This widespread and diverse group of lizards is often referred to as the old world iguanids. They are widespread throughout the paleotropics and Palearctic, though their range does not extend far into Europe and they seem to have been recently introduced to Madagascar. Agamidae contains two subfamilies, approximately 52 genera, and more than 350 species.

Agamids have experienced independent radiations of form and size on each of Africa, Asia, and Australia. All agamids have well-developed limbs, and many have keeled scales, middorsal crests, and throat flaps or fans. They range in size from tiny (14 mm snout-vent length in Amphibolurus microlepidotus ) to quite large (145 cm total length in the water dragon Hydrosaurus amboinensis ). Diagnostic features for the group are in contention, but may include paired, enlarged sternal fontanelles. Like the chameleons, but unlike other iguanians, agamids have acrodont teeth. Several additional characters are shared with chameleons, including reticular lingual papillae, reduced postfrontals, the expansion of the dentary onto labial face of the coronoid, shortened spenial, loss of pterygoid teeth, and the anterior surangular foramen ventral to the posterior extremity of the dentary.

Reference:

• Heying, H. 2003. "Agamidae" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 5, 2026 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Agamidae/