Scaled reptiles
Varanus salvator
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Squamata Oppel, 1811
black: range of Squamata
Suborders
see text

This article is about the Squamata order of reptiles. For large firefighting devices see Fire monitor. The Water monitor, Varanus salvator is a large species of Monitor lizard Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year For the Roman scale armour see: Lorica squamata. The Lorica squamata is a type of Scale armour used by ancient Roman military during the Roman Republic and at later periods

Squamata (scaled reptiles) is the largest recent order of reptiles, including lizards and snakes. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny scales or shields. In most biological nomenclature a scale ( Greek lepid, Latin squama) is a small rigid plate that grows out of an Animal They also possess movable quadrate bones, making it possible to move the upper jaw relative to the braincase. The quadrate bone is part of a skull in most Tetrapods, including Amphibians, Sauropsids ( Reptiles, inclused Birds) and early This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very widely to accommodate comparatively large prey. The male members of the group Squamata are the only vertebrates with a hemipenis. A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of Intromittent organs of male squamates ( Snakes Lizards and worm lizards. This is also the only reptile group in which can be found both viviparous and ovoviviparous species, as well as the usual oviparous reptiles. A viviparous Animal is an animal employing vivipary: the embryo develops inside the body of the mother as opposed to outside in an egg ( Ovipary Ovoviviparous Animals develop within eggs that remain within the mother's body up until they hatch or are about to hatch Oviparous animals are animals that lay eggs, with little or no other Embryonic development within the mother They are the most variably-sized order of reptiles, ranging from the 16 mm (0. 63 in) Jaragua Sphaero to the 8 m (26 ft) Green Anaconda. The Jaragua Sphaero ( Sphaerodactylus ariasae) is a Gecko Species in the Sphaerodactylus (dwarf gecko Genus.

Contents 1 Classification 2 List of Families 3 Evolution 4 Venom 5 Humans and Squamates 5.1 Bites and Deaths 5.2 Conservation 6 References 7 Cited references 8 External links

Classification

Classically, the order is divided into three suborders:

• Lacertilia, the lizards;
• Serpentes, the snakes;
• Amphisbaenia, the worm lizards. Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. The Amphisbaenia are a suborder of usually legless Squamates closely related to Lizards and Snakes As many species possess a pink body coloration and

Of these, the lizards form a paraphyletic group. In Phylogenetics, a group of organisms is said to be paraphyletic if the group contains its most recent common ancestor but does not contain all In newer classifications the name Sauria is used for reptiles and birds in general, and the Squamata are divided differently:

• Suborder Iguania (the iguanas and chameleons)
• Suborder Scleroglossa
  • Infraorder Gekkota (the geckos)
  • Infraorder Anguimorpha (the monitors, Gila monster, and slow-worms)
  • Infraorder Scincomorpha (skinks, whiptail lizards and common European lizards)
• Suborder Serpentes (the snakes)
  • Infraorder Alethinophidia (vipers, boas, cobras, etc. Sauria is a Clade of reptiles that includes all living Diapsids as well as their Common ancestor and all its extinct descendants Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the Iguanas, Chameleons and New World "lizards" such as Anoles and Iguana is a Genus of Lizard native to tropical areas of Central and South America and the Caribbean first described by Austrian Chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are squamates that belong to one of the best-known Lizard families Gekkota is an Infraorder in the Suborder Scleroglossa, comprising all Geckos and the legless Pygopodidae. Geckos are small to average sized Lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae which are found in warm climates throughout the world Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include Alligator lizards Galliwasps Legless lizards Knobby lizards Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard the Komodo dragon. The Gila monster (ˈhiːlə HEE-la Heloderma suspectum, is a species of venomous Lizard native to the Southwestern United States and northern Anguis fragilis (the slow worm, slow-worm, slowworm, blindworm or blind worm) is a limbless Reptile native Scincomorpha is an Infraorder of Saurians Skinks are the most diverse group of Lizards They make the family Scincidae which shares the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha with several other Teiidae is a family of Lizards native to the New World generally known as whiptails. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Common names advanced snakes The Alethinophidia are an Infraorder of Snakes that includes all snakes other than blind VIPeR is a Military robot developed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems and intended for use in warfare Boa Kwon (born November 5, 1986) have contributed to her commercial success in South Korea and Japan and her popularity throughout Asia Cobras ( are venomous Snakes of the family Elapidae, of several genera, but particularly Naja. )
  • Infraorder Scolecophidia (blind snakes)
• Suborder Amphisbaenia

The relationships between these suborders is not yet certain, though recent research suggests that several families may form a hypothetical venom clade which encompasses a majority (nearly 60%) of Squamate species. Common names blind snakes thread snakes The Scolecophidia are an Infraorder Currently 3 families and 12 genera are recognized The Amphisbaenia are a suborder of usually legless Squamates closely related to Lizards and Snakes As many species possess a pink body coloration and ^[1] Named Toxicofera, it combines the following groups from traditional classification:^[1]

• Suborder Serpentes (snakes)
• Suborder Iguania (agamas, chameleons, iguanas, etc. Toxicofera (Greek for "those who bear Toxins quot is a hypothetical Clade which represents about 4600 species (nearly 60% of extant A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the Iguanas, Chameleons and New World "lizards" such as Anoles and )
  • Infraorder Anguimorpha, consisting of:
    • Family Varanidae (monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragon)
    • Family Anguidae (alligator lizards, glass lizards, etc. Anguimorphs of the infraorder Anguimorpha include Alligator lizards Galliwasps Legless lizards Knobby lizards Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard the Komodo dragon. The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere )
    • Family Helodermatidae (Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard)

List of Families

Amphisbaenia
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Amphisbaenidae Gray, 1865	Tropical worm lizards	Darwin's worm lizard (Amphisbaena darwinii)
Bipedidae Taylor, 1951	Bipes worm lizards	Mexican Mole Lizard (Bipes biporus)
Rhineuridae Vanzolini, 1951	North American worm lizards	North American worm lizard (Rhineura floridana)
Trogonophidae Gray, 1865	Palearctic worm lizards	Checkerboard Worm Lizard (Trogonophis wiegmanni)
Diploglossa
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Anguidae Oppel, 1811	Glass lizards	Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis)
Anniellidae Gray, 1852	American legless lizards	California Legless Lizard (Anniella pulchra)
Xenosauridae Cope, 1866	Knob-scaled lizards	Chinese Crocodile Lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurus)
Gekkota
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Dibamidae Boulenger, 1884	Blind lizards	Dibamus nicobaricum	-
Gekkonidae Gray, 1825	Geckos	Thick-tailed Gecko (Underwoodisaurus milii)
Pygopodidae Boulenger, 1884	Legless lizards	Burton's Snake Lizard (Lialis burtonis)	-
Iguania
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Agamidae Spix, 1825	Agamas	Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata)
Chamaeleonidae Gray, 1825	Chameleons	Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus)
Corytophanidae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Casquehead lizards	Plumed Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons)
Crotaphytidae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Collared and leopard lizards	Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
Hoplocercidae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Wood lizards or clubtails	Club-tail Iguana (Hoplocercus spinosus)	-
Iguanidae	Iguanas	Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus)
Leiosauridae Frost et al. Heloderma, the only Genus of the family Helodermatidae, consists of venomous Lizards native to the southwestern United States The Amphisbaenia are a suborder of usually legless Squamates closely related to Lizards and Snakes As many species possess a pink body coloration and The Amphisbaenidae are a family of Amphisbaenians commonly known as worm lizards. John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. Bipedidae, are a family of Amphisbaenians They are found only in Mexico. Richard Taylor is the name of Richard Taylor (colonel (1744&ndash1829 Father of Zachary Taylor Richard Taylor (general Common Names Mexican mole lizard, Five-toed Worm lizard, Ajolote or Ajolote lizard The Mexican Mole Lizard, Five-toed Worm Lizard Common names North American worm lizard Florida worm lizard thunderworm Paulo Emilio Vanzolini pron. ˈpawlu eˈmiliw vantsoˈlini ( São Paulo, April 25, 1923) is a Brazilian scientist and music composer Common names North American worm lizard Florida worm lizard thunderworm The Trogonophidae,( Palearctic Worm Lizards or Desert Ringed Lizards) are a family of Amphisbaenians Trogonophids are found in North Africa the Horn John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. UserPolbot. -->The Checkerboard Worm Lizard ( Trogonophis wiegmanni) is a species of Reptile in the The Anguidae is a large and diverse family of lizards native to the northern hemisphere Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. Anguis fragilis (the slow worm, slow-worm, slowworm, blindworm or blind worm) is a limbless Reptile native The family Anniellidae of American legless lizards contains two species