Page 51 - Reptiles & Dinosaurs (Britannica Illustrated Science Library)

46 LIZARDS AND CROCODILES REPTILES AND DINOSAURS 47

Lizards DAY GECKOS 4,765 Heloderma

Phelsuma sp.
izards are the largest group of reptiles. They LIZARD SPECIES comprise only two species, which live in
the United States and Mexico. They feed
live in most environments except for extremely EXIST IN THE WORLD. on invertebrates and small vertebrates. COLORS
warn of
Their bodies are massive, and their skin is
L cold regions, since they cannot regulate their covered with small knobs. They are the poison.
own body temperatures. There are land-dwelling, only poisonous lizards, and their bite can
be dangerous to humans.
underground, tree-dwelling, and even semi-aquatic GILA
MONSTER
lizards. They can walk, climb, dig, run, and even glide. NOSTRIL FAT TAIL Heloderma
Lizards often have differentiated heads, movable stores fat suspectum
reserves
eyelids, a rigid lower jaw, four five-toed feet, a long EYE WITH EYELID for later
body covered with scales, and a long tail. Some can consumption.
even shed their tails when threatened. STICKY EAR Body Heat
TOES
Lizards survive in environments where they
MOUTH can maintain their body temperature, such
as forests or deserts.
CREST SUNBATHING
runs from head
Chameleons Camouflage LIFESAVING RECOURSE AUTOTOMIC TAIL to tail. 6:00 AM
The lizard places
Between each vertebra,
live in Africa, especially in is an adaptive advantage. By blending in with the there are rupture planes Certain lizards can shed SKIN its body in the
sun's rays to take
southeastern regions and on vegetation surrounding them, lizards can escape enabling the tail to their tails many times has scales advantage of
Madagascar. They live in forests, the notice of both their predators and their prey. separate from the body. during their lives. In dangerous covered with a their heat.
where they use their prehensile situations, they may even shed it CREST tough, corneous
tails and toes to climb trees. Their voluntarily in order to flee their (or hornlike)
well-known ability to change color confused predators. Later the tail layer.
is important when they face grows back. IN ACTION
danger or when they SUBTYMPANIC 10:00 AM
begin to court. SHIELD It begins its daily
activities and
movements.
TELESCOPIC Geckos
EYES
and Skinks
DEWLAP
are lizard-like animals of the family is fleshy and HIDDEN
Gekkonidae that live in warm large in males. 12:00 PM
regions. Their limbs are very When the sun is at
small. (In fact, some its highest, they
species have none at hide from the
all!) Their bodies excessive heat.
MELLER'S
CHAMELEON are covered with
SKIN Chamaeleo smooth, shiny CATCHING
has cells melleri scales. A FEW MORE
with many COMMON IGUANA RAYS
pigments.
Iguana sp. 6:00 PM
TAIL PREHENSILE TOES They return to the
curls up can surround a branch sunlight but elevate
when and hold on tight. their bodies to take
necessary. advantage of the
heat radiating from
the rocks.

Iguanas
Iguanas belong to the largest New World group of reptiles and
have the most complex design. They inhabit tropical regions of
the Americas, including the forests of Mexico. They can change
FEET WITH color during mating season. The species of this group are
CLAWS vegetarians.
enable it to walk,
climb, and dig
burrows.
CLAW