to 50 centimeters in length. They have a long thin tail, often longer than the body. Coloration varies from brown to green, sometimes with blurred stripes or spots on the head and sides of the body.

A characteristic display behavior is the inflating of the throat pouch, which is usually brightly colored and varies in color among different types. The largest species, the knight anole (Anolis equestris), reaches 50 centimeters. Other species are much smaller. One of the most known species This genus is the North American red-throated anole (Anolis carolinensis). Representatives of this species reach a length of 20 - 25 centimeters.
Contain anoles better in groups of one male and several females, in vertical terrarium, the walls of which are decorated with bark and other materials that allow lizards to move along vertical surfaces. The main volume of the terrarium is filled with branches of various thicknesses. You can place live plants in the terrarium to maintain humidity.
Temperature 25 - 30 degrees. Ultraviolet radiation is required. High humidity is maintained using a hygroscopic substrate and regular spraying. Anoles are fed insects by adding chopped fruit and lettuce.

Red-throated anole

Red-throated anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Its color is highly variable: one can observe all stages of transition from yellow and bright brown to bright green above and brown or silvery-white below. The strongly developed throat sac of males is bright red.
The red-throated anole is a small lizard, reaching 20-25 cm including the tail.
During the breeding season, brightly colored green males, inflating their protruding red throat sac and strongly squeezing their body from the sides, flaunt their outfit, engaging in fierce fights when they meet. At first, they slowly circle in place for some time, trying to keep their side to the enemy and opening their mouths to intimidate. Then, taking off from their place, they rush towards each other and, clinging into a ball, soon roll off the branch onto the ground, where they scatter to the sides or, returning to the previous battlefield, continue the battle.
More often, however, after the first fight, the weaker male takes flight, often losing his tail and bleeding. There are cases when such tournaments even ended in the death of one of the opponents.
In June-July, the female, descending from the tree, digs a shallow hole with her front legs, into which she lays 1-2 eggs, covering them with loose soil. The young hatch after 6-7 weeks and, having climbed to the surface, immediately climb trees, where at first they stay together, separately from the adults.

Spindlefish

Fusiformes (lat. Anguidae) is a family of reptiles from the order Squamate, which includes 12 genera, which include about 120 species. Veretenits are found in Eurasia and the New World.

Fusiformes are a diverse family of lizards. Among them are found as snake-like, legless species(for example, the spindle is brittle), and common species with four limbs with five fingers. In all spindles, the scales are supported by small bony plates.
Many species have a stretchable fold of skin on both sides that facilitates swallowing food and breathing, and also helps with egg laying. Like real lizards, the spindle tail easily falls off and after some time grows back, but not completely.
Unlike snakes, spindles have movable eyelids, as well as auditory openings.
In spindleworts strong jaws, in most cases with blunted chewing teeth. The food of most spindles is insects, mollusks, as well as other lizards and small mammals. Some species are distinguished by viviparity.
in adults and young people, the sides are darker than the back and belly (fragile spindle).

Yellow Tummy

YELLOWBELLY (Ophisaurus apodus) or capercaillie is the largest representative of the spindle family. It reaches a length of 120 cm.
Limbs are completely absent; they are only reminiscent of a pair of barely noticeable scaly outgrowths located near the anus. The length of the yellowbell's tail is equal to half the total body length.
The distribution area of ​​the yellowbell covers the south of the Balkan Peninsula, some islands Mediterranean Sea, Southern coast of Crimea, Caucasus, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Southern Kazakhstan, Southern Turkmenistan, Southern and Western Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Throughout this vast territory, the yellowbell is found in large and small varieties; river valleys, on foothill plains overgrown with grass and shrubs, in sparse deciduous forests, on various cultivated lands - in orchards, vineyards, abandoned cotton and rice fields.
Females lay 8-10 oblong, relatively large eggs in June - early July. Young yellowbellies, about 10 cm long, appear at the end of August, but lead a hidden lifestyle and are very rare in the fall.
Yellowbellies feed on various insects, among which large beetles predominate - dung beetles, beetles, darkling beetles, golden beetles, bronze beetles and ground beetles. A significant place in their food is occupied by snails, which they eat by first crushing the shells. In the spring and after the rains, yellow-bellied large quantities exterminate naked slugs. They often eat small vertebrates - lizards, small snakes, rodents, eggs and chicks of ground-nesting birds, as well as sweet fruits, in particular apricot carrion and grape berries. Adults sometimes hunt for their own young. By exterminating a significant number of pests, yellowbellies bring undoubted benefits to humans.