in a single genus Anniella: A John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. The Xenosauridae is a family of Lizards native to Central America and China Edward Drinker Cope (July 28 1840&ndashApril 12 1897 was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist The Chinese crocodile lizard ( Shinisaurus crocodilurus) is a semi-aquatic lizard found only in cool forests in the Hunan, Guangxi Zhuang, and Guizhou Gekkota is an Infraorder in the Suborder Scleroglossa, comprising all Geckos and the legless Pygopodidae. Dibamidae is a family of legless Lizards found in Tropical forests Relatively little is known about the dibamid lizards which are native to Mexico George Albert Boulenger (born Brussels, Belgium, October 19, 1858; died Saint Malo, France, November 23 Dibamus nicobaricum is a Species of Lizard found in the Nicobar Islands of India Geckos are small to average sized Lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae which are found in warm climates throughout the world John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. Underwoodisaurus milii, (also classified as Nephrurus milii) is commonly known as the thick-tailed Gecko or barking gecko. The Pygopodidae, or flap-foots', are a family of legless lizards related to the Geckos They have unusually long slender bodies giving them a strong resemblance George Albert Boulenger (born Brussels, Belgium, October 19, 1858; died Saint Malo, France, November 23 Iguania is the suborder of Squamata that contains the Iguanas, Chameleons and New World "lizards" such as Anoles and Agamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Johann Baptist von Spix (February 9 1781 – March 14 1826 was a German naturalist. The Eastern Bearded Dragon or Jew Lizard ( Pogona barbata) is a Lizard found in wooded parts of Australia. Chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are squamates that belong to one of the best-known Lizard families John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. The Veiled Chameleon ( Chamaeleo calyptratus) is a large Species of Chameleon found in the Mountain regions of Yemen and Saudi Corytophanidae is a family of Lizards also called casque head lizards or helmeted lizards The plumed basilisk ( Basiliscus plumifrons) also called a green basilisk, is a Species of Lizard native to Latin America. The family Crotaphytidae, or Collared lizards, are desert-dwelling reptiles native to the Southwest USA and northern Mexico. The Oklahoma Collared Lizard or Collared Lizard, Crotaphytus collaris, is a North American lizard that can reach a foot (30 cm long in length (including The hoplocercids are a family of lizards native to the Tropical forests of Central and South America. The Iguanidae is a family of Lizards composed of Iguanas and related species The Marine Iguana ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an Iguana found only on the Galapagos Islands that has the ability unique among modern Lizards Classification Family Leiosauridae Genus Diplolaemus Genus Leiosaurus Genus Pristidactylus , 2001	-	Darwin's Iguana (Diplolaemus darwinii)	-
Opluridae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Madagascan iguanas	Chalarodon (Chalarodon madagascariensis)	-
Phrynosomatidae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Earless, spiny, tree, side-blotched and horned lizards	Greater Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus)
Polychrotidae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Anoles	Caronlina Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
Tropiduridae Frost & Etheridge, 1989	Neotropical ground lizards	(Microlophus peruvianus)
Platynota
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Helodermatidae	Gila monsters	Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)
Lanthanotidae	Earless Monitor	Earless Monitor (Lanthanotus borneensis)	-
Varanidae	Monitor lizards	Perentie (Varanus giganteus)
Scincomorpha
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Cordylidae	Spinytail lizards	Girdle-tailed Lizard (Cordylus warreni)
Gerrhosauridae	Plated lizards	Sudan Plated Lizard (Gerrhosaurus major)
Gymnophthalmidae	Spectacled lizards	-	-
Lacertidae Oppel, 1811	Wall or true lizards	Eyed Lizard (Lacerta lepida)
Scincidae Oppel, 1811	Skinks	Western Blue-tongued Skink (Tiliqua occipitalis)
Teiidae	Tegus or whiptails	Blue Tegu (Tupinambis teguixin)
Xantusiidae	Night lizards	Granite Night Lizard (Xantusia henshawi)
Alethinophidia
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Acrochordidae Bonaparte, 1831[2]	file snakes	Marine File Snake (Acrochordus granulatus)
Aniliidae Stejneger, 1907[3]	coral pipe snakes	Burrowing False Coral (Anilius scytale)
