They were introduced to South Florida and survive in feral populations. Mexican spinytailed iguana. Common name: western spiny-tailed iguana, Mexican spinytailed iguana, spiny-tailed iguana, black spiny-tailed iguana, Guerreran Spiny-tailed Iguana, broad-ringed spiny-tailed iguana.
Mexican spiny tail iguanas are large lizards that grow to 1. They are native to Western Mexico and were introduced to South Florida, where they survive in feral populations. They are also found on Gasparilla Island, where they have reproduced after three pet iguanas were released by a resident back in Brown basilisk. They are olive-brown to brown in color with back cross banding, which can be seen on the dorsal crest and flanks.
They have a white stripe that runs from the eye to the back legs. These lizards have the ability to run on water for about 20 meters 66 feet without sinking. Younger brown basilisks can run further than the older lizards. They have flaps on their back feet which open, providing more surface area to allow them to run on water. Veiled chameleon.
The veiled chameleon is a large chameleon lizard that can grow to 24 inches 61cm in total length, including the tail. Adult females are green with orange, white, yellow, and tan mottling, while males are brighter with defined yellow or blue bands and some mottling.
Their coloration is affected by a host of conditions from heat to stress. They can be found in mountains and valleys, where they live in trees and large plants, preferring warmer temperatures.
They live in the wild in Florida, most of which are escaped pets that have established stable populations. Oustalet's chameleon. This introduced chameleon is considered the largest chameleon species growing up to 27 inches Their heads have a tall casque with crests and small triangular spines that run down the center of the spine.
The Oustalet's chameleon is native to Madagascar and has been introduced to Florida where they can be found in forest and agricultural areas, along with urban areas. Jackson's chameleon. Common name: Jackson's chameleon, Jackson's horned chameleon, three-horned chameleon, Kikuyu three-horned chameleon. Jackson's chameleons are also known as three-horned chameleons, due to the males having three brown horns, one of the nose and one on top of the orbital ridge, just above the eyes.
Six-lined racerunner. They are very wary and can move at speeds of up to 29 kilometers per hour. They live in a range of habitats from open floodplains and grasslands to rocky outcrops and woodlands. Giant ameiva. Common name: giant ameiva, green ameiva, South American ground lizard, Amazon racerunner.
The giant ameiva has a pointed head with a forked tongue and a streamlined body with muscular back legs. Males are bright green, while females are lighter in color, both have black spots and mottling on their sides. Rainbow whiptail. The rainbow whiptail is a Central American and Caribbean lizard that has been introduced to Florida, where it has established stable populations. Argentine black and white tegu. Common name: Argentine black and white tegu, Argentine giant tegu, black and white tegu, huge tegu, lagarto overo.
When they first hatch, these lizards are a beautiful emerald green from their nose to the back of the neck, combined with black markings.
The green becomes black after a few sheds. Juveniles have yellow and black bands on their tails which becomes solid yellow bands as they age. The less solid bands on the tail, the older the lizard is. They can break their tails as a form of escape. Their tails are strong and can be used as a whip. The tegu is sometimes kept as an exotic pet and has proven to be exceptionally intelligent and can be housebroken. Florida reef gecko. They hide in debris and leaf litter and is considered one of the smallest lizards in the United States, growing to 2.
They can be found from the Florida Keys to southeastern Florida. They prefer vacant lots, pinelands, and hammocks. They are mostly active at dusk, where they can be seen running from one hiding place to another in search of food. The ocellated gecko comes from Jamaica and has been introduced to the Florida Keys, where it has established stable populations.
They prefer forest areas but are often seen in urban areas on the walls of homes and in buildings. They originally come from the Saharan areas and have been introduced into a number of Florida locations. In Florida, you find these lizards on the walls of buildings and they will bite if you grab one. Flat-tailed house gecko. The flat-tailed house gecko has a long snout and a concave forehead. They have flat tails with a sharp lateral edge.
They are gray in color with a dark band from their eye to their shoulders. Ashy gecko. They have not moved into the rest of the United States and are mostly confined to the Florida Keys area. They grow to only 3. There is no difference between the female and the male. Tokay gecko. Mediterranean house gecko. They are often seen around outside lights at night, as they prey on insects attracted by the light.
They have established populations in Florida and the Florida Keys. Tropical house gecko. Common name: tropical house gecko, Afro-American house gecko, cosmopolitan house gecko.
Bibron's thick-toed gecko. They can range from gray to brown to tan and usually have dark bars with scattered white tubercles. The Bibron's thick-toed gecko in Florida can grow up to 5.
Indo-Pacific gecko. Common name: Indo-Pacific gecko, Garnot's house gecko, fox gecko, Assam greyish brown gecko. The Indo Pacific gecko has a flat tail with a row of spine-like scales on the edge of the tail. They have an orange to yellow belly and dark gray to brown body. They are common in southern Florida.
