Gymnophthalmidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

of lizards with at least 250

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

, sometimes known commonly as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called "spectacled" because of their transparent lower eyelids, which allow them to still see with closed eyes. As in most lizards, except

gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from . Geckos a ...

s, these eyelids are movable. The Alopoglossidae have been recently moved from this family.

Description and ecology

Spectacled lizards are related to the Teiidae, but they look like skinks (slightly more distant relatives) with smooth

scales Scale or scales may refer to: Mathematics * Scale (descriptive set theory), an object defined on a set of points * Scale (ratio), the ratio of a linear dimension of a model to the corresponding dimension of the original * Scale factor, a number w ...

. They are generally small lizards; many species have reduced limbs. Unusually among lizards, however, it is generally the hind limbs that are reduced or absent, rather than the forelimbs. Bauer (1998). Gymnophthalmids live in a wide variety of

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s, from

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

to rain forest, throughout

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...

. They are usually inhabitants of the

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

floor or wet areas associated with tropical forests, either

nocturnal Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed sens ...

or intermittently active throughout the day. Spectacled lizards eat mostly insects and other invertebrates, and all species lay eggs. Often they can be found under logs, rocks, or other debris or foraging for small

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chorda ...

prey Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

. Some species are able to dive to escape.

Genera

*''

Acratosaura ''Acratosaura'' is a genus of lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is endemic to Brazil. Species The genus ''Acratosaura'' contains 2 species which are recognized as being valid."''Acratosaura'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile ...

'' (2 species) *''

Adercosaurus ''Adercosaurus'' is a genus of the lizard family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is monotypic, i.e. it has only one species, ''Adercosaurus vixadnexus''. It occurs in Venezuela.Alexandresaurus ''Alexandresaurus'' is a genus of lizard in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is monotypic, i.e., it contains only one species, ''Alexandresaurus camacan''. The species is endemic to Brazil. www.reptile-database.org. Etymology The generic ...

'' (monotypic) *'' Amapasaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Anadia'' (20 species) *''

Andinosaura ''Andinosaura'' is a genus of lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is endemic to South America. Species The genus ''Andinosaura'' contains 11 species which are recognized as being valid."''Andinosaura'' ". The Reptile Database. www. ...

'' (11 species) *''

Anotosaura ''Anotosaura'' is a genus of South American lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae."''Anotosaura'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Geographic range The genus ''Anotosaura'' is endemic to Brazil. Species The genus ''Anotosa ...

'' (2 species) *''

Arthrosaura ''Arthrosaura'' is a genus of spectacled lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae. Geographic range Lizards in the genus ''Arthrosaura'' are endemic to northern South America. Taxonomy Within the genus ''Arthrosaura'' there appears to be two s ...

'' (7 species) *''

Bachia :''"Bachia"'' as described by Förster in 1869 is now the cryptine wasp genus '' Bachiana''. ''Bachia'' is a genus of lizards that belong to the spectacled lizards family.Calyptommatus ''Calyptommatus'' is a genus of Brazilian lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae Gymnophthalmidae is a family of lizards with at least 250 species, sometimes known commonly as spectacled lizards or microteiids. They are called "spectacled" b ...

'' (5 species) *'' Caparaonia'' (monotypic) *'' Centrosaura'' (monotypic) *'' Cercosaura'' (18 species) *''

Colobodactylus ''Colobodactylus'' (common name: Amaral's teiids) is a small genus of lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is endemic to Brazil. Species There are two species in the genus ''Colobodactylus''. *'' Colobodactylus dalcyanus'' - Van ...

'' (2 species) *'' Colobosaura'' (2 species) *'' Colobosauroides'' (2 species) *'' Dendrosauridion'' (monotypic) *'' Dryadosaura'' (monotypic) *'' Echinosaura'' (8 species) *'' Ecpleopus'' (monotypic) *'' Euspondylus'' (10 species) *'' Gelanesaurus'' (2 species) *''

Gymnophthalmus ''Gymnophthalmus'' is genus of lizards in the family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is native to Mexico, Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering ...

'' (8 species) *'' Heterodactylus'' (3 species) *'' Iphisa'' (monotypic) *'' Kaieteurosaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Kataphraktosaurus'' (monotypic) *''

Leposoma ''Leposoma'' is a genus of South American lizards in the Family (biology), family Gymnophthalmidae. Species The following six species are recognized as being valid: *''Leposoma annectans'' *''Leposoma baturitensis'' *''Leposoma nanodactylus'' ...

'' (6 species) *''

Loxopholis ''Loxopholis'' is a genus of lizards in the Family (biology), family Gymnophthalmidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to South America. Species The genus ''Loxopholis'' contains 11 species which are recognized as being valid."''Loxopholis'' ". T ...

'' (11 species). www.reptile-database.org. *'' Macropholidus'' (4 species) *'' Magdalenasaura'' (2 species) *'' Marinussaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Micrablepharus'' (2 species) *'' Neusticurus'' (7 species) *'' Nothobachia'' (monotypic) *'' Oreosaurus'' (7 species) *'' Pantepuisaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Petracola'' (5 species) *'' Pholidobolus'' (13 species) *'' Placosoma'' (4 species) *'' Potamites'' (7 species) *'' Procellosaurinus'' (2 species) *'' Proctoporus'' (19 species) *'' Psilops'' (3 species) *'' Rhachisaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Rheosaurus'' (monotypic) *'' Riama'' (15 species) *'' Riolama'' (6 species) *'' Rondonops'' (2 species) *'' Scriptosaura'' (monotypic) *'' Selvasaura'' (3 species) *'' Stenolepis'' (monotypic) *'' Tretioscincus'' (3 species) *'' Vanzosaura'' (3 species) * '' Wilsonosaura'' (monotypic) *'' Yanomamia'' (2 species)

References

Bibliography

* (1998). " ymnophthalmidae. p. 171. ''In:'' (editors) (1998). ''Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians''. San Diego: Academic Press. 240 pp. . * (1978). ''Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition''. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company:xi + 378 pp. . ("Subfamily Gymnophthalminae", p. 305).

External links

*
Mikko's Phylogeny Archive Gymnophthalmidae
*https://web.archive.org/web/20090614085743/http://www.jcvi.org/reptiles/families/gymnophthalmidae.php {{Taxonbar, from=Q244414 Lizard families Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger