And Other Facts About Lizards
Slender, scaly bodies, slithering past? Snap your jaw shut if your guess is ‘snake’ because we’re talking about another reptile: lizards.
There are over 7,000 species of lizards in the world. From the tropics to forests to deserts and prairies, they are found in a large variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Their quick tongue flicking out combined with their long, scaled bodies and tails have fascinated and startled many for centuries.
Read on to find out the most popular types of lizards, what lizards eat and about an endangered lizard who lives in the United States.
What’s the difference between a gecko and a lizard?
The term “lizard” is an overarching name for a wide variety of animals in the order Squamata. Skinks, chuckwallas, iguanas, chameleons and geckos are types of lizards. Geckos – except for leopard geckos – are unique for lizards because they have a transparent membrane instead of eyelids. Geckos are also usually more colorful than most lizards, which are typically shades of gray and brown.
What are popular types of lizards?
Like their wide variety of habitats, lizards come in a large range of shapes and sizes. Some are native to the U.S. while others are invasive. Check out these four popular types of lizards:
1. Monitor lizard – There are over 80 species of monitor lizards in the world. They are native to Africa, Asia and Australia. Some species are invasive in Florida. Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are one of the most well-known monitor lizards and are the largest lizard the world.
2. Horned lizard - Horned lizards are found strictly in North America and range from southern Canada to Mexico. They are known for their unique appearance and small size. Horned lizards rely on camouflage for defense, and some species are renowned for their ability to shoot blood from their eyes at potential predators. The desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) is one of the more popular species and is threatened by the pet trade.
3. Tegu lizard - Lizards in the Salvator and Tupinambis genera are often called tegu lizards. They are native to South America, but have become an invasive species in the southern U.S. One of the most popular species of tegus are Argentine black and white tegu (Salvator merianae).
4. Iguana – There are more than 35 recognized species of iguana. This primarily herbivorous lizard family is native to the Americas, ranging from the southern U.S. to South America. The common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) are native to the arid deserts of southwestern U.S. and Mexico. A more popular species is the green iguana (Iguana iguana), which are native to the rainforests of northern Mexico, Central America, some Caribbean Islands and southern Brazil.
What do lizards eat?
Lizards’ diets depend on their species. Most are insectivores, eating flies, grasshoppers, crickets and the like. There are carnivorous lizards, — like southwestern U.S. and Mexico native Gila monsters — who hunt or scavenge mammals, birds and other reptiles. There are also herbivorous lizards — including iguanas — who only feast on leaves, fruits and flowers.
Are there endangered lizards in the U.S.?
Over 40 species of lizards are listed globally as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, with nine listed in the U.S. This includes the unique dunes sagebrush lizard, which was listed as endangered in May 2024. Despite their current protections, the looming threat from a major onshore oil and gas field — known as the Permian Basin — in this lizard’s small range remains.
How big do sagebrush lizards get?
Dunes sagebrush lizards are small, growing up to about 2.8 inches. Females are typically smaller than males.
Where do dunes sagebrush lizards live?
Dunes sagebrush lizards have the second-smallest range of any North American lizard. They are only found in the Permian Basin in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, and only in about 4% of that area. They’re named after the New Mexico and Texas’ sagebrush and rolling white sand dunes, which makes up their habitat. They particularly rely on the shinnery oak for food, shelter and their breeding grounds.
Is the dunes sagebrush lizard endangered?
Yes, dunes sagebrush lizards are listed as endangered under the ESA after facing decades of habitat loss at alarming levels due to fossil fuel development and sand mining for fracking purposes. The listing took over 40 years of litigation and advocacy because of political resistance from the oil and gas industry. Just over a decade before the lizard was finally awarded ESA protections, Defenders of Wildlife used satellite data and cloud computing to determine loss of sand dunes on the Texas landscape to fracking, which destroys the sand dunes beyond repair, forever altering the lizard’s habitat.
These lizards are also threatened by herbicide spraying from ranching operations. The spray kills shrubs that may replace grasses for livestock. While they are not generally targeted, shinnery oak are impacted.
How Can You Help Lizards?
Many lizards and habitats are threatened by the pet trade. Always verify pets are sourced responsibly and never release a pet into the wild if they can no longer be cared for. Furthermore, at least 75% of reptiles die within one year of human captivity. Owners should ensure their pet lizards obtain the specialized care they require.
Everyone can help protect wildlife habitat near their homes to support native species. If you have your own yard, plant native, avoid pesticide use and leave un-mowed areas so lizards can hide and travel safely. This isn’t a game of rock paper scissors lizard Spock. We must protect the rocks, trees and sand that lizards call home and use our metaphorical scissors to cut through any red tape trying to prevent or remove the species in need from the protections they deserve.
Author
Bryan Bird
Wildlife & Wild Places
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