Lizards are fascinating to study. There are an endless variety. They are especially adapted to a variety of environments.
They are often found basking in the sun; yet some live underground, some live in trees, some glide in the air, some swim and even some that run on the surface of water! There are chameleons, with their color-changing ability, their eyes that act independently of each other, and the tongue that darts some distance to snatch prey. Lizards are very adaptable to their various environments.
Lizards that live on the ground or climb in trees have extremely elongated toes, commonly with the fourth longer than the others. Many lizards, expecially Geckos,
have patches of greatly broadened scales under portions of the toes to form adhesive pads. These broad scales are bordered along the edges with tiny hair like extensions that prevent the lizards from slipping when they climb on what appears to the naked eye to be smooth surfaces. Several kinds of lizards that habitually burrow in sand or humus have no limbs to speak of.
Some lizards live on the surface of the ground, while others burrow under it. There are those like the large Tropical Iguana, Iguana iguana, that live in trees, or some like the American Anole, Anolis Carlinensis, that dwell in shrubs as well. Still others like the Chuckwalla, Sauromalus obesus, prefer rocky places, where they seek shelter in crevices. Those called "Flying Dragons," Draco, have false ribs extending beyond the normal body outline. These are connected with thin skin to form "wings." The lizard does not actually fly but glides in somewhat the same manner as the flying squirrel or the flying fish, each of which really prolongs an initial leap. Such animals are gliders, rather than fliers, but in this limited way the lizards can be said to have invaded the air.
Similarly, no living lizard is truly a water-living animal, even though the Marine Iguana of the Galapagos Islands feeds almost exclusively upon the ocean plants known as marine algae. Others remain in the vicinity of water and do not hesitate to enter it. All lizards can swim after a fashion, and those that frequent stream banks or similar places are commonly excellent swimmers. Some of the larger Monitors, Varanus, have been seen swimming in the ocean some distance from land, which may account for their being found on oceanic islands.
Today lizards are represented by nearly three thousand species. They are not as tolerant to cold regions as snakes, but in general lizards are more abundant in desert regions and in the arid tropics, where they bask in the sun to raise their body temperature.
Not all lizards can regrow their tails, but some can such as the green anole and the geckoes and iguanas.
The principal food of a good many lizards consists of insects, scorpions, centipedes, or other small creatures. The tongue has a muscular stalk that allows it to be thrust out suddenly, the fleshy end being covered with an adhesive saliva that adheres to the insect and pulls it into the lizard's mouth when the tongue is drawn back.
Some lizards, such as the Gila Monster, Heloderma, the Skinks and others have a forked tongue that is thrust out.
Horned lizards have a very peculiar habit of squirting blood from their eyes when they are alarmed or captured.
Most lizards lay eggs (oviparity), but some keep the eggs inside them until they are just ready to hatch (ovoviviparity). Some lizards give birth to live young (viviparity), such as the Viviparous lizard.
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