Magic practitioner has wife turned into large reptile (6)

I believe the answer is:

lizard

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'reptile' is the definition.
(lizard is a kind of reptile)

I don't understand the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for lizard that I've seen before include "Reptile such as skink" , "Type of reptile" , "Gecko, for example" , "Two-legged reptile" , "Gecko, chameleon or monitor?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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