Lizards are reptiles within the order Squamata, with over 7,000 species spread across every continent except Antarctica. Characterized by scaly skin, four legs (or none in legless species), and external ear openings, they vary from tiny geckos to massive Komodo dragons. Their adaptability has led to a wide range of habitats, from deserts to rainforests.
Most lizards are ectothermic, relying on external heat to regulate body temperature, often basking on rocks or branches. They’re predominantly carnivorous or insectivorous, eating insects, small mammals, or eggs, though some, like iguanas, are herbivorous. Their hunting styles differ—chameleons use sticky tongues, while monitors rely on speed and strength.
Lizards exhibit incredible diversity in appearance and behavior. Chameleons change color, horned lizards squirt blood, and flying dragons glide with skin flaps. Sizes range from the 2-inch dwarf gecko to the 10-foot Komodo dragon, and colors span muted browns to vivid greens, often aiding camouflage or mating displays.
Reproduction varies: most lay eggs, but some, like the common lizard, bear live young in colder climates. Many can regenerate lost tails—a defense mechanism called autotomy—though the new tail is often shorter. Lizards play key ecological roles as predators and prey, influencing insect populations and food webs.
Culturally, lizards are pets (geckos, bearded dragons), symbols (like the agile trickster in folklore), and even food in some regions. They face threats from habitat loss, climate change, and the pet trade, yet their resilience keeps them thriving. From venomous Gila monsters to harmless anoles, lizards captivate with their variety and tenacity.
Types of Lizards
Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard on Earth, native to a few Indonesian islands like Komodo and Rinca. Reaching lengths of up to 10 feet and weighing over 150 pounds, this apex predator has a robust build, sharp claws, and serrated teeth. Its bite delivers venom that inhibits blood clotting, allowing it to take down prey like deer and water buffalo. Komodo dragons inhabit dry savannas and forests, relying on keen senses of smell—detecting carrion miles away with their forked tongues. Though solitary, they’re fiercely territorial and can sprint at surprising speeds for their size.
Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)
Green iguanas are vibrant, herbivorous lizards found in Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil, and introduced in places like Florida. Growing up to 6 feet long, they sport a bright green body (though color dulls with age), a row of spines along their back, and a dewlap under their chin used for display. They’re arboreal, thriving in rainforests near rivers, where they bask in treetops and dive into water to escape predators. Their diet consists of leaves, flowers, and fruits, and they’re popular as pets despite requiring extensive care due to their size and lifespan of up to 20 years.
Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)
The Gila monster, one of only two venomous lizards, roams the deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its stocky body, up to 2 feet long, is covered in bead-like, orange-and-black scales that warn of its potent venom, delivered through grooved teeth. This slow-moving lizard feeds on eggs, small mammals, and birds, storing fat in its tail for lean times. Gila monsters spend much of their lives underground, emerging to hunt or bask, and their venom, while painful, is rarely fatal to humans—though it’s being studied for medical applications like diabetes treatment.
Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
Native to the arid regions of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, the leopard gecko is a small, nocturnal lizard, typically 8-10 inches long. Its yellow-and-white body is adorned with dark spots, resembling a leopard’s coat, and it has movable eyelids—a rarity among geckos. Unlike many geckos, it lacks sticky toe pads, relying on claws for grip. Leopard geckos thrive in rocky deserts, feeding on insects like crickets and mealworms. Their docile nature and ease of care make them a favorite in the pet trade, with a lifespan reaching 15-20 years.
Chameleon (family Chamaeleonidae)
Chameleons, with over 200 species, are renowned for their color-changing ability, found across Africa, Madagascar, and parts of Asia and Europe. Species like the veiled chameleon grow to 2 feet, with prehensile tails, bulging eyes that move independently, and a sticky tongue that shoots out to snag insects. Their color shifts—due to skin chromatophores—signal mood, temperature, or camouflage. Chameleons inhabit forests and savannas, often arboreal, and their slow, deliberate movements help them avoid detection. They’re solitary and territorial, with males displaying vivid hues to attract mates or deter rivals.
Monitor Lizard (genus Varanus)
Monitor lizards, like the Nile monitor or Asian water monitor, are a diverse group found across Africa, Asia, and Australia. Sizes vary widely—the water monitor can reach 10 feet, though most are smaller. They have muscular bodies, long tails, and forked tongues for sensing prey, which includes eggs, fish, and small mammals. Monitors are intelligent and active, often swimming or climbing in their habitats of forests, rivers, or savannas. Some species, like the perentie, are apex predators, while others adapt to urban fringes, showcasing their versatility.
