Classification and phylogeny Squamata

desert iguana amboy crater, mojave desert, california

historically, order squamata has been divided 3 suborders:

lacertilia, lizards
serpentes, snakes (see ophidia)
amphisbaenia, worm lizards

of these, lizards form paraphyletic group, since lizards excludes subclades of snakes , amphisbaenians. studies of squamate relationships using molecular biology have found several distinct lineages, though specific details of interrelationships vary 1 study next. 1 example of modern classification of squamates is

all recent molecular studies suggest several groups form venom clade, encompasses majority (nearly 60%) of squamate species. named toxicofera, combines groups serpentes (snakes), iguania (agamids, chameleons, iguanids, etc.), , anguimorpha (monitor lizards, gila monster, glass lizards, etc.).