Alex Hyde / Jumping spider {Salticidae} covered in iridescent scales photographed on white background, tropical rainforest, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon close-up of skin {Furcifer pardalis} red / yellow / green colouration, Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon {Furcifer pardalis} close-up of skin, green colouration, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon close-up of skin {Furcifer pardalis} red / blue / green colouration, Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon close-up of skin {Furcifer pardalis} red colouration, Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Close up of coiled tail of Parson's chameleon {Calumma parsonii} showing scales and strong green colouration. Tropical rainforest, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Close up of skin of Parson's chameleon {Calumma parsonii} showing scales and dark brown colouration. Tropical rainforest, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon close-up of dorsal scales {Furcifer pardalis} green colouration, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Panther chameleon close-up of skin {Furcifer pardalis}, green / yellow colouration, Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Close up of skin of Parson's chameleon {Calumma parsonii} showing scales and strong green colouration. Tropical rainforest, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Pete Oxford / Peacock Bass (Cichla ocellaris) eyespot, Rewa River, Guyana

Mark Carwardine / Chinese / Thailand water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) captive, from SE Asia

Mark Carwardine / Chinese / Thailand water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) captive, from SE Asia

Daniel Heuclin / Asp viper (Vipera aspis) head portrait from above. France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Daniel Heuclin / Asp viper (Vipera aspis) head portrait from above. France, Europe. Controlled conditions.

Michael D. Kern / Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica) showing cryptic markings, captive, from Africa

Michael D. Kern / Green tree python (Morelia / Chondopython viridis) juvenile portrait, coiled on branch, captive, from Australia and SE Asia

Michael D. Kern / Philippine pitviper (Trimeresurus / Parias flavomaculatus) captive, from the Philippines

Tim Laman / Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) detail of belly scales in rainforest, Borneo

Tim Laman / Paradise tree snake (Chrysopelea paradisi) detail of belly scales in rainforest, Borneo

Stephen Dalton / Small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae) close up of wing scales

Stephen Dalton / Panther chameleon (Furcifer / Chamaeleo pardalis) walking along narrow branch, controlled conditions

Jeff Rotman / Close-up of the scales of a Jewel Grouper / Coral hind (Cephalopholis Miniata) Red Sea, Egypt

Jeff Rotman / Tail fin of Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) Red Sea, Egypt

Tui De Roy / Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) spines, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) spines, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Stephen Dalton / Close up of eye of Bearded dragon lizard (Amphibolurus barbatus) controlled conditions, native to Australia

Stephen Dalton / Bearded dragon lizard (Amphibolurus barbatus) controlled conditions, native to Australia

Nick Upton / Male Small skipper butterfly (Thymelicus sylvestris) with clear "sex brands" - lines of scent scales. Wiltshire, UK, June.

Stephen Dalton / Close up of foot of Tokay gecko (Gekko gekko) controlled conditions

Stephen Dalton / Close up of the skin of a lizard

Stephen Dalton / Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) close up of eye pattern on wings, scales, macro image.

Stephen Dalton / Green cat snake (Boiga cyanea) threat display, from Asia, controlled conditions

John Cancalosi / Rubber Boa (Charina bottae) coiled within itself, Oregon, USA, captive

John Cancalosi / Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) "Smelling" or "tasting" the air with its tongue. Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, USA

Edwin Giesbers / Nile crocodile {Crocodylus niloticus} close-up of skin, captive

Edwin Giesbers / Rhinoceros viper / adder {Bitis nasicornis} skin detail, captive, from Africa

Edwin Giesbers / Canebrake Rattlesnake {Crotalus horridus atricaudatus} captive, detail of skin, from SE Asia

Edwin Giesbers / Close up of eye of Gould's / Sand monitor {Varanus gouldii} captive

Edwin Giesbers / Gaboon viper {Bitis gabonica} skin detail, captive, from Eastern and Central Africa;

Edwin Giesbers / Jumping Viper {Atropoides / Bothrops nummifer} head detail, Captive, from Central America

Edwin Giesbers / Close up of scales and skin pattern of Boa constrictor {Constrictor constrictor} captive, from South America

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