The order Squamata, or the
scaled reptiles, are the largest recent
order of
reptiles, comprising all
lizards and
snakes. With over 9,000
species, it is also the second-largest order of
vertebrates, after the
perciform fish. Members of the order are distinguished by their skins, which bear horny
scales or shields. They also possess movable
quadrate bones, making it possible to move the upper jaw relative to the
neurocranium. This is particularly visible in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to accommodate comparatively large prey. They are the most variably sized order of reptiles, ranging from the dwarf gecko (
Sphaerodactylus ariasae) to the green anaconda (
Eunectes murinus) and the now-extinct
mosasaurs, which reached lengths of .