Lizard Classification
Within the class of reptiles, the snakes
and lizards are placed in the same order. That's because, from the zoologist's
point of view, snakes and lizards are practically the same thing -- just that lizards have
legs! Having legs is not considered a big deal in this case. In the history of animal
evolution it's clear that legs can come and go. For example, consider the python,
which is a huge tropical snake on which are found vestiges of the hind legs their
ancestors once had -- "vestigial" legs. Also, "glass lizards" are
actually legless, snakelike lizards. Taxonomically, here's how lizards and snakes shake
out, as of early 2004, focusing mainly on species found in North America:
The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptile and Amphibians by John Behler says that there are about 3,000 lizard species worldwide. Of the world's 17 lizard families, 8 are native to North America. In North America north of Mexico, about 115 species, some of them introduced, can be observed. |
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Conrad, Jim. Last updated .
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