Blue-Tongued Skink (Tiliqua scincoides)
The blue-tongued skink, native to Australia and New Guinea, is a stout lizard, about 2 feet long, with a vivid blue tongue it flashes to startle predators. Its smooth, overlapping scales are gray or brown with dark bands, suited to woodlands and grasslands. An omnivore, it eats snails, insects, and fruits, using its strong jaws to crush food. Blue-tongues are diurnal and slow-moving, often basking or foraging in open areas. Their gentle demeanor and 20-year lifespan make them popular pets, though they need ample space to thrive.
Horned Lizard (genus Phrynosoma)
Horned lizards, often called “horny toads,” inhabit North America’s deserts and plains, from Canada to Mexico. Their flat, spiky bodies—up to 5 inches long—are camouflaged in sandy browns, with horn-like protrusions for defense. They feed primarily on ants, using a sticky tongue, and can squirt blood from their eyes to deter predators like snakes. Horned lizards rely on basking to warm up, remaining still to blend into their surroundings. Habitat loss and the pet trade threaten some species, despite their quirky adaptations.
Frilled Lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii)
The frilled lizard, found in northern Australia and New Guinea, is famous for its large, colorful neck frill, which it flares when threatened, making it appear larger than its 3-foot length. Its slender, gray-brown body is arboreal, suited to forests and savannas, where it hunts insects and small vertebrates. When alarmed, it runs bipedally on its hind legs, frill extended, before climbing to safety. Frilled lizards are solitary and bask in trees, relying on their dramatic display rather than speed for survival.
Anole (genus Anolis)
Anoles, with over 400 species, are small lizards—typically 5-8 inches long—found across the Americas, especially the Caribbean. The green anole, for instance, shifts between green and brown for camouflage or signaling. They have adhesive toe pads for climbing trees and walls in forests or suburbs, feeding on insects like spiders. Males display a red throat fan (dewlap) to attract mates or assert territory. Anoles are adaptable, with some species invasive in places like Florida, thriving due to their agility and resilience.
Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus)
The thorny devil, an Australian desert dweller, is a small, bizarre lizard, about 8 inches long, covered in sharp, thorn-like spines. Its tan and brown coloration changes with temperature, aiding camouflage among sandy dunes. It feeds exclusively on ants, lapping up thousands daily with a sticky tongue, and collects water via skin grooves that channel dew to its mouth. Slow-moving and solitary, the thorny devil puffs up or tucks its head to deter predators, relying on its spiky armor for protection in harsh arid conditions.
Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
The collared lizard, native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, is a striking reptile known for its vivid colors—bright greens, yellows, and blues—and two black bands around its neck resembling a collar. Growing up to 14 inches long, it inhabits rocky deserts and grasslands, where it basks on stones and sprints bipedally at speeds up to 16 mph to catch insects, smaller lizards, or flee predators. Its strong jaws and agile body make it a formidable hunter, while its territorial males perform push-up displays to assert dominance.
Jackson’s Chameleon (Trioceros jacksonii)
Jackson’s chameleon, originally from East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) and introduced to Hawaii, is a medium-sized lizard, about 12 inches long, famous for its three prominent horns—two above the eyes and one on the snout—giving it a triceratops-like appearance. Its green body can shift to yellows or browns for camouflage or communication, and it thrives in montane forests, feeding on insects with its long, projectile tongue. Arboreal and slow-moving, it uses its prehensile tail and zygodactyl feet (fused toes) to grip branches, making it a master of treetop life.
Fence Lizard (genus Sceloporus)
Fence lizards, like the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), are widespread across North America, from Canada to Mexico. Typically 6-9 inches long, they have spiky, gray-brown scales with blue belly patches in males, used in mating displays. Found in forests, grasslands, and rocky areas, they’re often seen basking on fences or logs, hence their name. They eat insects like beetles and ants, and their blood contains a protein that kills Lyme disease bacteria in ticks, indirectly benefiting human health. Agile climbers, they dart away when threatened.
Agama Lizard (genus Agama)
Agama lizards, common in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe, are known for their colorful breeding displays, especially in species like the red-headed agama. Males, up to 12 inches long, turn bright red, blue, or orange during mating season, while females remain drab brown. They inhabit savannas, deserts, and rocky outcrops, basking on elevated surfaces to regulate temperature and eating insects or small vertebrates. Agamas are territorial, with dominant males performing head-bobbing rituals to ward off rivals, and they’re well-adapted to arid conditions with efficient water conservation.
Flying Dragon (Draco volans)
The flying dragon, or Draco lizard, is a small, arboreal species found in Southeast Asia’s rainforests, growing to about 8 inches long. Its slender, brownish body is unremarkable until it spreads its “wings”—flaps of skin supported by elongated ribs—allowing it to glide up to 30 feet between trees. These gliders escape predators and chase insects, their primary food, using camouflaged patterns to blend into bark. Males have a bright throat flap for courtship displays, and their lightweight build makes them masters of aerial navigation in dense forest canopies.
Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)
The slow worm, despite its snake-like appearance, is a legless lizard native to Europe and parts of Asia. Reaching 20 inches long, its smooth, shiny body ranges from gray to bronze, with females often sporting a dark stripe. Found in grasslands, woodlands, and gardens, it burrows or hides under rocks, feeding on slugs, worms, and soft-bodied insects. Slow worms are ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young, and can shed their tails (autotomy) to escape predators. Their secretive nature and long lifespan—up to 30 years—make them elusive.
Desert Iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)
The desert iguana thrives in the arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, growing to about 16 inches long. Its pale gray or tan body, with faint bands, blends into sandy dunes and rocky flats, where it basks to tolerate high temperatures. A herbivore, it eats creosote bush flowers, leaves, and occasional insects, using its blunt snout to forage. Desert iguanas are solitary and dig burrows for shade and hibernation, emerging in spring to mate. Their heat tolerance—up to 115°F—sets them apart from most lizards.
Side-Blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)
The side-blotched lizard, common in western North America’s deserts and scrublands, is a small species, about 5-6 inches long, with a grayish-brown body marked by dark blotches or spots. Males exhibit a fascinating mating strategy with three throat color morphs—orange (aggressive), blue (cooperative), and yellow (sneaky)—each tied to distinct behaviors in a rock-paper-scissors-like dominance cycle. They feed on insects and spiders, darting across open ground or hiding under rocks. Their adaptability and genetic diversity make them a key study subject in evolutionary biology.
Common Basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus)
The common basilisk, or “Jesus Christ lizard,” inhabits Central and South American rainforests near rivers, growing to 2-3 feet long. Its green or brown body features a crest on its head, back, and tail, but it’s famous for running on water using large, fringed hind feet—up to 20 feet before sinking. Basilisks are omnivores, eating insects, small vertebrates, and plants, and they’re excellent swimmers and climbers. When threatened, their bipedal sprint across water or into trees showcases their agility, making them a spectacle in their humid habitats.
Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis)
The sand lizard, found across Europe and western Asia, is a medium-sized species, up to 10 inches long, with males turning vivid green during breeding season while females remain brown with dark stripes. They prefer sandy heaths, dunes, and grasslands, basking on warm surfaces and hunting insects like grasshoppers. Sand lizards lay eggs in burrows, and their populations are sensitive to habitat loss, earning them conservation status in some regions. Their cryptic coloration and quick movements help them evade predators like birds.
Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)
Though not a true lizard (it’s the sole survivor of the order Rhynchocephalia), the tuatara is often included in lizard discussions due to its reptilian traits. Native to New Zealand, it grows to 2 feet long, with a spiky crest and gray-green skin. Tuataras have a “third eye” (parietal eye) on their head, possibly for sensing light, and they eat insects, birds, and eggs with sharp teeth. Living in coastal forests or on islands, they’re nocturnal and can live over 100 years, making them living fossils from a lineage dating back 200 million years.
Armadillo Lizard (Ouroborus cataphractus)
The armadillo lizard, from South Africa’s arid regions, is a small, 6-8-inch species with a unique defense: it rolls into a spiky ball, tucking its head into its tail like an armadillo. Its brown, armored body is covered in square, bony scales, suited to rocky outcrops where it basks and eats insects like termites. Social for a lizard, it lives in small groups, a rarity among reptiles. Armadillo lizards give birth to live young, and their striking appearance and behavior make them a target for the pet trade, though they’re protected due to habitat threats.
Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko)
The Tokay gecko, native to Southeast Asia and parts of the Pacific, is a large, nocturnal lizard, reaching up to 14 inches long. Its vibrant gray-blue body is covered in orange or red spots, and its sticky toe pads allow it to climb walls and trees in rainforests or human dwellings. Known for its loud “to-kay” call, it’s a territorial predator, feeding on insects, small vertebrates, and even other geckos. Tokays are popular in the pet trade, though their feisty bite and strong grip make them a challenge to handle.
Long-Tailed Grass Lizard (Takydromus sexlineatus)
The long-tailed grass lizard, found across Southeast Asia, is a slender, agile species, growing to about 12 inches—most of which is its whip-like tail, up to three times its body length. Its bronze or green body blends into grassy fields and forests, where it darts through vegetation to catch insects like crickets. This diurnal lizard uses its tail for balance and can shed it to escape predators, regrowing it over time. Its speed and delicate frame make it a master of evasion in open habitats.
Mexican Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum)
The Mexican beaded lizard, a close relative of the Gila monster, inhabits Mexico and Guatemala’s dry forests and scrublands. Growing up to 3 feet long, its black body is adorned with yellow or pink bead-like scales, signaling its venomous bite—delivered through grooved teeth. It preys on eggs, small mammals, and reptiles, storing fat in its tail for survival in arid conditions. Nocturnal and secretive, it spends much of its time underground, emerging to hunt. Like the Gila, its venom has potential medical uses, but it’s rarely fatal to humans.
Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
The common lizard, also called the viviparous lizard, is widespread across Europe and northern Asia, from Britain to Japan. This small species, about 6 inches long, has a brown or gray body with darker stripes or spots, varying by region. Found in grasslands, heaths, and forests, it basks on rocks and eats insects like spiders. Uniquely, it gives birth to live young (viviparous) rather than laying eggs in colder climates, an adaptation to short summers. Its wide range and resilience make it a familiar sight in temperate zones.
Crested Gecko (Correlophus ciliatus)
The crested gecko, native to New Caledonia, is a small, arboreal lizard, up to 9 inches long, rediscovered in the 1990s after being thought extinct. Its soft, gray-to-orange skin features a crest of spines above its eyes and along its back, and its prehensile tail aids climbing in humid forests. Omnivorous, it eats fruit, nectar, and insects, licking food with a sticky tongue. Crested geckos lack eyelids, using their tongue to clean their eyes, and their calm demeanor and vibrant morphs have made them a pet trade staple.
Spiny-Tailed Lizard (genus Uromastyx)
Spiny-tailed lizards, or Uromastyx, are desert-dwellers from North Africa and the Middle East, growing to 10-30 inches depending on the species. Their stout bodies, in shades of yellow, green, or brown, end in a thick, spiky tail used to block burrows or swipe at predators. Herbivorous, they eat tough desert plants like succulents, thriving in extreme heat by basking and digging shelters. Diurnal and social, some live in loose colonies, and their striking colors during breeding season attract mates. They’re popular pets due to their docile nature.
Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii)
The flat-tailed horned lizard, found in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico, is a small, 4-inch species with a wide, flattened body and short horns. Its sandy coloration camouflages it against dunes, where it buries itself to avoid heat and predators. Feeding almost exclusively on ants, it uses a quick tongue to snatch prey, and like other horned lizards, it can squirt blood from its eyes as a defense. Habitat loss from development threatens this elusive species, making it a conservation focus.
Emerald Tree Monitor (Varanus prasinus)
The emerald tree monitor, from New Guinea and nearby islands, is a stunning arboreal lizard, about 3 feet long, with a vivid green body and a prehensile tail for gripping branches. Found in tropical rainforests, it hunts insects, birds, and small mammals with sharp claws and teeth, using its keen senses to navigate dense canopies. Its slender build and bright color make it a standout among monitors, though it’s shy and elusive in the wild. In captivity, its intelligence and beauty make it a prized, if challenging, pet.
Steppe Runner (Eremias arguta)
The steppe runner, native to Central Asia and Eastern Europe, is a small, fast lizard, about 6-8 inches long, with a sleek, brown or gray body marked by faint stripes. It thrives in steppes, deserts, and rocky plains, darting across open ground to catch insects like beetles. Diurnal and highly active, it relies on speed and burrows to evade predators like hawks. Steppe runners lay eggs in sandy soil, and their adaptability allows them to survive harsh, dry climates where few reptiles thrive.
Madagascar Day Gecko (Phelsuma madagascariensis)
The Madagascar day gecko, from Madagascar and nearby islands, is a vibrant, diurnal lizard, up to 9 inches long, with a brilliant green body, red spots, and large, jewel-like eyes. Its sticky toe pads let it cling to trees and leaves in humid forests, where it feeds on nectar, fruit, and insects. Active by day—unlike most geckos—it basks in sunlight and uses its bright colors to signal territory or attract mates. Its beauty and ease of care have made it a favorite in the reptile trade.
Caucasian Agama (Paralaudakia caucasia)
The Caucasian agama, found in the Caucasus Mountains and parts of the Middle East, is a medium-sized lizard, about 12 inches long, with a rugged, gray-brown body that turns bluish in males during breeding. It inhabits rocky cliffs and highlands, basking on stones and eating insects or small lizards. Territorial and diurnal, males perform push-ups and color displays to defend their perch. Well-suited to cold, dry environments, it hibernates in winter, emerging in spring to breed and forage.
Glass Lizard (genus Ophisaurus)
Glass lizards, found in North America, Europe, and Asia, are legless lizards often mistaken for snakes, growing up to 4 feet long. Their stiff, shiny bodies—brown, green, or yellow—break easily when grabbed (hence “glass”), regrowing over time. Living in grasslands and forests, they hunt insects, snails, and small rodents, using powerful jaws. Unlike snakes, they have eyelids and rigid bodies, and some species retain tiny leg stubs. Slow-moving and secretive, they bask in open areas but retreat to burrows when threatened.