Geckos

GECKOS (grass-toed) (Gekkonidae), family of lizards; about 70 genera and 700 species.

Distributed on all continents except Antarctica, mainly in tropical and subtropical, less often temperate regions.
On the head of geckos there are numerous granular or small polygonal scutes; big eyes without eyelids, covered with a fixed transparent membrane; wide tongue, with a small notch in front, covered on top with small papillae; most species are nocturnal; capable of making sounds.
Geckos, with the exception of two New Zealand genera - Naultinus and Hoplodactylus and one species of the New Caledonian genus Rhacodactylus (Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus), are oviparous, the remaining several species are viviparous.

Skink gecko

The skink gecko or Common skink gecko (lat. Teratoscincus scincus) is a species of lizard from the genus Skink geckos of the gecko family.

Medium sized geckos. A large, wide and high head with a blunt muzzle and very bulging eyes. They produce a characteristic squeak, as well as a crackling sound from rapid movements of the tail, which occurs when the nail-like plates on it rub.
Lives in sandy areas. Activity is strictly nocturnal. Skink geckos are territorial and aggressive, and male fights are common during mating season.
Wintering from late September - early November to northern March - early April. Sexual maturity is reached 18-20 months after hatching from the eggs, with a body length of about 70 mm. They dig holes. Mating in late April - mid-May, egg laying in early June, 1-2 eggs per clutch.
They feed on insects and arachnids.

Broad-tailed felsuma

Broad-tailed felsuma (Flat-tailed felsuma, Madagascar flat-tailed gecko lat. Phelsuma laticauda) is a species of gecko from the genus Phelsuma.

They live in the north of Madagascar and the Comoros Islands. Later the species was introduced to the Seychelles, Hawaii and some tropical islands. They are also popular as pets. The body length reaches 13 cm, about half of which is the tail. The female lays 2 to 5 eggs with an incubation period of 40-45 days. Broad-tailed felsums reach sexual maturity at the age of 12 months.
Phelsumas are diurnal, feeding mainly on insects and flower nectar; their color changes depending on temperature and lighting.
There are two subspecies:
Phelsuma laticauda laticauda (Boettger, 1880)
Phelsuma laticauda angularis (Mertens, 1964)

Iguanas

Iguanas (lat. Iguanidae) are a family of relatively large lizards that have adapted to dry climate conditions.
Relatively recently, there has been a revision of this family, whose representatives were previously identified as the subfamily Iguaninae. By modern classification The family includes 8 genera and 25 species.

Iguanas are common in Northern, Central and South America, in the Antilles, Galapagos and Fiji Islands
family, length of the common iguana ( Iguana iguana) reaches 2 m. For comparison, the length of the desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis) usually does not exceed 14 inches. A distinctive feature of the family are pleurodont teeth, which are not observed in the iguana-like lizards of the Old World - agamids (Agamidae) and chameleons (Chamaeleonidae). Iguanas have a number of synapomorphic characters, among which septa in the large intestine can be noted. Some iguanas lead a terrestrial lifestyle, such as desert iguanas (Dipsosaurus), ring-tailed iguanas (Cyclura), chuckwells (Sauromalus), black iguanas (Ctenosaura). Others live primarily in trees (true iguanas Iguana, brachylophus Brachylophus). Arboreal species rarely descend to the ground, most often to lay eggs.

