Lizards

A Komodo dragon flicks its tongue out on Komodo Island, part of Komodo National Park in Indonesia.

The Most Infamous Komodo Dragon Encounters of the Century, From a Fatal Attack on an 8-Year-Old Boy to a Zookeeper Bitten by a Battling Animal

As tourism to see the endangered species is on the rise and their habitat decreases, on some very rare occasions, the animals bite

A coating of iron on Komodo dragons' teeth could help keep them sharp for tearing into prey, as well as protect them from digestive acids.

Komodo Dragons Have Iron-Coated Teeth, Study Finds

New research provides the first evidence of the adaptation in a carnivorous reptile, and it might hold clues to understanding the teeth of dinosaurs

Asteroid impacts and volcanism have led to mass extinctions on our planet.

Has Life on Earth Survived More Than Five Mass Extinctions?

Scientists aren’t just arguing whether humans are causing a sixth mass extinction event now, but whether many more occurred in the past

Exceeding 50 feet in length, Mosasaurus hoffmannii was among the largest mosasaurs.

Massive Mosasaurs May Have Evolved More Than Once

The predators, which were made famous in the “Jurassic World” franchise, likely arose at least three times

The cat-eyed snake slithers in the Peruvian Amazon.

A Serpentine 'Explosion' 125 Million Years Ago Primed Snakes for Rapid, Diverse Evolution

Researchers say an evolutionary "singularity" led to several small, quick changes in snake species, from legless bodies and flexible skulls to chemical-sensing abilities

An illustration of the Victorian grassland earless dragon, which, until February, had not been seen in the wild since 1969.

Scientists Find the 'Extinct' Victorian Earless Dragon, Not Seen Since 1969

Once thought to be gone from the wild, the lizards will now enter a breeding program in an attempt to save them from the brink of extinction

One of the animal coffins, topped with a part-eel, part-cobra, human-headed figure

Lizard Remains Found Inside 2,500-Year-Old Coffins from Ancient Egypt

Researchers at the British Museum used neutron tomography to get a look inside the still-sealed metal boxes without damaging the artifacts

A Colorado checkered whiptail

These Lizards Stress-Eat When Loud Military Aircraft Fly Overhead

Colorado checkered whiptails on a U.S. Army base show increased stress levels and altered behavior after noisy jets and helicopters pass by, a study finds

An Anolis cristatellus lizard in Puerto Rico.

Genetic Mutations Could Help Lizards Survive City Life

Urban Puerto Rican crested anoles show genetic changes related to immune function, metabolism and limb and skin development

An illustration of Tetrapodophis, a lizard that was named based on a fossil likely smuggled out of Brazil to Germany

Why Smuggled Fossils Are Hurting Paleontology

Parachute science and lingering colonialism in fossil studies have negatively impacted the discipline

A chameleon’s exterior can dapple on demand with a remarkable variety of colors and patterns. Researchers are inching towards realizing that capability in robots.

Scientists Design a Robotic Chameleon That Crawls and Changes Color

A new artificial skin can sense its surroundings and create a camouflage coat

Out of the 900 baby lizards created by breeding Mr. Frosty (pictured above) with various other leopard geckos, 80 percent developed tumors before they were five years old.

This Gecko Named Mr. Frosty and His 900 Babies May Inspire Human Skin Cancer Treatments

A genetic mutation linked to melanoma in humans gives the lizards their lemony-hue—and triggers tumor growth on their scaly skin

An artist’s rendering of Oculudentavis naga

World's 'Smallest Dinosaur' Revealed to Be a Mystery Reptile

Paleontologists analyzed two skulls and made the call, but aren't sure about the exact type of animal they've discovered

A Libo leopard gecko (Goniurosaurus liboensis). After this species of cave gecko was first described in 2013, it quickly appeared online for sale.

Reptile Traffickers Often Target Newly Described Species

Traders trawl recently published scientific papers to get the names and locations of animals to sell to collectors

A bearded dragon moves in for a close-up. The Australian lizards face threats from habitat loss and rising temperatures.

In a Warming World, Heat Interferes With Sex Determination in These Australian Lizards

Scientists have discovered how hot temperatures override chromosomes in bearded dragons

The male of a newly discovered species named Brookesia nana may be the smallest adult reptile ever found.

Chameleon Discovered in Madagascar May Be World's Smallest Reptile

The male of the newly described species measured just half an inch long from his nose to the base of his tail

Black-and-white tegus are more resistant to cold than most reptiles because they can raise their body temperature about 50 degrees Fahrenheit above that of the environment

These Four-Foot Lizards Will Eat Anything—and They're Invading the Southeastern U.S.

Tegus first appeared in the wild of southern Florida a decade ago, but now they're in Georgia and South Carolina, too

A stunned iguana lying on the ground during a cold snap in Florida on January 22, 2020. When temperatures dropped into the 30s and 40s, some of these cold blooded lizards lost their grip and fell from their nighttime perches up in the trees.

Lizards Fell From Palm Trees During a Florida Cold Snap, but Now They've Toughened Up

New research finds the lizards are now able to withstand temperatures up to 7.2 degrees colder than lizards tested in 2016

New research suggests this legless amphibian called a caecilian may be the first known amphibian to possess a venomous bite.

This Worm-Like Amphibian May Pack a Venomous Bite

A new study suggests that legless burrowers called caecilians may be the first known amphibian to have venom glands in their mouths

Reptile vertebrae found at el-Wad Terrace Cave

15,000 Years Ago, Humans in Israel Ate Snakes and Lizards

Snacking on reptiles may have helped these prehistoric people adapt to living in more permanent settlements

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