“Lizards” and

sneks
Know teeth and anatomy
Look for specific characteristics (keeled vs
non-keeled), # of scale rows, and
divided/nondivided anal plate
General notes
- Lab test gonna be 75 mins long, got 8 stations

- Count all the things. Should be able to count scales, find the anal plate, etc
- Not expected to identify iguanas from each other (or other similar looking species), but
should be able to identify unique families (eg: chameleons)
lizards
family Iguanidae

- covered dorsally and ventrally by large,

keeled, overlapping scales (with the
exception of those with small, granular
scales)
- all are pentadactylous
- most have femoral pores(on back of thigh)
- dentition is pleurodont
family scincidae

- no femoral pores
- osteoderms are present
- head shields
- almost always covered dorsally and
ventrally by overlapping cycloid keel-less
scales
- ON species: Plestiodon fasciatus (five-lined
skink)
family: teiidae
- no osteoderms
- head shields present
- many with limb reductions
- femoral pores and belly plates present
- squamous scales
family Chamaeleonidae
- head shields present
- heavily armored, nonoverlapping scales
- osteoderms underlie trunk scales
- no femoral pores
- zygodactylic feet
- coned eyelids
family amphisbaenidae
- scales arranged in annuli, elongate body
- limbless (with one exception which only has
forelimbs)
- no ear opening
- 2 occipital condyles
- looks like a worm
family gekkonidae

1. covered dorsally and ventrally by small,

granular scales
2. no head shields
3. no eyelids (licktheir eyes instead)
4. males have femoral pores
5. have adhesive digital pads
family lacertidae
- head shields present
- pentadactylous
- belly plates
- osteoderms on the head
- femoral pores
- rectangular ventral scales are
juxtaposed or overlapping
family booidea
- labial pits
- mental groove
- have pelvic spurs
- ON species: Charina bottae
family viperidae

- have heat sensing pits between eye and

nostril
- ON species: Sistrurus catenatus
-
family colubridae
- anything not elapidae or viperidae

ON species:

- thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis

- Three light stripes running along body (from
head to tail)
- 19 scale rows at midbody
- Keeled scales
- Single anal plate
- Nerodia sipedon sipedon (northern water
snake)
- Dark spots on body
- 21-25 scale rows at midbody
- Scales are keeled
- Anal plate is divided
More ON species
Thamnophis butleri

- Head barely wider than neck

- 19-21 scales at midbody
- Scales are keeled
- Anal plate is single
- Two small spots on the parietal scale

Thamnophis sauritus

- Very thin body, long tail

- Three stripes
- Unmarked labial scales
- 19 scale rows at midbody
- Keeled scales
- Anal plate is single
More ON species:
Storeria dekayi (brown snake)

- Two parallel rows of dark spots down the

back
- Small head with dark dorsal surface,
- Dark spot beneath the eye
- 17 scale rows at midbody
- Keeled scales
- Divided anal plate

Storeria occipitomaculata (red bellied snake)

- 15 scale rows at midbody

- Keeled scales
- Anal plate is divided
- Dark top of head, white chin and throat
Opheodrys vernalis (smooth green snake)

- Uniform colour, no markings

- Narrow head
- 15 scale rows at midbody
- Nonkeeled scales
- Anal plate is divided

Coluber constrictor foxi (blue racer)

- Uniform colour, juvenile spotting evident if

small like green snake
- 17 scale rows
- Nonkeeled scales
- Divided anal plate
Regina septemvittata (queen snake)

- Stripe on each side of head on second and

upper half of the first scale
- Light colouration on chin and throat
- 19 scale rows
- Keeled scales
- Divided anal plate

Pantherophis gloydi (eastern foxsnake)

- Row of large dark middorsal blotches

alternating with smaller dark blotches on
sides
- 23-25 scale rows at midbody
- Upper body scales are weakly keeled
- Divided anal plate
Lampropeltis triangulum (milksnake)

- Saddlelike splotches with dark outline

- Light marking on back of head shaped like a
Y or V
- 21 scale rows at midbody
- Nonkeeled scales
- Single anal plate

Diadophis punctatus (Northern ring-necked

snake)

- Light coloured ring around neck

- 15 scale rows at midbody
- Nonkeeled scales
- Divided anal plates
Heterodon platirhinos (eastern hog-nosed snake)

- Upturned rostral scale

- Thick bodied
- 25 scale rows in midbody
- Scales are keeled
- Anal plate is divided

Nerodia sipedon insularum (lake erie watersnake)

- Uniformly gray with no markings or dark

with some banding
- Scales keeled
- Divided anal plate
Pantherophis spiloides (gray ratsnake)

- White throat
- Faint blotched pattern
- Scales weakly keeled
- Anal plate divided

Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (red-sided

gartersnake)

- Three stripes
- Keeled scales
- Single anal plate