squamate
Lizard or snake
Squamate refers to reptiles of the order Squamata—lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards).
The term comes from a word meaning scaled, describing the overlapping scales that characterize these animals.
As an adjective, squamate means scaly or scale-covered: squamate skin.
The group comprises the largest order of living reptiles.
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- snakeLimbless scaled reptile
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
- vertebrateSpinal column animal
saurian · suborder · clade · tuatara · classification · order · species · genus
Climbing lizard with toe pads
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
- chameleonLizard altering its pigmentation
- monitorDisplay or supervisor
- skinkSleek burrowing lizard
anole · basilisk · bearded · legless · frilled · blue-tongue · tokay
Obscure in meaning
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- chameleonLizard altering its pigmentation
bark · sand · blending · disruptive · countershading · ambush · pattern
Cunning, limbless reptile
- pythonNonvenomous squeezing snake
- cobraHooded venomous serpent
- viperFanged toxic serpent
- boaSqueeze-killer or neckwear
rattlesnake · anaconda · mamba · adder · constrictor · pitviper · garter · asp
reptile
Cold-blooded scaled vertebrate
- lizardFour-legged scaled reptile
- snakeLimbless scaled reptile
- herpetologyStudy of reptiles, amphibians
vertebrate · saurian · suborder · clade · tuatara · classification · order · species · genus · family
gecko
Climbing lizard with toe pads
- iguanaLarge crested American lizard
- chameleonLizard altering its pigmentation
- monitorDisplay or supervisor
skink · anole · basilisk · bearded · legless · frilled · blue-tongue · tokay
cryptic
Obscure in meaning
- mimicryAdaptive resemblance to another
- concealmentAct of hiding something
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
chameleon · bark · sand · blending · disruptive · countershading · ambush · pattern
serpent
Cunning, limbless reptile
boa · rattlesnake · anaconda · mamba · adder · constrictor · pitviper · garter · asp · fang
keratin
Structural hair protein
- scuteHorny protective plate
- overlappingCovering part of another
- imbricateOverlapping in sequence
dermal · epidermal · armor · protection · texture · pattern · granular · keeled · smooth · ventral
sloughing
Discarding dead outer layers
peeling · spectacle · growth · cycle · regeneration · intact · frequency · humidity