Superfamily Diploglossa

("Diplo" having two parts, "glossa" tongue; from Greek)

Diploglossans are widespread lizards that live in some of the coldest regions inhabited by any reptile, and extend into steamy rainforests and deserts. While many species have four well-developed limbs with strongly clawed digits, there is a great and almost complete range of limb reduction seen in the group. Thus we see strong limbs in Shinisaurus, reduced yet fully functional limbs in Elgaria, tiny and less useful limbs in Diploglossus, and full limblessness in Anniella.

Diploglossan lizards are found in Africa (but not Madagascar), Europe, Asia, and South America, and hit their highest diversity in North and Central America. Unlike their relatives in the Platynota, diploglossans do not have particularly long or deeply forked tongues. However, they do frequently flick the tongue as do platynotans, and for both groups the tongue is an important smell and taste detection organ.

In diploglossans there is a correlation between having a smooth and bony scale system with limb reduction (legless species have the shiniest and most armored scales). Well-limbed species tend to have a mix of scale types, both keeled and non, with and without osteoderms.