Lizard, Snake, or Tuatara?

The cobra/mamba family. Includes Dendroaspis polylepis, the black mamba, a fast, highly venomous African species.

The anole family. Includes Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina green anole, known for dewlap displays and color change.

The monitor lizard family. Includes Varanus salvator, the water monitor, a large, intelligent, semi‑aquatic predator.

The python family. Includes Python bivittatus and Python regius, large constrictors with heat‑sensing pits.

The skink family. Includes Plestiodon fasciatus, P. inexpectatus, P. laticeps, and Scincella lateralis, all smooth‑scaled, fast‑moving lizards.

he viper family. Includes Agkistrodon contortrix, A. piscivorus, Crotalus horridus, and C. atrox, all venomous pit vipers with hinged fangs.

The largest snake family. Includes Nerodia taxispilota, N. fasciata, Coluber constrictor, Thamnophis sirtalis, Pantherophis alleghaniensis, P. guttatus, Rhadinaea flavilata, Pituophis melanoleucus, Farancia abacura, and Heterodon platirhinos. Mostly non‑venomous, extremely diverse.

The spiny lizard family. Includes Sceloporus undulatus, the eastern fence lizard, commonly found on trees and fences.

The tuatara family. Includes Sphenodon punctatus, the only living member of Rhynchocephalia, retaining many ancient reptile traits.

The whiptail/racerunner family. Includes Aspidoscelis sexlineatus, the six‑lined racerunner, a very fast diurnal forager.

The boa family. Includes Corallus caninus, the emerald tree boa, an arboreal ambush predator with heat‑sensing pits.

The iguana family. Includes Iguana iguana, the green iguana, a large arboreal herbivore.

The glass lizard family. Includes Ophisaurus attenuatus and O. ventralis, legless lizards with eyelids and external ear openings.