ZOO. 451 - LIZARD SPECIMEN PHOTOS

LIZARD SPECIMEN PHOTOS

ZOO. 451 - Vertebrate Natural History

K. Petersen's Home Page Zoology 451 Home Page kepeter@u.washington.edu

Alligator & Turtle Photos Snake Photos

Amniote Skulls - part 1 - for "reptile" skulls Amniote Skeletons - part 1 - for "reptile" skeletons

Click on each image to see the larger version.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Iguanidae - iguana (know family)
Members of this family have extremely long tails, well developed hind legs that are longer than front legs.
Close up of head, showing visible pineal eye (faint, lighter spot) & the single row of enlarged scales down that runs down the midline of the head, trunk & tail of iguanas.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Iguanidae - iguana (know family)

Iguana skulls show the opening for the pineal eye dorsally & have small, laterally flattened teeth attached to the sides of the jaw bones (this is called pleurodont tooth attachment.
..

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Phrynosomatidae

Short-horned Lizard
It has a flat body with a nearly round body & a relatively short tail.
Posterior border of head has very short spines & note spines along lateral body margins.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Phrynosomatidae

Western Fence Lizard
Dorsal view - they are larger bodied and have larger, sharper spines on than the Sagebrush Lizard.
Ventral view - male (top) has dark, solid blue throat & darker blue along sides of abdomen than female.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Phrynosomatidae

Sagebrush Lizard
Dorsal view - they are slightly smaller in body size & have less spiny scales than Western Fence Lizards.
Ventral view - male (top) has blue mottled throat, while the female may lack blue color ventrally.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Phrynosomatidae

Side-blotched Lizard
Dorsal view - They have rounded, granular scales on back, not spiny as are many species of the Phrynosomatidae.
Ventral view - They have a gular fold across throat & a dark blue (~ black) spot is just behind each front leg but it is darker in males than females.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Crotaphytidae

Longnosed Leopard Lizard
The dorsal side has granular scales & the belly has squarish scales. The head has an interparietal scale that is smaller than the ear opening - compare with the Iguanidae. They have light transverse bars on body & tail with dark spots between the light bars. They have large legs, particularly the hind legs. Its caudal scales are small, not pointed as in the Phrynosomatidae.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Teiidae - whiptail

(no specimen of Western Whiptail available)
Dorsal view - Members of the family have a pointed snout/rostrum, long, slender bodies with no major indentation at neck, & small granular scales over the back.
Ventral view - Members of the family have a pointed snout, large rectangular scales on the belly, large legs & a long, thin tail.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Scincidae

Western Skink
Dorsal view with a young specimen - The back has a wide, brown dorsal stripe bordered by light stripe then black bordered that extends from head to tail - not easily visible here.
Ventral view - Body is long, cylindrical & covered with cycloid scales (smooth, rounded) dorsally & ventrally. All legs are short.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Anguidae

Northern Alligator Lizard
They have elongate, shiny bodies with rectangular scales dorsally & ventrally. Dark markings on belly scales form longitudinal rows between scale rows. All 4 legs are short.
They have a distinct band of granular scales along the side. The skin fold that partially hides these scales has been distended with fluid injected into the body.

ORDER SQUAMATA
Family Helodermatidae

Gila Monster
This lizard has a broad, stout body; non-overlapping, bead-like scales in a pattern of black & orange. It has thick legs and a short, fat tail.

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Alligator & Turtle Photos	Snake Photos
Amniote Skulls - part 1 - for "reptile" skulls	Amniote Skeletons - part 1 - for "reptile" skeletons

ORDER SQUAMATA Family Iguanidae - iguana (know family)	Members of this family have extremely long tails, well developed hind legs that are longer than front legs.	Close up of head, showing visible pineal eye (faint, lighter spot) & the single row of enlarged scales down that runs down the midline of the head, trunk & tail of iguanas.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Iguanidae - iguana (know family)	Iguana skulls show the opening for the pineal eye dorsally & have small, laterally flattened teeth attached to the sides of the jaw bones (this is called pleurodont tooth attachment.	..

ORDER SQUAMATA Family Phrynosomatidae Short-horned Lizard	It has a flat body with a nearly round body & a relatively short tail.	Posterior border of head has very short spines & note spines along lateral body margins.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Phrynosomatidae Western Fence Lizard	Dorsal view - they are larger bodied and have larger, sharper spines on than the Sagebrush Lizard.	Ventral view - male (top) has dark, solid blue throat & darker blue along sides of abdomen than female.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Phrynosomatidae Sagebrush Lizard	Dorsal view - they are slightly smaller in body size & have less spiny scales than Western Fence Lizards.	Ventral view - male (top) has blue mottled throat, while the female may lack blue color ventrally.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Phrynosomatidae Side-blotched Lizard	Dorsal view - They have rounded, granular scales on back, not spiny as are many species of the Phrynosomatidae.	Ventral view - They have a gular fold across throat & a dark blue (~ black) spot is just behind each front leg but it is darker in males than females.

ORDER SQUAMATA Family Crotaphytidae Longnosed Leopard Lizard	The dorsal side has granular scales & the belly has squarish scales. The head has an interparietal scale that is smaller than the ear opening - compare with the Iguanidae. They have light transverse bars on body & tail with dark spots between the light bars. They have large legs, particularly the hind legs. Its caudal scales are small, not pointed as in the Phrynosomatidae.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Teiidae - whiptail (no specimen of Western Whiptail available)	Dorsal view - Members of the family have a pointed snout/rostrum, long, slender bodies with no major indentation at neck, & small granular scales over the back.	Ventral view - Members of the family have a pointed snout, large rectangular scales on the belly, large legs & a long, thin tail.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Scincidae Western Skink	Dorsal view with a young specimen - The back has a wide, brown dorsal stripe bordered by light stripe then black bordered that extends from head to tail - not easily visible here.	Ventral view - Body is long, cylindrical & covered with cycloid scales (smooth, rounded) dorsally & ventrally. All legs are short.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Anguidae Northern Alligator Lizard	They have elongate, shiny bodies with rectangular scales dorsally & ventrally. Dark markings on belly scales form longitudinal rows between scale rows. All 4 legs are short.	They have a distinct band of granular scales along the side. The skin fold that partially hides these scales has been distended with fluid injected into the body.
ORDER SQUAMATA Family Helodermatidae Gila Monster	This lizard has a broad, stout body; non-overlapping, bead-like scales in a pattern of black & orange. It has thick legs and a short, fat tail.