List of largest extant lizards

Largest extant lizards

By families

Agamas (Agamidae)

• The largest representatives in this group are species in the genus Hydrosaurus, which often exceed 1 metre in length.
• *The largest species – Makassar sailfin lizard and Sulawesi black sailfin lizard grow to a length of 1.2 and 1.13 m respectively.
• *Weber's sailfin lizard, Philippine sailfin lizard and Amboina sailfin lizard have a length of 1 m.
• The Australian water dragon and Chinese water dragon can also exceed this length.
• The frilled lizard has length up to 85 cm and mass up to 870 g, probably even 900 g
• Uromastyx aegyptia is one of heaviest representatives among agamas, with length up to 76 cm and mass 2 kg.
• A central bearded dragon and eastern bearded dragon have a length of, and are the largest in their genus.

  American legless lizards (Anniellidae)

• The largest American legless lizard is the Californian legless lizard attaining long.

  Glass lizards (Anguidae)

• Many representatives of this family are legless lizards. Among these the largest species, and also the largest legless lizard in the world, is the sheltopusik, reaching a maximum length of more 135 cm and a mass in.
• The eastern glass lizard and slender glass lizard may reach lengths of up to and respectively.
• However, this family also has lizards with legs, among which the largest is the Texas alligator lizard growing to from 45.7 cm till 64 cm in different sources.

  Chameleons (Chamaeleonidae)

• Of all chameleons, the largest is the Parson's chameleon, reaching a length of 68 cm. But the longest species is the Malagasy giant chameleon. It has a length of up to 68.5 cm.
• Other large chameleons are the veiled chameleon and Meller's chameleon, with lengths of up to 61 cm Exceptionally large specimens of the latter have reputedly reached over 76 cm and mass 600 g, although this is unlikely.

  Spinytail lizards (Cordylidae)

• Many species in this family are small to medium-sized lizards that range in length from 6 to 30 cm. There are large species in the genus Smaug, the largest of which is a giant girdled lizard, with snout-vent length up to 20.5 cm and total length up to roughly 40 cm.

  Casquehead lizards (Corytophanidae)

• Casquehead lizards are quite large lizards. In particular, the genus Basiliscus typically measures 70–75 cm. But the largest species in this group is the plumed basilisk, frequently growing to 91 cm.
• Another large species in this group is the eastern casquehead iguana reaching up to 70 cm including its long, thin tail.

  Collared lizards (Crotaphytidae)

• In this family it is not known exactly which species is the largest, but according to current data the largest is the reticulated collared lizard with length up to 41 cm and mass 78.77 g.

  Anoles (Dactyloidae)

• Large species in this group are usually crown giant anolis ecomorphs The species generally considered the largest is the knight anole, which can reach up to 51 cm in total length, 19 cm in snout-vent length and weigh 137 g.
• However, in the equester species complex there are also species reaching the same length and even larger. These include A. baracoae, A. luteogularis, A. noblei and A. smallwoodi.

  Geckos (Gekkota)

• Species of geckos belong to different groups. For example, many species of geckos are in family Gekkonidae, but there are very large species in the family Diplodactylidae. For example, to them belongs the largest gecko species New Caledonian giant gecko, which can be 36–43.18 cm long and mass 212–279 g
• Other representatives of the same genus as the aforementioned gecko can also reach huge sizes. These include gargoyle gecko, greater rough-snouted giant gecko and lesser rough-snouted giant gecko. As well as former species in this genus: crested gecko, Sarasins' giant gecko and Bavay's giant gecko.
• An extant member of the genus Hoplodactylus, Duvaucel's gecko, in which be present a largest gecko ever lived can also reach large sizes. It can reach total length 30 cm with a snout-vent length up to 16 cm, and weigh up to 120 grams.
• There are also large species in the family Gekkonidae. These include tokay gecko, Smith's green-eyed gecko and Andaman giant gecko, which can reach and even exceed 30 cm.
• Another genus with large geckos is Uroplatus. The largest representative in this genus is the giant leaf-tail gecko, which can reach a snout–vent length of 20 cm and a total length of 32.2 cm. Another species that grows almost as large is the common flat-tail gecko, which can exceed 30 cm and more.
• The genus Phelsuma in subfamily Uroplatinae also has large species. Standing's day gecko is one of the largest day geckos, reaching a length of about and Round Island day gecko, Madagascar giant day gecko and P. madagascariensis can reach even more impressive lengths of 30 cm or more.
• Outside of the families Diplodactylidae and Gekkonidae, there are large geckoes among the Eublepharidae. The African fat-tailed gecko reaches a length of up to 23 cm, and a mass of. The leopard gecko reaches even large sizes – up to 28 cm long with a mass of 60–80 g.
• The largest species of family Phyllodactylidae, the giant wall gecko, reaches in length and in SVL.

