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Definition: lizard from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary

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(14c) 1 : any of a suborder (Lacertilia) of reptiles distinguished from the snakes by a fused inseparable lower jaw, a single temporal opening, two pairs of well differentiated functional limbs which may be lacking in burrowing forms, external ears, and eyes with movable lids; broadly : any relatively long-bodied reptile (as a crocodile or dinosaur) with legs and tapering tail 2 : leather made from lizard skin

lizard

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
a reptile of the order Squamata, which also includes the snake . Lizards form the suborder Sauria, and there are over 3,000 lizard species distributed throughout the world (except for the polar regions), with the greatest number found in warm climates. They range in size from gecko species under 3/4 in. (2 cm) long to the 10-ft (3-m) Komodo dragon (see monitor ) of SE Asia. Lizards typically have four legs with five toes on each foot, although a few, such as the worm lizard and the so-called glass snake , are limbless, retaining only internal vestiges of legs. Lizards are also distinguished from snakes by having ear openings, movable eyelids, and less flexible jaws. As in snakes, there is a chemosensory organ opening in the roof of the mouth. The tongue, which may be short and wide, slender and forked, or highly extendible, conveys particles from the environment to this organ. The skin of the lizard is scaly and in most species is molted in irregular patches. Members of several lizard…
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Full text Article lizard

From Philip's Encyclopedia
The smooth-scaled agamid (Leiolepis belliana) is...
Reptile found on every continent; there are 20 families, c .3,000 species. Most have a scaly, cylindrical body with four legs, a long tail and moveable eyelids. Some species such as glass snakes , slow-worm and some skinks , have reduced or absent limbs. Most lizards are terrestrial, and many live…
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Full text Article lizard

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
a reptile of the order Squamata, which also includes the snake . Lizards form the suborder Sauria, and there are over 3,000 lizard species distributed throughout the world (except for the polar regions), with the greatest number found in warm climates. They range in size from gecko species under 3/4…
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Full text Article LIZARD

From Gaither's Dictionary of Scientific Quotations
American writer and scholar The Lizard is a timid thing That cannot dance or fly or sing; He hunts for bugs beneath the floor And longs to be a dinosaur. A Child's Bestiary The Lizard Alfred A. Knopf. New York New York USA . 1977. Welsh poet, orator, and priest It is better to be the head…
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Full text Article lizard

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Reptile generally distinguishable from snakes, which belong to the same order, by having four legs, moveable eyelids, eardrums, and a fleshy tongue, although some lizards are legless and snakelike in appearance. There are over 3,000 species of lizard worldwide. (Suborder Lacertilia, order Squamata.) …
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Full text Article Lizard, the

From Brewer's Britain and Ireland
‘court on a height’, Cornish lys ‘court’ + ardh ‘high’ ( see ARD ). A promontory (also known as Lizard Point or Lizard Head ) in western Cornwall, at the eastern end of MOUNT'S BAY . It is the most southerly point in England. Just to the north is a village called Lizard . The projecting area of land…
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Skeleton of a lizard.
Lizards belong to the Suborder Sauria, which includes about 3750 different species classified into 19 families. Skeleton The skeleton of the lizard follows the basic vertebrate plan, but there is no sternum ( Fig. 15.4 ). Most lizards have four legs and most species take their weight on all their…
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Full text Article lizard

From The Oxford Companion to Food
any of the reptiles which have four legs, a long tail, and a scaly or granulated skin, in the order Lacertilia. For information about cooking and eating the larger lizards, see iguana and monitor . However, there are lots of smaller lizards in tropical and semi-tropical regions around the world, and…
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Full text Article Lizards

From Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia Full text Article Reptiles
Size comparison
Lizards are a large and varied group of reptiles that have successfully adapted toa wide range of habitats. Most lizards have four legs, a long tail, scaly skin, andreproduce by laying eggs. Factfile Key features: Lizards typically havetails longer than their bodies that some species can shed if…
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Full text Article Lizards

From Black's Veterinary Dictionary
The largest group of reptiles. These ectothermic (cold-blooded) vertebrates, some of which are aquatic, are often kept as pets. The environment temperature and humidity must be kept within ranges appropriate for the particular type of lizard. It is essential to provide the diet recommended for the…
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Full text Article horned lizard

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
or horned toad, broad, flat-bodied lizards of the genus Phrynosoma , found in arid regions from extreme SW Canada to Guatemala. There are several species in the United States W of the Mississippi. The body is 3 to 5 in. (7.6 to 12.7 cm) long; it has a short, thin tail, a short neck, and short legs. …
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