Anomochilidae Cundall, Wallach and Rossman, 1993. The Opluridae, or Madagascan Iguanas, are a family of moderately sized lizards native to Madagascar. Chalarodon is a Genus of Malagasy terrestrial Iguana. Its only species is Chalarodon madagascariensis. Phrynosomatidae is a diverse family of Lizards found from Panama to the extreme south of Canada. The Greater Earless Lizard ( Cophosaurus texanus) is a Species of Earless lizard found in the southern United States, in the states of The Carolina anole ( Anolis carolinensis) also known as the green anole, is an arboreal Lizard found primarily in the southeastern parts of the United The Tropiduridae is a family of lizards native to South America and the West Indies. Heloderma, the only Genus of the family Helodermatidae, consists of venomous Lizards native to the southwestern United States The Gila monster (ˈhiːlə HEE-la Heloderma suspectum, is a species of venomous Lizard native to the Southwestern United States and northern The earless monitor lizard ( Lanthanatus boreneensis) is a semi-aquatic brown lizard native to northern Borneo. The earless monitor lizard ( Lanthanatus boreneensis) is a semi-aquatic brown lizard native to northern Borneo. Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard the Komodo dragon. The Perentie (Varanus giganteus is the largest Monitor lizard or Goanna native to Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth after Scincomorpha is an Infraorder of Saurians Cordylidae is a family of mid-sized lizards that inhabit arid and semi-arid regions in Madagascar and eastern Africa. The Gerrhosauridae is a family of lizards native to Africa and Madagascar Sudan plated lizard ( Gerrhosaurus major) also known as the great plated lizard or rough-scaled plated Lizard is a Lizard of the Gerrhosauridae Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards sometimes known as spectacled lizards or microteiids. Lacertidae is the family of the wall lizards, or true lizards, which are native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. Skinks are the most diverse group of Lizards They make the family Scincidae which shares the superfamily or infraorder Scincomorpha with several other Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. The Western Blue-tongued Lizard, Tiliqua occipitalis, (also known as the Western Blue-tongued Skink) is a variety of large Skink native to Australia Teiidae is a family of Lizards native to the New World generally known as whiptails. The Blue Tegu is a smaller tegu, growing to about 1 meter long renowned for its light blue coloration which is most intense on adult males Night lizards ( family name Xantusiidae are a group of very small viviparous (live-bearing Lizards, averaging from less than 4 cm to over 12 cm long The Granite night lizard is a flat-bodied species of Lizard with a broad flat head and a soft skin Common names advanced snakes The Alethinophidia are an Infraorder of Snakes that includes all snakes other than blind Common names wart snakes Java wart snakes file snakes more. The Acrochordidae are a Monotypic family |style="width40%"| Charles Lucien (Carlo Jules Laurent Bonaparte 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano ( May 24, 1803 &ndash July 29, 1857) was a French Common names little filesnake marine file snake little wart snake Common names false coral snake pipe snake The Aniliidae are a Monotypic family that contains the Species Leonhard Hess Stejneger ( October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a Zoologist. Common names false coral snake pipe snake The Aniliidae are a Monotypic family that contains the Species Common names dwarf pipe snakes The Anomochilidae, or anomochilids are a Monotypic family created for the genus [4]	dwarf pipe snakes	Leonard's Pipe Snake, (Anomochilus leonardi)
Atractaspididae Günther, 1858[5]	mole vipers	Stiletto Snake (Atractaspis bibroni)
Boidae Gray, 1825[2]	boas	Amazon tree boa (Corallus hortulanus)
Bolyeriidae Hoffstetter, 1946	Round Island boas	Round Island Burrowing Boa (Bolyeria multocarinata)
Colubridae Oppel, 1811[2]	colubrids	Grass Snake (Natrix natrix)
Cylindrophiidae Fitzinger, 1843	Asian pipe snakes	Red-tailed Pipe Snake (Cylindrophis ruffus)
Elapidae Boie, 1827[2]	cobras, coral snakes, mambas, kraits, sea snakes, sea kraits, Australian elapids	King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
Loxocemidae Cope, 1861	Mexican burrowing snakes	Mexican burrowing snake (Loxocemus bicolor)
Pythonidae Fitzinger, 1826	pythons	Ball python (Python regius)
Tropidophiidae Brongersma, 1951	dwarf boas	Northern Eyelash Boa (Trachyboa boulengeri)
Uropeltidae Müller, 1832	shield-tailed snakes, short-tailed snakes	Cuvier's shieldtail (Uropeltis ceylanica)
Viperidae Oppel, 1811[2]	vipers, pitvipers, rattlesnakes	European asp (Vipera aspis)
Xenopeltidae Bonaparte, 1845	sunbeam snakes	Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis unicolor)
Scolecophidia
Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Anomalepidae Taylor, 1939[2]	dawn blind snakes	Dawn Blind Snake (Liotyphlops beui)
Leptotyphlopidae Stejneger, 1892[2]	slender blind snakes	Texas Blind Snake (Leptotyphlops dulcis)
Typhlopidae Merrem, 1820[6]	blind snakes	Black Blind Snake (Typhlops reticulatus)

