Agamidae

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Agamidae

lizard family

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Related Topics:: Calotes; agama; Draco; frilled lizard; spiny-tailed lizard

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Agamidae, (order Squamata), lizard family composed of about 350 species in about 50 genera. Agamids typically have scaly bodies, well-developed legs, and a moderately long tail; average body size ranges from 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches), and the tail is 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 inches) long, though the family varies widely.

Agamids inhabit tropical rainforests and mountain forests as well as deserts and steppes throughout most of the Old World, but they are found primarily in Australia, southern Asia, and Africa. There are both ground-dwelling and arboreal species. For more information on some noteworthy members, see agama, Chlamydosaurus (frilled lizard), Draco (flying lizard), and moloch.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.