Tony Phelps / Rhombic night adder (Causus rhombeatus) portrait, Kysna, Western Cape, South Africa

Luis Quinta / Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) portrait, Alentejo, Portugal

Stephen Dalton / Close up of scales on wing of moth

Wild Wonders of Europe / Ziegler / Peloponnese wall lizard (Podarcis peloponnesiacus) close-up showing leg, The Peloponnese, Greece, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Maitland / Balkan / Caspian whip snake (Coluber / Hierophis gemonensis} sloughed skin scale detail, Stenje region, Galicica National Park, Macedonia, June 2009

Stephen Dalton / Close up of wing of Morpho butterfly {Morpho sp} showing 3D structure and minor damage consistent with normal flight

Stephen Dalton / Buff tip moth (Phalera bucephala) close-up of body scales, UK

Stephen Dalton / Malachite / Green spiny lizard (Sceloporus malatichicus) Costa Rica

Stephen Dalton / Close up of wing mark on Silver Y moth {Autographa gamma}

Tony Phelps / Rhombic egg eater (Dasypeltis scabra) stridulating (rubbing scales) as part of defensive behaviour, Cape Town, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Black spitting cobra (Naja nigricincta woodi) Clanwilliam, Western Cape, South Africa

Paul Hobson / Male Adder (Vipera berus) head portrait, Peak District, UK

Paul Hobson / Male Adder (Vipera berus) curled up, Peak District, UK

Jabruson / Close up of foot of Water / Nile monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} Epulu Ituri Rainforest Reserve, Dem Rep of Congo

Kevin Schafer / Morelet's Crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) tail scales, Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

John Cancalosi / Northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon) portrait, New York, USA

Kim Taylor / Morpho butterfly (Morpho didius) close-up of wing scales

Wild Wonders of Europe / Radisics / Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni) close-ups of leg, near Meteora, Greece, October 2008

Andy Rouse / Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) in habitat, Plaza Sur, Galapagos

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) close-up of scales, Orkla River, Norway, September 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Lundgren / Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) close-up of scales, Orkla River, Norway, September 2008

Doug Perrine / Striped marlin {Tetrapturus audax} off Baja California, Mexico. Haze behind Marlin is blood and scales from Sardines slaughtered by Marlin

Rod Williams / Male Blue spiny lizard (Sceloporus serrifer cyanogenys) captive, from Texas and Mexico

Doug Perrine / Atlantic sailfish {Istiophorus albicans} attacking bait ball of Spanish sardines / gilt sardine / pilchard / round sardinella {Sardinella aurita} off Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Caribbean Sea. Sardine...

Juergen Freund / Close up of skin of Reticulated python {Python reticulatus} Philippines

Tony Phelps / Sungazer (Gerrhosaurus giganteus) lizard captive, from Orange Free State, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Sungazer (Gerrhosaurus giganteus) lizard captive, from Orange Free State, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Millipede, Atewa Range, Ghana

ZSSD / Southern Pacific Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis helleri) coiled up showing head with sensory pit organ, North America

ZSSD / Tree Pangolin (Manis tricuspis) skin, native to Africa

Nick Garbutt / Adult Wagler's / Temple pit viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) Bako NP, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Nick Garbutt / Close up of juvenile Reticulated python (Python reticulatus) resting coiled round sapling. Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Pete Oxford / Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) being weighed by researcher, Hood Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

John Cancalosi / Close up of skin of American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Louisiana, USA

John Cancalosi / Close up of skin on underside of American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Louisiana, USA

John Cancalosi / Close up of skin of American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) Louisiana, USA

Tim Laman / Close up of leg of Galapagos giant tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus), Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands.

Tim Laman / Marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) resting in the sunshine. Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island, Galapagos Islands.

Tim Laman / Close up of skin of Green / Common iguana (Iguana iguana). San Jose, Costa Rica.

Tim Laman / Green / Common iguana (Iguana iguana). San Jose, Costa Rica.

Tim Laman / Green / Common iguana (Iguana iguana). San Jose, Costa Rica.

Tim Laman / Close up of skin of Green / Common iguana (Iguana iguana) San Jose, Costa Rica.

Tim Laman / Margate grunt / gray grunt / red-mouthed grunt / white margate (Haemulon album), captive. Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas.

Tony Heald / Temple / Wagler's Pit Viper [Tropidolaemus wagleri] Bako National Park, Sarawak, Borneo. September

Luis Quinta / Lataste's viper {Vipera latasti} snake head close-up, Portugal

Albert Lleal / Eyelash Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) with elongated scales over eyes was thought extinct but rediscovered in 1994, New Caledonia

Tony Phelps / Western diamond-back rattlesnake {Crotalus atrox }head portrait, Captive, from SW USA

Tony Phelps / Puff adder {Bitis arietans} portrait, Little Karoo, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Sedge / Great Lakes / Black and green bush viper {Atheris nitschei} captive, from Tanzania.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Close up of eyespot on front wing of American moon / Luna Moth (Actias luna) New Braunfels, Texas, USA, March 2008