Evolution

Squamates are a monophyletic group that is a sister group to the tuatara. Common names Leonard's pipe snake Leonard's burrowing snake Anomochilus leonardi is a is a Snake Species Common names Mole vipers stiletto snakes burrowing asps The Atractaspididae are a family of venomous Snakes Albrecht Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS (also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Gunther) October 3, 1830 – February 1 Common names burrowing vipers burrowing asps mole vipers more. Boa Kwon (born November 5, 1986) have contributed to her commercial success in South Korea and Japan and her popularity throughout Asia John Edward Gray ( 12 February 1800 &ndash 7 March 1875) was a British zoologist. Common names Mauritius snakes Round Island boas splitjaw snakes Common names Round Island burrowing boa Bolyeria is a Monotypic Genus created for the Species B A colubrid (from Latin coluber, snake is a Snake that is a member of the Colubridae family. Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. This article is about the European Grass Snake or Ringed Snake Natrix natrix Common names Asian pipe snakes The Cylindrophiidae are a Monotypic family Geographic range Found from Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger ( April 13, 1802 - September 20, 1884) was an Austrian Zoologist. Common names red-tailed pipe snake Cylindrophis ruffus is a Snake Species found in Southeast Asia The Elapidae, or elapids are a Family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world including the Indian Ocean and Friedrich Boie ( 4 June 1789 &ndash 3 March 1870) was a German scientist and brother of Heinrich Boie. The King Cobra ( Ophiophagus hannah) is the world's longest venomous Snake, with a length that can be as large as 5 Common names Mexican python Mexican burrowing python Mexican burrowing snake Edward Drinker Cope (July 28 1840&ndashApril 12 1897 was an American paleontologist and comparative anatomist, as well as a noted herpetologist Common names Mexican python Mexican burrowing python Mexican burrowing snake Common names pythons The Pythonidae are a family of non- Venomous Snakes found in Africa, Asia Leopold Joseph Franz Johann Fitzinger ( April 13, 1802 - September 20, 1884) was an Austrian Zoologist. Common names royal python ball python Python regius is a non-venomous python Species found in Africa Common names dwarf boas The Tropidophiinae are a family of Snakes found from Mexico and the West Indies Leo Daniel Brongersma ( May 17, 1907, North Holland – July 24, 1994, Leiden) was a Dutch Zoologist Common names pipe snakes shield-tailed snakes The Uropeltidae are a family of primitive burrowing Snakes found in southern Johannes Peter Müller ( July 14, 1801 &ndash April 28, 1858) was a German Physiologist, comparative anatomist Common names Ceylon earth snake Cuvier's shieldtail Kerala shieldtail The Viperidae are a family of Venomous snakes commonly referred to as vipers, although the term viperids is more specific and distinguishes them from Nicolaus Michael Oppel ( December 7, 1782 &ndash February 16, 1820) was a German naturalist. Common names: asp asp viper European asp aspic viper more. Vipera aspis is a venomous viper Common names sunbeam snakes The Xenopeltidae are a Monotypic family of Snakes created to the Genus Charles Lucien (Carlo Jules Laurent Bonaparte 2nd Prince of Canino and Musignano ( May 24, 1803 &ndash July 29, 1857) was a French