What characteristics distinguish Suborder Lacertilia (Sauria) lizards, including the whiptails, from snakes?
Answer
Presence of external ear openings and movable eyelids
Lizards belonging to the Suborder Lacertilia, or Sauria, are distinguished from snakes by several key external anatomical features that whiptails possess. The presence of external ear openings, visible on the side of the head, is one defining characteristic. Furthermore, they retain movable eyelids, which allows them to close their eyes, unlike snakes which have fused transparent scales covering their eyes. These traits help place them correctly within the broader hierarchy of reptiles, specifically separating them from the Ophidia (snakes) within the Order Squamata.
Related Questions
To which Family do whiptail lizards, celebrated for their speed and long tails, generally belong?What scientific advancement drove the splitting of the formerly massive genus *Cnemidophorus* into smaller genera like *Aspidoscelis*?What unique reproductive method characterizes some populations of the Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizard (*Cnemidophorus uniparens*)?What characteristics distinguish Suborder Lacertilia (Sauria) lizards, including the whiptails, from snakes?Which Kingdom classification signifies that whiptails are multicellular, heterotrophic organisms sharing fundamental animal life characteristics?Which genus typically encompasses many North American whiptail species, such as the Arizona Whiptail (*A. arizonae*), post-taxonomic split?What is the Global Conservation Status Rank (G-Rank) assigned to *Aspidoscelis gularis* (Texas Spotted Whiptail) by NatureServe?Which Phylum classification signifies that whiptails are connected to vertebrates because they possess a notochord at some developmental stage?What is the taxonomic distinction between the Order Squamata and the Suborder Lacertilia regarding reptile groups?Which group, *Aspidoscelis* or *Cnemidophorus*, often favors more sparsely vegetated, rocky slopes in northern ranges like Utah, aligning with modern generic grouping?