Lizards sometimes appear to be artifacts from bygone world, but many are more dynamic we may think. This week, we take a look at some reptiles that are doting parents, bloody brilliant, and just plain adorable.

As cold-blooded creatures, reptiles' body temperature is dependent on their environment. That’s why you might see a Florida alligator sunning itself like a tourist.

Most of us think of reptiles as cold in demeanor, too—aloof and solitary. But the Solomon Island skink “lives in little social groups, which is really, really rare for lizards,” says Nassima Bouzid, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington.

Most reptiles lay many eggs and abandon them, but these tree-dwelling skinks give birth to live young and care