What is the taxonomic distinction between the Order Squamata and the Suborder Lacertilia regarding reptile groups?
Answer
Squamata is the large Order encompassing both lizards and snakes; Lacertilia is the Suborder including virtually all lizards.
The taxonomic hierarchy places Order Squamata above Suborder Lacertilia. Squamata is recognized as the largest order within Class Reptilia, encompassing the diversity found in both lizards and snakes. Lacertilia, also known as Sauria, is a suborder nested within Squamata that specifically includes almost all extant lizards, setting them apart from the snakes (Serpentes). The division noted between lizards and snakes within Squamata often hinges on features like the presence of external ear openings and movable eyelids, characteristics possessed by those in Lacertilia, including the whiptails.
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?