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. Snakes

 

 

There are numerous differences between typical lizards and typical snakes, but there are very few characteristics that provide a concrete distinction between members of the two suborders. Some lizards have evolved on a line parallel to that of the snakes and in the process have acquired certain snake-like characteristics (loss of limbs for example), while some snakes have retained certain obvious lizard characteristics (vestiges of hind limbs for example). The two groups are obviously very closely related, thus zoologists have classified them together in the same order.

If confronted with a legless, serpentine reptile, you can tell whether it is a snake or a lizard by examining the following points. First ascertain whether movable eyelids are present; if so the animal is definitely a lizard-most legless lizards possess movable eyelids but no snakes do. Next look for external ear openings; if present, the animal is definitely a lizard-no snakes have external ear openings. Further point to examine includes the tongue, which is invariably notched in legless lizards, rather than forked as in snakes. The tail of legless lizards is often easily lost through autonomy whereas (with very few exceptions) snakes cannot voluntarily shed their tails.