Common iguana

The common or green iguana (lat. Iguana iguana) is a large herbivorous lizard of the iguana family, leading a diurnal arboreal lifestyle.
Lives in Central and South America. Initial natural habitat covers a significant area from Mexico south to southern Brazil and Paraguay, as well as islands Caribbean Sea. In addition, several populations whose ancestors were domestic pets emerged in some areas of the United States: in southern Florida (including the Florida Keys), in Hawaiian Islands and in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

The body length from the nose to the tip of the tail in adult individuals usually does not exceed 1.5 m, although individual individuals have been known in history to be more than 2 m long and weighing up to 8 kg.
Thanks to its bright colors, calm disposition and easy-going nature, common iguanas often bred and kept indoors as pets. However, their maintenance requires proper and careful care, among the requirements is a specially equipped terrarium with plenty of space, maintaining acceptable humidity, temperature and illumination.

Helmeted Basilisk

The genus Basilisk (Basiliscus) in the iguana family, which has more than 700 species, consists of 4-5 species. Terrariums usually contain common and helmeted basilisks. Helmet-bearing, perhaps even more often.
In nature, these large lizards live in tropical wet forests Panama and Costa Rica. They prefer to live on trees growing along the coasts of water bodies. They are excellent at swimming and diving.
Appearance helmeted basilisk very original: this large lizard emerald green in color, reaching 80 centimeters in length (three quarters of which is the tail).

On the head of the male there is a growth resembling a helmet or crown, like its mythical prototype, and along the back and tail there is a crest. Blue spots are scattered throughout the body, and under the throat there is a special blue-yellow throat pouch - males inflate it when sorting out relations with an opponent or in a fight for territory.
The basilisk feeds on various animals: cockroaches, crickets, fish, mice.
Daylight hours for a basilisk are 12-14 hours. The illumination may not be very high, but extra light will not hurt. Daytime background temperature is 26-33°C (under a heater - up to 35°C). Like many other reptiles, basilisks require local heating.

Round heads

Roundheads (lat. Phrynocephalus) are a genus of lizards from the Agamidae family.

Medium and small sized lizards, body length with tail up to 25 cm. Wide, strongly flattened body. The occipital and dorsal crests are not developed; short head, rounded in front, no throat pouch, transverse skin fold on the throat; the tail is rounded, capable of curling over the back; the ear opening is hidden under the skin; preanal and femoral pores are absent.

Distributed in the arid zone of southeastern Europe, Central Asia, northwestern China, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. In the fauna of Northern Eurasia (that is, countries former USSR and Mongolia) - 14 species, in Russia - 4 species, in Kazakhstan - 6 species.
Diurnal lizards that live in deserts and semi-deserts. Capable of digging holes. Some species are capable of plunging into the sand in case of danger or at night using rapid lateral movements of the body. They feed on insects and other invertebrates.
Most species of roundheads are oviparous, with a clutch of 1 to 7 eggs. There are 4 viviparous species (P. forsithii, P. theobalcli, P. vlangalii, P. zetangensis), the range of which is limited to the Tibetan plateau.

Long-eared roundhead

The long-eared roundhead (lat. Phrynocephalus mystaceus) is a species of lizards from the genus Roundheads of the Agamidae family.

A medium-sized lizard - body length reaches 11.2 cm, weight - 42.5 g. The head, body and tail are noticeably flattened. The anterior edge of the muzzle descends vertically to upper lip, so the nostrils are not visible from above. The body is covered on top with ribbed, keeled scales. The top is sand-colored with a grayish tinge. Against this background, a complex, patterned pattern of small dark lines, spots and dots is visible. The underparts are milky white, on the chest black spot. Juveniles have creamy underparts, without spots. There may be a dark marbled pattern on the throat. The tail is somewhat flattened, with a black tip.

