Just as the lizard is able to drop its tail in order to escape danger, so the lizard totem shows us the principles of letting go and self-protection.
A popular lizard for tattoo designs in the gecko, which appears often in Polynesian tribal tattoos. The gecko is supposed to have supernatural powers, and is regarded by Polynesians with fear and awe. It is rumored that if a green gecko "laughs" at you, it's a terrible omen of illness and bad fortune.
Most lizard species are harmless to humans. Only the very largest lizard species pose threat of death; the Komodo dragon, for example, has been known to stalk, attack, and kill humans. The venom of the Gila monster and beaded lizard is not usually deadly but they can inflict extremely painful bites due to powerful jaws. Numerous species of lizard are kept as pets.
Lizard symbolism plays important, though rarely predominant roles in some cultures (e.g. Tarrotarro in Australian Aboriginal mythology). The Moche people of ancient Peru worshiped animals and often depicted lizards in their art. According to a popular legend in Maharashtra, a Common Indian Monitor, with ropes attached, was used to scale the walls of the Sinhagad fort in the Battle of Sinhagad.
Green Iguanas are eaten in Central America and Uromastyx in Africa. In North Africa, Uromastyx are considered dhaab or "fish of the desert" and eaten by nomadic tribes.