Common names sunbeam snake Xenopeltis unicolor is a non-venomous sunbeam snake Species found in Southeast Common names blind snakes thread snakes The Scolecophidia are an Infraorder Currently 3 families and 12 genera are recognized Common names primitive blind snakes dawn blind snakes The Anomalepididae are a family of non-venomous Snakes found in Edward Harrison Taylor ( April 23, 1889 – June 16 1978) was an American Herpetologist from Kansas. Common names slender blind snakes thread snakes The Leptotyphlopidae are a family of Snakes found in North Leonhard Hess Stejneger ( October 30, 1851 - February 28, 1943) was a Zoologist. Common names Texas slender blind snake Texas threadsnake more. Common names typical blind snakes The Typhlopidae are a family of blind Snakes They are found mostly in the tropical Blasius Merrem ( February 4, 1761 - February 23, 1824) was a German naturalist. A clade is a taxonomic group comprising a single Common ancestor and all the descendants of that ancestor Cladistics is the hierarchical classification of Species based on evolutionary ancestry The tuatara is a reptile endemic to New Zealand which though it resembles most lizards is actually part of a distinct lineage order Sphenodontia. The squamates and tuatara together are a sister group to crocodiles and birds, the extanct archosaurs. Squamate fossils first appear in the early Jurassic, but a mitochondrial phylogeny suggests that they evolved in the late Permian. The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Ma (million years ago to  Ma that is from the end of the Triassic to the beginning The Permian is a geologic period and system that extends from 299 ^[7] The evolutionary relationships within the squamates are not yet completely worked out, with the relationship of snakes to other groups being most problematic. From morphological data, Iguanid lizards have been thought to have diverged from other squamates very early, but recent molecular phylogenies, both from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, do not support this early divergence. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. Deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) is a Nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known ^[7] Because snakes have a faster molecular clock than other squamates,^[7] and there aren't many early snake and snake ancestor fossils,^[8] it is difficult to figure out the relationship between snakes and other squamate groups. The molecular clock (based on the molecular clock hypothesis ( MCH) is a technique in Molecular evolution to relate the divergence time of two Species ^[7]

Venom

Venom is modified saliva, delivered through fangs. For the band see Saliva (band; for the village in Azerbaijan see Səliva. Snake venom is highly modified saliva that is produced by special glands of certain species of Snakes. ^[9] The fangs of 'advanced' venomous snakes like viperids and elapids are hollow in order to inject venom more effectively, while the fangs of rear-fanged snakes such as the Boomslang merely have a groove on the posterior edge to channel venom into the wound. Snake venoms are often prey specific, its role in self-defense is secondary. ^[9] Venom, like all salivary secretions, is a pre-digestant which initiates the breakdown of food into soluble compounds allowing for proper digestion and even "non-venomous" snake bites (like any animal bite) will cause tissue damage. ^[10]

