Teiformata

Teiformata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Clade:	Lacertoidea
Clade:	Teiformata; Vidal & Hedges, 2005
Families
	Gymnophthalmidae; Teiidae;

Teiformata is a clade of squamate reptiles within Lacertoidea that comprises the New World lizard families Gymnophthalmidae and Teiidae. The name was introduced in a molecular phylogenetic classification of squamates by Vidal and Hedges (2005).

Taxonomy and systematics

Vidal and Hedges (2005) placed Teiformata within their higher-level grouping Laterata, alongside Lacertiformata and Amphisbaenia. In that scheme, Lacertiformata and Amphisbaenia were recovered together as Lacertibaenia, distinct from Teiformata within Laterata.

Phylogeny

Large-scale molecular phylogenies have supported a lacertoidean clade containing Gymnophthalmidae and Teiidae. Within the same lacertoidean context, a separate clade uniting Lacertidae and Amphisbaenia has also been recovered, highlighting a major split among sampled lacertoidean lineages in these analyses.

Distribution

Because both constituent families are New World groups, Teiformata is primarily an American clade in terms of the present-day distribution of its living members.

References

1 2 3 4 Vidal, Nicolas; Hedges, S. Blair (2005). "The phylogeny of squamate reptiles (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) inferred from nine nuclear protein-coding genes". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 328 (10–11): 1000–1008. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2005.10.001. PMID 16286089. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
1 2 3 4 5 Pyron, R. Alexander; Burbrink, Frank T.; Wiens, John J. (2013). "A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13 (1) 93. Bibcode:2013BMCEE..13...93P. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-93. PMC 3682911. PMID 23627680.

[VidalHedges2005-1] 1 2 3 4 Vidal, Nicolas; Hedges, S. Blair (2005). "The phylogeny of squamate reptiles (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) inferred from nine nuclear protein-coding genes". Comptes Rendus Biologies. 328 (10–11): 1000–1008. doi:10.1016/j.crvi.2005.10.001. PMID 16286089. Retrieved 28 December 2025.

[Pyron2013-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Pyron, R. Alexander; Burbrink, Frank T.; Wiens, John J. (2013). "A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 13 (1) 93. Bibcode:2013BMCEE..13...93P. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-13-93. PMC 3682911. PMID 23627680.