Inhabits areas with predominantly bare sand dunes. It digs burrows on the slopes of dunes, in the form of a straight passage with a slight expansion at the end. It protects the immediate surroundings not only from individuals of its own species, but also from other lizards. It often spends the night outside the burrow, burrowing into the sand when pursued with quick movements of its body and legs. In cases where it is impossible to hide from persecution, it takes a frightening pose - it tenses its body, spreads its legs, puffs up and at the same time opens its mouth wide, the mucous membrane of the mouth becomes filled with blood and turns red. If it doesn’t help, he jumps towards the enemy, sometimes using his teeth. Appears after hibernation from late February to April. IN winter shelters hiding in October. Active during the day.
It feeds mainly on various beetles and ants, as well as caterpillars, termites, wasps, bees, ticks, spiders, and small lizards. Sometimes it also feeds on flowers.
The first clutch of eggs is in late May - early June, the second - in late June - early July. Eggs are laid in burrows or simply buried in the sand. In one clutch there are 2-6 eggs 2.1-2.7 cm long. Young ones begin to appear from the end of July. Sexual maturity occurs at the end of the second year of life.

Skinks

Skinks or Skinks (lat. Scincidae) is a family of lizards. The most extensive family of lizards, including about 130 genera and more than 1,500 species.

A characteristic feature of skinks is smooth, fish-like scales, which are underlain by bone plates - osteoderms. The scales on the dorsal side of the body, as a rule, differ little from the scales on the belly. Only a few species have scales that are tuberous, keeled, or equipped with spines. The head is covered with symmetrically arranged scutes. The underlying osteoderms fuse with the bones of the skull, closing both temporal fenestrae. The skull usually has well-developed temporal arches. The premaxillary bones are partially fused. There is one parietal bone, with a large opening for the parietal organ.
The teeth are pleurodont, fairly uniform, conical, laterally compressed, slightly curved. In herbivorous and molluscivorous forms, such as blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua), the teeth are widened and flattened, with a rounded top.

The eyes have a round pupil and most often have separate movable eyelids. Some species have a transparent “window” in the lower eyelid, allowing the lizard to see even with closed eyes. Holo-eyes have fused eyelids, forming transparent lenses, like those of snakes. The family demonstrates the whole series of transition to legless forms: there are skinks with normally developed limbs and fingers, forms with shortened limbs and a normal number of fingers, forms with shortened limbs and a reduced number of fingers, and serpentine legless ones. Arboreal species, like geckos, may have special plates on the inside of their toes that help them climb leaves and smooth tree trunks. The tail is usually long, but can be short (short-tailed skink Tiliqua rugosa) and used for fat storage, or prehensile (grain-tailed skink Corucia zebrata). Many species have a brittle tail and can shed it when threatened. The discarded tail twitches for a while, confusing predators and allowing its to the former owner buy time to escape.
Most skinks are dimly colored, but there are also quite variegated species. Sizes small, medium and large. Various representatives families reach a length from 8 to 70 cm.
Skinks are cosmopolitan and distributed on all continents except Antarctica. They live mainly in tropical regions, but also settled quite far north and south of the equator. Skinks are most diverse and richly represented in Australia, on the islands Pacific Ocean, in Southeast Asia and Africa. Skinks live in a wide variety of biotopes: both in deserts and in humid forests, in the tropics and in temperate latitudes.

Most skinks are terrestrial lizards, but among them there are quite a few species that lead a burrowing lifestyle, as well as semi-aquatic and woody species. Some desert skinks are able to “swim” in quick sand.
Skinks eat a wide variety of foods. Most are predators, eating insects and other invertebrates, as well as small vertebrates such as other lizards. Some species are omnivores (blue-tongued skinks, Leiolopisma), capable of eating carrion. A small number of species are predominantly herbivorous (short-tailed skink, prehensile-tailed skink)
There are oviparous, ovoviviparous and true viviparous species. U viviparous species the blood vessels of the wall of the embryo's yolk sac come close to the vessels of the walls of the uterine section of the female's oviduct and the so-called yolk placenta is formed. In this case, nutrition and gas exchange are carried out largely at the expense of the mother’s body. In casque-headed skinks (Tribolonotus), a partial or complete reduction of the left oviduct is observed, apparently caused by a decrease in the number of eggs laid or embryos developing in the oviducts. Some species of skinks are characterized by caring for offspring - the female protects the clutch and hatched cubs.

Mabui

MABUJA, a genus of lizards of the skink family.

Length up to 22 cm. All have a slender body with well-developed five-fingered limbs and a moderate length tail. The color is brown with light longitudinal stripes and dark spots, in tropical species it has a metallic sheen.