Recent research suggests that the evolutionary origin of venom may exist deep in the squamate phylogeny, with 60% of squamates placed in this hypothetical group called Toxicofera. Toxicofera (Greek for "those who bear Toxins quot is a hypothetical Clade which represents about 4600 species (nearly 60% of extant Venom has been known in the families Helodermatidae, Elapidae, Viperidae, and some members of the Colubridae. Heloderma, the only Genus of the family Helodermatidae, consists of venomous Lizards native to the southwestern United States The Elapidae, or elapids are a Family of venomous snakes found in tropical and subtropical regions around the world including the Indian Ocean and The Viperidae are a family of Venomous snakes commonly referred to as vipers, although the term viperids is more specific and distinguishes them from A colubrid (from Latin coluber, snake is a Snake that is a member of the Colubridae family. However, all snakes, some agamid lizards and most monitor lizards are now believed by some to have proteins very closely related to venom. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Agamids, lizards of the family Agamidae, include more than 300 species in Africa, Asia, Australia, and a few in Southern Monitor lizards are the family Varanidae, a group of carnivorous lizards which includes the largest living lizard the Komodo dragon. ^[11][12]

Humans and Squamates

Bites and Deaths

See Snakebite

In the US alone, more than 8,000 venomous snake bites are reported each year. ^[13] It is estimated that 125,000 people a year die from venomous snake bites. ^[14] However, large pet constrictors, like boas and pythons, have been known to kill their owners through strangulation on rare occassions. ^[15]

Lizard bites, unlike venomous snake bites, are not fatal. The Komodo dragon has been known to kill people due to its size. The Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) is a species of Lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili ^[16] The two known venomous species of lizard, the Gila monster and Mexican beaded lizard have never caused a human death by envenomation. The Gila monster (ˈhiːlə HEE-la Heloderma suspectum, is a species of venomous Lizard native to the Southwestern United States and northern

Conservation

Even though they survived the worst changes in Earth's history, today many squamate species are endangered due to habitat loss, hunting and poaching, the pet trade, alien species being introduced to their habitat (which puts native creatures at risk through unfair competition & predation), and many other unnecessary reasons. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Because of this, some are in fact extinct with Africa having the most extinct species of squamates. In Biology and Ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a Species or group of taxa. The list of extinct animals in Africa features the animals that have become extinct on the African continent and its islands like Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues However, breeding programs and wildlife parks are trying to save many endangered reptiles from extinction. Many zoos & breeders educate people about the importance of snakes and lizards. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except

References

• Bebler, John L. (1979). The Audubon Society Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of North America. Alfred A. Knopf, 581. ISBN 0394508246.  
• Capula, Massimo; Behler (1989). Simon & Schuster's Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. New York: Simon & Schuster. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Simon & Schuster Inc, a division of CBS Corporation, is a Publisher founded in New York in 1924 by Richard L ISBN 0671690981.  
• Cogger, Harold (1992). Harold (Hal Cogger is an Australian Herpetologist. He was curator of Reptiles and Amphibians at the Australian Museum from 1960-1975 and Deputy Reptiles & Amphibians. Sydney, Australia: Weldon Owen. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 ISBN 0831727861.  
• Conant, Roger (1991). Roger Conant ( May 6, 1909 &ndash December 19, 2003) was an American herpetologist, author educator and conservationist A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern/Central North America. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. ISBN 0395583896.  
• Ditmars, Raymond L (1933). Raymond Lee Ditmars (born June 22, 1876 from Newark, New Jersey, died May 12, 1942 in New York City) was an Reptiles of the World: The Crocodilians, Lizards, Snakes, Turtles and Tortoises of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. New York: Macmillian, 321. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous  
• Freiberg, Dr. Marcos (1984). The World of Venomous Animals. New Jersey: TFH Publications. New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. ISBN 0876665679.  
• Gibbons, J. Whitfield (1983). Their Blood Runs Cold: Adventures With Reptiles and Amphibians. Alabama: University of Alabama Press, 164. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. ISBN 978-0817301354.  
• McDiarmid, RW (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 1. Herpetologists' League, 511.  
• Mehrtens, John (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous ISBN 0806964618.  
• Rosenfeld, Arthur (1989). Exotic Pets. New York: Simon & Schuster, 293. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Simon & Schuster Inc, a division of CBS Corporation, is a Publisher founded in New York in 1924 by Richard L ISBN 067147654.  

Cited references

External links

• Squamata

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