They are an all-female population that are excellent climbers, coming out at night to hunt on insects. Yellow-headed gecko. Yellow-headed geckos grow to 3. Males have yellow heads, dark blue bodies, while females tend to be a mottled gray. Native to the West Indies, they were introduced to the Florida Keys and are commonly found in rock piles and on buildings. Madagascar giant day gecko. They are bright green or blue-green in color with a red stripe that runs from their eye to their nostril.
They have red bars or dots on their backs, though some have blue dots and others the dots are completely absent, but the red strip from their eye is always present.
They are native to northwest Madagascar and have been introduced in Florida with a few recorded populations. Mole skink. Mole skinks can grow up to 6 inches 15cm. They are very slender with short legs and very long tails. They can range from brown to gray with two light stripes that run on either side of their bodies. Their tails are orange or red and stay that color into adulthood. It is easy to distinguish because of its tail. They do prefer drier and hotter climates and are often found under logs, objects, boards, and leaf litter.
They are the most common skink in coastal dunes. They wriggle through the sand at fast speeds to escape predators and will break their tails as a means to escape. Coal skink.
Cole skinks are medium-sized lizards growing to 7 inches 18cm in length with a streamlined body and short legs. They do not have a stripe down their backs, unlike the other skinks, making them easier to identify.
They are usually found in forest areas and along streams, where they prefer a moist habitat. They find shelter under rocks and logs. They will dive into the water and hide under debris if threatened. Florida sand skink. They can grow up to 5 inches 13cm in length, including their tails. They are tan or gray in color with tiny legs. Their tails are half their total length. Broadhead skink.
Broadheaded skinks can grow up to 13 inches 33cm in total length and the females are smaller than the male. They can weigh up to 70g. Their glossy body has small scales, males are more colorful than the female and tend to be glossy olive-brown to brown in color with a bright red head during the breeding season. Females have light stripes down their backs and look similar to the five-lined skink. They can be found scurrying between leaf litter and in moist soil.
They are often observed in decaying trees, rotten logs, and sawdust piles. Ocellated skink. The ocellated skink has a cylindrical body and small head, growing up to 12 inches 30cm , including the tail. They are found in a host of environments including gravel deserts and farmland. They hide behind vegetation as a way to escape predators, as they are not fast runners.
Rough mabuya. The rough mabuya is also known as the brown mabuya and is usually found in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It was introduced to Florida, but not much is known about this rarely observed and secretive skink. Rainbow mabuya. This medium-sized lizard can grow up to 20cm in total length and vary in color, depending on its age and gender.
Their base color is usually dark brown or olive-brown with pearl white spots and three yellow to orange stripes that run from their heads to their bright blue tail. As they age, the stripes often fade. Five-lined skink. Common name: American five-lined skink, blue-tailed skink for juveniles and red-headed skink for adults , eastern red-headed skink.
The five-lined skink is considered a small to medium-sized lizard that grows to 8. Juveniles are black to dark brown with five yellow to white stripes and an electric blue tail. The blue tail fades with age to a light blue and the stripes may disappear completely.
These are ground-dwelling lizards that prefer a wooded and moist habitat. They are often found inside building walls. Southeastern five-lined skink. The southeastern five-lined skink grows to 8. Juveniles have bright blue tails, males often lose their stripes, developing an orange to red color on the head.
They are often observed in trees and on the ground in dry wooded habitats where there is plenty of tree stumps to hide in. They are not easy to capture and run away and hide quickly. They will break their tail in order to escape predators.
Eastern glass lizard. This is the heaviest and longest of the glass lizards in Florida and is yellow, brown, or green in color.
They are found in a variety of habitats, though they are most common in wetlands with sandy habitats. They are common in coastal dune areas. They are very active during the day and can be observed in open areas, but they will run and hide if approached. If captured, they break off their tail, which continues to wriggle, distracting their predator as they escape.
Slender glass lizard. Slender glass lizards are legless lizards which are long and slender, looking similar to a snake.
They are brown to yellow in color with dark markings, which may fade as the lizard gets older. Many have a dark stripe that runs down their backs.
These lizards will also break off a portion of their tail, which helps to distract any predators, as they escape. Mimic glass lizard. The mimic glass lizard grows up to 26 inches 66cm in total length and is smaller than many of the other glass lizards in Florida. It is yellow to brown in color with a number of dark stripes, which run down the sides of the body. Island glass lizard. The island glass lizard grows to 24 inches 61cm and is also one of the smallest glass lizards in Florida.
A juvenile Texas horned lizard on hand. The Texas horned lizard was introduced to Florida and is one of fourteen North American spikey-bodied species, referred to as horned lizards. These lizards originally come from east Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. These were very popular as pets back in the mid twentieth century and many of these lizards are belied to be escaped and released pets.
Even though they may look aggressive, the Texas horned lizard is very docile and enjoy spending their time basking in the sunshine. The Texas horned lizard puffs itself up to look bigger when threatened. They also have a unique self preservation method which involves shooting blood from its eye or mouth for up to five feet or 1.