They live in Africa, Madagascar, South, Southeast and Southwest Asia, South and Central America, and the Antilles.
They are among the mobile, fast-running lizards; they climb bushes, trees, and rocks very well. Many dig deep holes. Most species are ovoviviparous, and only a few lay eggs, the number of which reaches 20 or more in one clutch.

Contents of the article

LIZARDS(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 are the paired copulatory organs of the male (hemipenises), located on both sides of the anus at the base of the tail. These are tubular formations that can turn out or retract inward like the fingers of a glove. The inverted hemipenises serve for internal fertilization of the female during mating.

Lizards and snakes form the order Squamata (from the Latin squama - scales, as a sign that the body of these reptiles is covered with small scales). One of the recurring trends in the evolution of its representatives was the reduction or loss of limbs. Snakes, one of the lineages of squamates with reduced limbs, make up the suborder Serpentes. The suborder of lizards comprises several highly divergent evolutionary lineages. For simplicity, we can say that “lizards” are all scaly animals, except snakes.

Most lizards have two pairs of limbs, visible openings of the external auditory canal, and a movable eyelid; but some of them lack these signs (like all snakes). Therefore, it is safer to focus on the features internal structure. For example, all lizards, even legless ones, retain at least rudiments of the sternum and shoulder girdle (the skeletal support of the forelimbs); Both of these are completely absent in snakes.

Distribution and some species.

Lizards are widespread throughout the world. Absent from Antarctica, they are found from the southern tip of other continents to southern Canada in North America and to the Arctic Circle in that part of Europe where the climate is moderated by warm ocean currents. Lizards are found from elevations below sea level, such as Death Valley in California, to 5500 m above sea level in the Himalayas.

Known approx. 3800 of them modern species. The smallest of them is the round-toed gecko ( Sphaerodactylus elegans) from the West Indies, only 33 mm long and weighing about 1 g, and the largest is the Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) from Indonesia, which can reach 3 m in length and weigh 135 kg. Despite the widespread belief that many lizards are poisonous, there are only two such species - the vest ( Heloderma suspectum) from the southwestern United States and the related escorpion ( H. horridum) from Mexico.

Paleontological history.

The oldest fossil remains of lizards date back to the Late Jurassic (ca. 160 million years ago). Some of their extinct species were enormous in size. It is assumed that Megalania, which lived in Australia in the Pleistocene (approx. 1 million years ago), reached a length of approx. 6 m; and the largest of the mosasaurs (a fossil family of long, slender fish-like aquatic lizards related to monitor lizards) is 11.5 m. Mosasaurs inhabited coastal sea ​​waters various parts of the planet approx. 85 million years ago. The closest modern relative of lizards and snakes is the rather large hatteria, or tuatara ( Sphenodon punctatus ), from New Zealand.

Appearance.

The background color of the back and sides of most lizards is green, brown, gray or black, often with a pattern in the form of longitudinal and transverse stripes or spots. Many species are able to change color or its brightness due to the dispersion and aggregation of pigment in special skin cells called melanophores.

The scales can be both small and large; they can be located close to each other (like tiles) or overlapping (like tiles). Sometimes they are transformed into spines or ridges. Some lizards, such as skinks, have bony plates called osteoderms inside their horny scales, which give the integument additional strength. All lizards molt periodically, shedding their outer layer of skin.

The limbs of lizards are designed differently, depending on the lifestyle of the species and the surface of the substrate on which it usually moves. In many climbing forms, such as anoles, geckos and some skinks, the lower surface of the fingers is expanded into a pad covered with setae - branched hair-like outgrowths of the outer layer of the skin. These bristles catch on the slightest irregularities in the substrate, which allows the animal to move along a vertical surface and even upside down.

Both the upper and lower jaws of lizards are equipped with teeth, and in some they are also located on the palatine bones (the roof of the oral cavity). The teeth are held on the jaws in two ways: acrodontally, almost completely fused with the bone, usually along its edge and not replaced, or pleurodontally - loosely attached to the inside of the bone and regularly replaced. Agamas, amphisbaenas and chameleons are the only modern lizards with acrodont teeth.

