Taxonomy of Lizards 
339 
Family Lacertidae (lacertids, true lizards) 
Generalised Old World family paralleling 
the Teiidae in some respects but without 
limbless forms. Palate often with teeth. 
Osteoderms often present on head only. 
Tongue fairly long, forked at tip. Nearly all 
oviparous. 
Family Cordylidae (girdle-tailed lizards) 
African lizards, previously placed in two 
distinct families but probably related. Palatal 
teeth present in one group. Osteoderms on 
head, often on body. Some forms with re- 
duced limbs. Tongue short, hardly notched. 
One subfamily mostly viviparous. 
INFRAORDER : Diploglossa 
SUPERFAMILY: Anguidae 
Family Anguidae (lateral fold lizards) 
A small family of Old and New World 
lizards, with and without limbs. Upper 
temporal arch and postorbital arch usually 
present. Palatal teeth present or absent. 
Osteoderms usually present. Tongue fairly 
long, forked tip. Oviparous or viviparous. 
Family Xenosauridae (xenosaurids) 
Incompletely known form with well-de- 
veloped limbs ; probably related to Anguidae, 
but with reduced osteoderms. One genus has 
palatal teeth. Some viviparous. 
SUPERFAMILY: Platynota (Varanoidea) 
Family Helodermatidea (beaded lizards) 
Two North American species, both with 
poison fangs in lower jaw. Palatal teeth 
present. Osteoderms on head and body. 
Tongue fairly long, forked and protrusible. 
Oviparous. 
Family Lanthanotidae (earless monitors) 
A single form, Lanathanotus bomeensis, 
the earless monitor of Borneo, a burrowing 
platynotid with a long body and short limbs. 
Upper Palatal teeth present. Osteoderms 
present. Tongue quite long with forked tip. 
Tiny eyes, no external ear openings. 
Family Varanidae (monitors) 
A single genus of Old World and Aus- 
tralasian lizards, some very large, with 
predatory habits. Palate toothless. Osteo- 
derms generally reduced or absent. Tongue 
long, forked, highly protrusible. Oviparous. 
INFRAORDER: Amphisbaenia (Annulata) 
Family Amphisbaenidae (worm lizards) 
A successful group of worm-like burrow- 
ers with reduced eyes found mainly in the 
warmer parts of America and Africa. The 
skull is massive ; palate toothless. Middle ear 
highly modified. Well-developed median pre- 
maxillary tooth. Limbs usually absent. No 
osteoderms. Scales arranged in rings around 
the body. Oviparous and viviparous. 
REFERENCES 
Bellairs, A. 1970. The Life of Reptiles. Universe 
Books, Ne-w York. 
Cans, C., and T.S. Parsons. 1970. Taxonomic litera- 
ture on reptiles. In C. Cans and T.S. Parsons 
(eds.). Biology of the Reptilia, 2:315-333. 
Coin, C.J., and O.B. Coin. Introduction to Herpe- 
tology. Freeman, San Francisco. 
Klemmer, K. (ed.) 1971. The Lizards (chap. 6-15). 
In Grizmek, B., et al. (eds.) Animal Life Encyclo- 
pedia. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 
Mayr, E. 1969. Principles of Systematic Zoology. 
McGraw-Hill, New York. 
Mertens, R. 1970. The World of Amphibians and 
Reptiles. McGraw Hill, New York. 
Porter, K.R. 1972. Herpetology. Saunders, Phila- 
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