Rolf Nussbaumer / Close up of eyespot on back wing of American moon / Luna Moth (Actias luna) New Braunfels, Texas, USA, March 2008

John Cancalosi / Rio Fuerte Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum exasperatum) Sonora, Mexico Venomous species

Thomas Marent / Green Tree Python (Chondropython viridis) close up of face showing vertical pupil and row of heat sensors, Lae, Papua New Guinea

ZSSD / Tree Pangolin (Manis tricuspis) scales, native to Africa, San Diego Zoo, California

Anup Shah / Nile crocodiles {Crocodylus niloticus} with dead crocodile showing white underside of body, Serengeti NP, Tanzania

Rod Williams / Egyptian Snouted Cobra (Naja annulifera) on rock, Captive, from South East Africa

Rod Williams / Female King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), Captive, found South East Asia

Pete Oxford / Temminck's ground pangolin (Manis temmincki) curled up for defense, Linyanti, Botswana

Eric Baccega / Keeper weighing a giant panda baby (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) aged 5 months at Wolong nursery, Wolong Nature Reserve, China, Captive

Eric Baccega / Giant panda baby (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) aged 5 months being weighed at Wolong nursery, Wolong Nature Reserve, China, Captive

Robert Valentic / Copperhead {Austrelaps superbus} Wallan, Victoria, Australia

Albert Lleal / Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella) SEM close-up view of wing at 420x magnification

Albert Lleal / Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella) SEM close-up view of wing at 210x magnification

Albert Lleal / Sole (Solea sp) SEM close-up view of scales at 42x magnification

Albert Lleal / Moorish Wall Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) SEM close-up of foot of at 16.5x magnification

Albert Lleal / Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) SEM close-up of keeled scales on the head at 14x magnification

Nick Garbutt / Close up of face of Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Punta Espinosa, Isla Fernandina, Galapagos Islands.

Rod Williams / Western Diamond-back Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) head and rattle, captive, from South Western USA and North West Mexico

Rod Williams / Eastern Green Mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) captive, from Sub-Saharan Africa

Rolf Nussbaumer / Wildlife biologist banding, weighing and conducting research on Ferruginous Pygmy Owl {Glaucidium brasilianum} Willacy County, Rio Grande, Texas, USA 2007

Tony Phelps / Cape file snake {Mehelya capensis} raising head, Limpopo, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Sri Lankan pit viper {Trimeresurus trigonocephalus} on log, captive, from Sri Lanka

Juergen Freund / Ridge of saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) tail. Queensland, Australia

Philippe Clement / Arizona black rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis cerberus) close-up rattle and keeled scales. Arizona, USA. Captive.

ZSSD / Green Mamba (Dendroaspis viridis) face with open mouth, venomous, native to West Africa

ZSSD / Blue-tailed Monitor (Varanus doreanus) eye, native to New Guinea

ZSSD / King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) close up of scales, native to Asia

PREMAPHOTOS / Horned-nose lizard {Ceratophora stoddarti} Agamidae) male in sub-tropical rainforest, Sri Lanka

Pete Oxford / Parson's chameleon (Calumma / Chamaeleo parsonii parsonii) male, eastern rainforests from Ranomafana National Park south to Andohahela. MADAGASCAR, endemic

Pete Oxford / Iguanid lizards (Oplurus cuvieri) Two males fighting for territory. Ankarafantsika Strict Nature Reserve, Western dry-deciduous forest. MADAGASCAR . These are medium sized iguanas. This sub-group of t...

Pete Oxford / Close up of underside of foot and suckers of Hemidactylus gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus). Ankarana Special Reserve. Northern MADAGASCAR

Rod Williams / Sunbeam snake {Xenopeltis unicolor} female, captive, from SE Asia

Nature Production / Scale of Japanese Seaperch {Lateolabrax japonicus}

Nature Production / Scale of Red seabream {Pagrus major}

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) researcher trying to weigh wiggly cub in nursery, Wolong Nature Reserve, China

Katherine Feng / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) baby being weighed on a scale at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Wolong Nature Reserve, China

Nature Production / Pinecone fish {Monocentris japonica} glowing (bacteria cohabiting on jaw are glowing) captive, Japan

Michael D. Kern / Hairy bush viper snake {Atheris hispidus} captive occurs eastern Africa

Jeff Rotman / Close-up of skin on back of Saltwater crocodile {Crocodylus porosus} captive, Cairns, Australia,

Hans Christoph Kappel / Close up of wing pattern of Map butterfly (Araschnia levana) Germany

Juergen Freund / Scorpionfish (Scorpaena sp) close up of fin, Caribbean

Dave Watts / Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) with flattened head and neck - a sign of aggression before striking, Tasmania, Australia

Dave Watts / Blotched Blue-Tongue (Tiliqua nigrolutea) Tasmania, Australia

Rolf Nussbaumer / Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) on flowering Guayacan (Guaiacum angustifolium), Starr County, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA. April 2002

Rolf Nussbaumer / Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) portrait, Starr County, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA. April 2002