Sense organs.

The eyes of lizards are developed differently, depending on the species - from large and well-seeing in diurnal forms to small, degenerate and covered with scales in some burrowing taxa. Most have a movable scaly eyelid (lower eyelid only). Some medium-sized lizards have a transparent “window” on it. In a number of small species it occupies most or the entire area of ​​the eyelid, attached to the upper edge of the eye, so that it is constantly closed, but sees as if through glass. Such “glasses” are characteristic of most geckos, many skinks and some other lizards, whose gaze as a result is unblinking, like that of snakes. Lizards with a movable eyelid have a thin nictitating membrane, or third eyelid, underneath it. This is a transparent film that can move from side to side.

Many lizards have retained the parietal “third eye” characteristic of their ancestors, which is not capable of perceiving shape, but distinguishes between light and darkness. It is believed that he is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation and helps regulate sun exposure as well as other behaviors.

Most lizards have a noticeable opening in the shallow external auditory canal, which ends in the eardrum. These reptiles perceive sound waves with a frequency of 400 to 1500 Hz. Some groups of lizards have lost their auditory opening: it is either covered with scales or has disappeared as a result of narrowing of the auditory canal and eardrum. In general, these “earless” forms can perceive sounds, but, as a rule, worse than the “eared” ones.

Yakobsonov (vomeronasal) organ- a chemoreceptor structure located in the anterior part of the palate. It consists of a pair of chambers that open into the oral cavity with two small holes. With its help, lizards can determine chemical composition substances in the mouth and, more importantly, in the air and landing on their protruding tongue. Its tip is brought to the Jacobson's organ, the animal “tastes” the air (for example, the proximity of prey or danger) and reacts accordingly.

Reproduction.

Initially, lizards belong to oviparous animals, i.e. lay shell-covered eggs that develop for several weeks outside the mother's body before hatching. However, many groups of lizards have developed ovoviviparity. Their eggs are not covered with a shell, they remain in the female’s oviducts until embryonic development is completed, and the already “hatched” cubs are born. Only the widespread South American skinks of the genus can be considered truly viviparous. Mabuya. Their tiny, yolkless eggs develop in the oviducts, likely receiving nutrition from the mother through the placenta. The placenta in lizards is a special temporary formation on the wall of the oviduct, in which the capillaries of the mother and the embryo come close enough to each other so that the latter receives oxygen and nutrients from her blood.

The number of eggs or young in a brood varies from one (in large iguanas) up to 40–50. In several groups, for example, in most geckos, it is constant and equal to two, and in skinks and a number of American tropical geckos, there is always only one cub in the brood.

Age of puberty and life expectancy.

Puberty in lizards generally correlates with body size; in small species it lasts less than a year, in large species it lasts several years. In some small forms, most adults die after laying eggs. Many large lizards live up to 10 years or more, and one lizard, or brittle spindle ( Anguis fragilis), reached 54 years of age in captivity.

Enemies and methods of defense.

Lizards are attacked by almost all animals that can grab and defeat them. These are snakes birds of prey, mammals and humans. Methods to protect yourself from predators include morphological adaptations and special behavioral techniques. If you get too close to some lizards, they will take on a threatening pose. For example, the Australian frilled lizard ( Chlamydosaurus kingii ) suddenly opens its mouth and raises a wide bright collar formed by a fold of skin on the neck. Obviously, the effect of surprise plays a role in scaring off enemies.

If many lizards are grabbed by the tail, they throw it away, leaving the enemy with a wriggling piece of debris that distracts his attention. This process, known as autotomy, is facilitated by the presence of a thin non-ossifying zone in the middle of all caudal vertebrae except those closest to the trunk. The tail is then regenerated.

Lizards are reptiles with a wide variety of species. You can find out photos of a variety of lizards and a description of their life by reading this article.

