Snakes and Lizards: Squamata

Squamates can live in many habitats, from the dry conditions in the desert to the wet and warm rainforests. Many of them, including numerous lizards and snakes, live above ground on land. Some, such as the wormlizards, are fossorial (foss-OR-ee-ul), which means that they remain underground most of the time. Others, including many snakes, are arboreal (ar-BOR-ee-ul), which means that they often live above the ground among tree branches. Some, like the water snakes, rarely leave their freshwater streams or ponds, while the sea kraits are snakes that spend their lives in salt water.