Veiled chameleon（Image source：Manfred Werner - Tsui， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The veiled chameleon ( Chamaeleo calyptratus ) derives its species name "calyptratus" from the Greek word καλύπτρα, meaning hood or covering, referring to the prominent casque on its head. This species is native to the southwestern Arabian Peninsula, including mountainous regions to coastal plains of Saudi Arabia and Yemen, where the climate is hot and semi-arid. They are arboreal, typically inhabiting tree

Panther chameleon（Image source：Rod Waddington， CC BY-SA 2.0 ） The panther chameleon ( Furcifer pardalis ), commonly known as the panther chameleon, inhabits tropical rainforest regions in northeastern Madagascar, both in mountainous areas and lowlands. It is one of the most commonly kept chameleon species in Taiwan. The genus name Furcifer is derived from the Latin word furci, meaning forked, referring to the structure of the chameleon's feet; pardalis means leopard-like,

Jackson's chameleon（Image source：AMMuench， CC BY 4.0 ） Jackson's chameleon ( Trioceros jacksonii ) belongs to the genus Trioceros , derived from Greek meaning 'three horns'. The species name jacksonii honors the British explorer and ornithologist Frederick John Jackson. The most distinctive feature of this species is the three prominent horns on the male's head (females have small horns or none at all). They are native to montane tropical forests in south-central Kenya and

Parson's chameleon（Image source：Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE， CC BY-SA 2.0 ） Parson's chameleon ( Calumma parsonii ), also known as the king chameleon, is one of the largest and most robust chameleon species in the world. It is endemic to the tropical rainforests of eastern and northern Madagascar. These chameleons typically inhabit lowland forests up to elevations of about 1,195 meters, favoring humid primary forests, though in some regions they may also be found in coffee p

Male Malagasy giant chameleon（Image source：Charles J. Sharp， CC BY-SA 4.0 ） The Malagasy giant chameleon ( Furcifer oustaleti ), also known as Oustalet's chameleon, is one of the longest extant chameleon species. Adult males can reach a total length of up to 68 cm including the tail, with a slender body and a weight of approximately 400 to 500 grams. Females are significantly smaller, averaging around 40 cm in total length. The species is characterized by a prominent crania

Male warty chameleon（Image source：Yosemite， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The warty chameleon ( Furcifer verrucosus ) is a chameleon species endemic to Madagascar. It is closely related to the Malagasy giant chameleon ( Furcifer oustaleti ) and was long misidentified as the same species. Currently, two subspecies are recognized: F. v. verrucosus and F. v. semicristatus . Their distributions differ slightly, with the former occurring across much of western Madagascar and the southern arid

Male Taita blade-horned chameleon（Image source：Lberbil， CC BY-SA 4.0 ） The Taita blade-horned chameleon ( Kinyongia boehmei ) is an arboreal species restricted to the Taita Hills of southeastern Kenya. It was first scientifically described in 2002 and later confirmed as a distinct species in 2008, rather than a subspecies of the Taita chameleon ( Kinyongia tavetana ). The specific name boehmei honors the German herpetologist Wolfgang Böhme for his contributions to reptile r

Meller's chameleon（Image source：Adrian Pingstone， CC0 1.0 ） Meller's chameleon ( Trioceros melleri ) is the largest chameleon species outside Madagascar. Adults typically reach a total length of 30 to 61 cm and weigh around 300 to 500 g, although some individuals can grow up to 76 cm and exceed 600 g. Their body is robust, with a relatively short tail measuring about one-third of the body length. A small rostral horn projects from the head. This species is widely distributed

Bearded pygmy chameleon（Image source：Louis Imbeau， CC BY 4.0 ） The bearded pygmy chameleon ( Rieppeleon brevicaudatus ) is a miniature chameleon native to eastern Africa, particularly the Usambara and Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, as well as southeastern Kenya. With a total length of only about 8 cm, it ranks among the smallest chameleon species in the world. Its scientific name derives from the Latin brevis (short) and caudatus (tailed), referring to its distinctly short

Rred tegu（Image source：Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada， CC BY 2.0 ） The red tegu ( Salvator rufescens ) is native to western Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay in South America. It is a large lizard, with adults typically reaching 90 to 140 cm in total length. Males are more robust than females, not only larger in size but also possessing well-developed jaw muscles that form prominent cheek bulges, giving them a powerful appearance. Juveniles are usually brownish-gree

