suborder Sauria

9.9

A group of lizards like chameleons and geckos

noun
/ˈsʌbˌɔrdər ˈsɔːriə/

Specialized

: suborden Sauria

The suborder Sauria includes a wide variety of lizards, from geckos to iguanas.

Examples

Chameleons, well-known for their adaptive camouflage, are members of the suborder Sauria.
Many species in the suborder Sauria can regenerate their tails when threatened.
The suborder Sauria includes various species of lizards.
Did you know that suborder Sauria consists of chameleons and geckos?
Chameleons, well-known for their adaptive camouflage, are members of the suborder Sauria.
Many species in the suborder Sauria can regenerate their tails when threatened.
The suborder Sauria includes a wide variety of lizards, from geckos to iguanas.

Synonyms

Sauria

vssuborder Sauria

Specialized

9.9

A group of reptiles that includes lizards like chameleons and geckos

has identical meaning but uses a different term

Lacertilia

vssuborder Sauria

Specialized

9.9

A group of reptiles that includes lizards such as chameleons and geckos

has identical meaning but is a variant name used in literature

Surface Forms

suborder Sauria singular

suborders Sauria plural

Morphology

suborder + Sauria

The phrase 'suborder Sauria' is compositionally transparent: 'suborder' denotes a taxonomic rank and 'Sauria' names the clade of true lizards, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the taxonomic suborder containing those lizards. Although domain-specific, the noun + proper-name taxonomic pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning predictable for B1 learners familiar with the terms.

Etymology

Suborder Sauria comes from the old Greek word 'sauros' meaning 'lizard', and suborder means a smaller group inside a larger one. So suborder Sauria simply names a smaller group of true lizards, which is why it is used for animals like chameleons and geckos.