This confuses predators and tastes very bad. The Nile monitor lizard is not native to Florida. Common name: Nile monitor, African small-grain lizard, water leguaan, river leguaan.
This monitor can be found in the forests and savannas in West Africa. They can grow up to a staggering eight feet cm with their vent to snout length being approximately 50cm.
Bigger Nile monitors can weigh up to 15 kilograms or 33 pounds. In addition to being able to quickly recognize the Nile monitor by its exceptional size, they also have muscular bodies and strong legs with sharp pointed teeth. They use their sharp claws for digging, defense, tearing at prey, and climbing. They have forked tongues. They are recognizable for their brown gray coloration with yellow or green bars on the tail.
They often have green or yellow spots on the back with a black spot in the middle. These lizards eat snails, fish, frogs, snakes, birds, small mammals, crocodile eggs, insects, and more. Imaged by Mary Keim from iNaturalist. Common name: North American worm lizard, Florida worm lizard, graveyard snake, thunderworm. Florida worm lizards or Rhineura floridana are native to Florida and come from the Rhineuridae family.
While they are found primarily in Florida, they have been seen as far as Georgia. There are no reported subspecies. These lizards vary in length with total lengths up to thirty centimeters or twelve inches. They have a shovel like snout, their eyes are not visible and neither are their limbs, which gives them a worm like appearance. These lizards love to burrow and prefer rotting leaves, sand and soil. They spend most of their time burrowed in the ground, protecting themselves from predators.
They leave the burrow after rain. These lizards eat mostly earthworms and insects, though they are opportunistic eaters, eating any invert it can eat with ease. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Spread The Love. Are you wondering what lizard you see in your yard? These lizards are often found locally around your porch lights or garages.
These lizards spend most of their lives on the ground around leaf litter and rotting logs but will climb walls and vegetation to get to food. Occasionally, one of the small lizards will slip into your house.
Don't kill it! Try to catch the creature and release it outdoors. Posted August 14, PM. Florida's Yard Lizards. Like palm trees and oranges, these reptiles are found throughout Hillsborough County.
Want more great content like this? Subscribe to the County's weekly e-mail blast Subscribe Now There are four prominent species of the lizards in Hillsborough County: green anoles, brown anoles, skinks, and geckos. They have a light brown body with dark markings on their back and light-colored lines along their sides. A distinguishing feature between both sexes is a light brown stripe on the back of the females, which is absent in the males. The Knight Anoles are the largest species in the family of anoles.
They display sexual dimorphism, with the males being larger in size than their female counterparts. Their body is a bright shade of green with lemon-yellow stripes on the sides of their face as well as on their shoulders, and a pinkish-white dewlap.
Their species have been introduced in Florida. Endemic to Hispaniola and the Bahamas, the Bark Anoles are a small species of anole lizards with highly varied body color ranging from green to greyish-brown. Their species have been introduced in Florida, mostly greyish-brown in color with a pale-yellow dewlap. These lizards are primarily arboreal, often found resting on the tree trunks.
These lizards have a shiny and cylindrical body colored in brown, growing narrower towards the tail. These lizards have an elongated body with a coppery-brown back and white or yellowish belly. They inhabit the coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests along the edge of a freshwater body such as ponds and streams. The Florida Sand Skinks are a species of skink lizards that are native to Florida. These lizards have such tiny legs that they almost appear to be legless. Their tan-colored body is well-accustomed to living underground.
While their forelegs have only one toe, there are two toes on their hind legs. They have a wedge-shaped head and small eyes with transparent lower lids. Their population is widespread in the south-eastern parts of the United States, where they are found both in urban and forested areas. They have an olive-brown body with a bright orange head and white undersides. Like the South-eastern Five-lined Skinks, the female Broad-headed Skinks have five light stripes running down their bodies, which are absent in the males.
Common in the south-eastern parts of the United States, the South-eastern Five-lined Skinks are medium-sized members of the Skink family. These diurnal lizards live on the ground and have five characteristic stripes running along their body, that get lighter as they grow older. Their head is colored in a bright shade of orange, with their tail becoming dull blue or purple towards the tip.
Endemic to the Mediterranean region, the Mediterranean Geckos are now spread in different parts of the world. They have a purple to tan-colored body covered with black spots and stripes on their tail. Their snout is rounded, with lidless eyes and elliptical pupils. Their species have been introduced in several states of the United States, including Florida. They appear to have a greyish-brown body with light markings in the day, and look pale during the night, with a yellowish-orange belly.
The Tokay Geckos are members of the family of true geckos that are endemic to the Pacific Islands and Asia. They have been introduced to the United States, where their range is currently shrinking due to the increasing urbanization.
Their natural habitat is on trees and cliffs of the rainforests. Their species is the second largest species of gecko lizards, with a small, flattened body and vertical pupils.
They have a mud-yellow body covered in red specks all over and can change their skin color to blend in the background. The Ashy Geckos are a small species of gecko lizard endemic to Cuba and Hispaniola. These lizards were first introduced in Florida in and have been living there ever since.
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