Argentine black and white tegu（Image source：Leonardo Palermo Gentile， CC BY-SA 4.0 ） The Argentine black and white tegu ( Salvator merianae ) is widely distributed across eastern and central South America, including Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. In the wild, it inhabits tropical rainforests, savannas, semi-arid regions, and even human-altered environments such as farmland and pastures. These lizards are diurnal, highly curious, and agile. They can run q

Savannah monitor（Image source：Maria Jokinen， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The Savannah monitor ( Varanus exanthematicus ) is a medium to large-sized monitor lizard native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is widely distributed across regions such as Senegal, Ghana, Sudan, and Ethiopia, inhabiting savannas, dry open woodlands, and rocky environments. This species is primarily terrestrial, spending most of its time on the ground. It uses its powerful limbs to dig burrows for shelter from extreme h

Nile monitor（Image source：Bluemoose， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The Nile monitor ( Varanus niloticus ) is one of the most iconic large lizards in Africa, widely distributed across most regions south of the Sahara Desert. It is especially associated with rivers, lakes, and wetlands, and can even follow the Nile River northward into Egypt. Although absent from arid deserts such as the Sahara and Kalahari, it thrives in a wide range of environments, including savannas, forest edges, wetla

Asian water monitor（Image source：Carlos Delgado， CC BY-SA 4.0 ） The Asian water monitor ( Varanus salvator ) is the second-largest living monitor lizard in the world, surpassed only by the Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ). It is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia, ranging from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, southern China, and Hainan Island, to Malaysia, Singapore, and the Indonesian archipelago including Sumat

Timor monitor（Image source：Mark O'Shea， CC BY 3.0 ） The Timor monitor ( Varanus timorensis ) is a relatively small species of monitor lizard distributed across Timor, Savu, Rote Island, and parts of East Timor in Indonesia. It belongs to the subgenus Odatria within the genus Varanus , a group composed primarily of small-bodied, arboreal-adapted species. Adult individuals typically reach around 60 cm in total length, with the tail accounting for approximately two-thirds of t

Emerald tree monitor（Image source：TimVickers， CC0 1.0 ） The Emerald tree monitor ( Varanus prasinus ) is a medium-sized monitor lizard distributed across New Guinea and its surrounding islands. It is renowned for its vivid emerald to bluish-green coloration, often marked with dark transverse bands that provide effective camouflage within dense tropical rainforest vegetation. Adults typically reach a total length of 75 to 100 cm, with the tail frequently exceeding the body le

Rock monitor（Image source：Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa， CC BY 2.0 ） The rock monitor ( Varanus albigularis ) is one of the large lizard species inhabiting sub-Saharan Africa. Its distribution spans a wide range, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, and Angola, extending eastward into East Africa and the African Great Lakes region, reaching Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya, and further north to Ethiopia and Somalia. Adults typica

Sand goanna（Image source：Sylfred1977， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The sand goanna ( Varanus gouldii ) is one of the most widely distributed large monitor lizards in Australia. It has a robust body, with adults reaching up to 160 cm in length and exceeding 6 kg in weight, making it the second-largest monitor lizard in Australia, surpassed only by the perentie ( Varanus giganteus ), which can exceed 2 meters. Its body is primarily greenish-gray, covered with small, evenly distributed yell

Basking green iguana（Image source：Cayambe， CC BY-SA 3.0 ） The green iguana ( Iguana iguana ) is a large lizard with an exceptionally wide distribution, native to Central and South America and the Caribbean, ranging from southern Mexico to Brazil and Paraguay, and extending across numerous islands. In the wild, this species primarily inhabits the canopy layer of tropical forests and is a highly arboreal reptile. Juveniles usually remain on lower branches, whereas adults pref

Blue iguana（Image source：Bayo O， CC BY 3.0 ） The blue iguana ( Cyclura lewisi ) is one of the rarest and largest iguanas in the world, and an endemic terrestrial reptile of the Cayman Islands. It was originally regarded as a subspecies of the Cuban iguana ( Cyclura nubila ) until it was formally recognized as a distinct species in 2004. This species represents a classic case of island gigantism, with adults reaching up to 1.5 meters in length and weighing nearly 14 kilogram