To date, scientists have established that lizards are the largest group among the class Reptiles (Reptiles). Very often we call lizards those who are not lizards at all. We are accustomed to the fact that lizards are all representatives of reptiles that run on four legs and have long tail. But you will be surprised to learn that scientists classify as lizards mainly only representatives of the family True lizards, and the rest are similar to them: agamas, skinks, monitor lizards, and geckos - a completely different group.

Let's take a closer look at real lizards. These reptiles are of medium size, although there are also very small species among them. Basically, the body length of lizards reaches from 20 to 40 cm. And only the pearl lizard can grow up to 80 centimeters. But separate group in the family of true lizards, called foot-and-mouth disease, measures about 10 centimeters.

True lizards differ from their own kind (other reptiles) by movable eyelids. For example, snakes cannot boast of such an eye structure, because their eyelids are fused. All lizards have an oblong body and a long narrow tail. One more distinctive feature Lizards have a natural ability for autotomy. What is it? This is a famous one that even small children know about! In general, the scientific justification for the term autotomy sounds like a disposition to “self-mutilation,” i.e. intentional self-harm.

No, don’t think about it, lizards do such tricks not out of idleness and boredom! Only hopelessness and approaching death when meeting an enemy can force a lizard to break its spine and throw away its tail, which, by the way, will wriggle for some time as if alive, distracting the predator and misleading it. At this time, the lizard itself, almost whole, but alive, quickly disappears out of sight.

The color of lizards is always a combination of several shades: brown, green and gray. But depending on the habitat and climatic zones, lizards may have skin, e.g. yellow. And some types are even decorated with incredibly bright shades: red, azure, blue.

Sexual dimorphism in these reptiles is very weak, so it is almost impossible to distinguish a male lizard from a female lizard with the naked eye, unless you are a professional zoologist. Scientists have found that lizards do not have vocal cords and therefore are always silent, but in nature there are no exceptions, right? That is why there is a “vocal” lizard on Earth, which is called the Lizard of Stechlin and Simon; this reptile lives on Canary Islands. When danger overtakes her, she makes something like a squeak.

Today, representatives of real lizards inhabit Europe, Africa and partly Asia. But you will not find them in Madagascar, in the southern regions of Asia and on island territories in Indian Ocean. But, having once been brought to the lands of the United States, the lizards happily took root there and successfully reproduced. True lizards prefer forests, bushes, steppes, semi-deserts, meadows, mountainous areas, gardens, river banks and even cliffs as biotopes. They are not afraid of heights and steep slopes, because these reptiles move equally well in both horizontal and vertical planes.

Lizards are most active during daylight hours. Their diet consists of invertebrate animals, but sometimes the lizard can encroach on a small rodent or snake, and the most desperate ones even eat bird eggs. But most often these reptiles eat spiders, butterflies, locusts, snails, slugs, worms, grasshoppers and other small inhabitants of our fauna.

Black and yellow giant lizard (lat. Tiliqua nigrolutea) belongs to the skink family, Rodutiliqua. This is a very impressive creature, which, moreover, has a peaceful character and tolerates existence well in captivity. That is why representatives of the species often become inhabitants of terrariums among exotic lovers.

IN wildlife The black and yellow giant lizard lives in the south-eastern part of Australia, northern Tasmania and some islands of the Bass Strait. It can be found in almost any area: from mountains to plains with sparse vegetation.

Leads a daily lifestyle. At night, it prefers to hide in shelters, like other members of the genus. It feeds mainly on leaves, fruits and flowers. She will not refuse small invertebrates, but most of all she likes snails and slugs. It may also attack small rodents or feast on carrion.

This is a rather large lizard that grows up to 35-50 cm in length. It has a flattened body, a large head and small limbs. Upper part body is dark. Its color varies from black to chocolate brown. Small spots of cream, orange or yellow color are scattered throughout the body, which merge into short transverse stripes.

Black and yellow giant lizards are viviparous. Their pregnancy lasts about four months and ends with the birth of 8 cubs.

In the wild, they have to face many dangers: dingoes, birds of prey, snakes, love to snack on gigantic lizards, wild cats and dogs. In captivity, the life expectancy of tiliquas reaches 10-15 years.