subject: Reptiles Are Animals That Are Cold Blooded And Breathe Air. [print this page] The black mambas are the most unsafe of all reptiles.
Reptiles are animals in the class Reptilia. They lay tough shelled amniotic eggs.
Reptiles have scales or scutes which means a bony external plate. Read moreFamilieferie Limfjorden
With the exception of Antarctica, reptiles inhabit every continent. Four living orders of reptiles are presently recognized.The four orders are
1.Crocodilia, which include crocodiles, gavials, caimans, and alligators. In all there are 23 species.
2.Sphenodonita tuataras from New Zealand. 2 species.
3.Squamata Lizards, snakes and worm lizards- about 7, 900 species.
4.Testudines,which are turtles and tortoises. 300 species.
The majority of reptile kinds is the egg laying type which is known as oviparous.However certain species of squamates are capable of giving live birth. This is achieved by either egg retention which is ovoviviparity or birth of off spring without the increase of calcified eggs which is known as viviparity.
Existing reptiles range in size from a tiny gecko that grows to only 1.6 cm to the salt water crocodile, which can reach 6 m in length and weigh nearly 1,000 kg.
The science dealing with reptiles is named herpetology.
The foundation of the reptiles lies about 320 310 million years ago,in the steaming bogs of the late Carboniferous period when the first reptiles evolved from advancedreptiliomorphlabirinthodonts.
The oldest known reptile in a biological sense is the Hyholomus. It was a small animal equal to a lizard, about 20 30 meters long.
The first reptiles were anapsides.They had a hard skull with holes for nose, eyes and spinal cord.Since turtles share this skull structure, it is believed that turtles are anapsides.
Most reptiles have a three chambered heart. All reptiles breathe using lungs.Lung airing is accomplished differently in each main reptile group.
Most reptiles dont have a secondary palate, which means that they must hold their breath while swallowing. Read moreDyretilbehoer
Compared to mammalian skin the reptilian skin is pretty thin. Exposed parts of reptiles are protected with scales or scutes.
Most reptiles are carnivorous. Their digestion is unhurried than mammals.
Most reptiles are diurnal animals. Their vision is normally adapted to day light conditions.
A enormous number of people keep reptiles as pets. Frogs, lizards, snakes, tortoises and turtles are some reptiles which are kept as pets.
The longest toxic reptile is the king cobra. It could reach a length of 18 feet. Read moreFamiliecamping Nordjylland