  Plated lizards (Gerrhosauridae)

• The largest species in this family is the giant plated lizard, with a total length of up to 69 cm or even 75 cm, with a snout-vent length of 28 cm. Another large plated lizard is the Sudan plated lizard, with a length of about 51–60 cm.

  Beaded lizards and Gila monster (Helodermatidae)

• This family includes large and stocky lizards, including the infamous Gila monster, which reaches a total length up to 60 cm with a snout-vent length of 36 cm and a body mass from to depending on the source. But despite the stocky and massive body of this lizard, it is not the largest representative of the family. Greatly exceeding it in size are the Mexican beaded lizard and Rio Fuerte beaded lizard, with a total length of up to 91 cm, a SVL of up to 47 cm and a mass from to depending on the source.

  Iguanas (Iguanidae)

• Iguanas are very large lizards, some of which can reach lengths of up to 2 m and mass more than. They are the largest lizards after some large species of monitor lizards, and the largest lizards in the New World. Iguanas vary considerably in size and form, but even the smallest lizards in this family are still quite large. For example, the desert iguana can reach a length of up to 61 cm. The largest species of the genus Sauromalus is the San Esteban chuckwalla, up to 76 cm long and in weight, while the second-largest is the Angel Island chuckwalla, up to 64 cm long.
• Many sources describe the green iguana as the largest iguanid, often reaching lengths up to 1.5 metres and masses of, and with a maximum length of 2 m and a mass of and in some cases even. However, the heaviest species in this family is the blue iguana, with a total length of up to 1.5 m, a SVL of 51–76 cm and a mass of up to It is the eighth-heaviest and largest extant lizard.

• Other large species in this family include the Galapagos land iguana, with a length of about 1.5 m and a mass of up to. It is the second-heaviest iguanid after the blue iguana and the ninth-heaviest and largest lizard in the world. Another large species from the same genus is the Santa Fe land iguana, reaching a SVL of and a mass of. The Galapagos pink land iguana have snout-vent length and the mass of.
• The marine iguana is the tenth-largest extant lizard in the world, and the largest reptile on Galapagos Islands after the Galapagos land iguana, not including turtles reaching a maximum total length of 1.4 m, a SVL of from 12 till 56 cm and a mass of from depending on islands.
• Aforementioned genus Cyclura includes other very large iguanas, such as Anegada rock iguana reaching a snout-vent length of and a mass. A second largest species in this genus and second longest iguanid overall, and also one of the largest lizards in the Caribbean, the Cuban iguana reaching a length in with a SVL in.
• The rhinoceros iguana has a length in, with a SVL and a mass more. Previously considered a subspecies of the aforementioned rhinoceros iguana, the Mona ground iguana exceeds a total length of 1.22 m, SVL of, mass of and is the largest native terrestrial lizard in Puerto-Rico.
• At least two subspecies of the Northern Bahamian rock iguana can be over in length.
• A member of the genus Iguana, lesser Antillean iguana can reach SVL, and mass.
• The black iguana and western spiny-tailed iguana are the largest species in the genus Ctenosaura, reaching a length in. The longest is Mexican spiny-tailed iguana with a length of.