2008-05-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Reptiles

Turtles

Anaconda (snakes)

Jesus Lizard (lizards)

The respiratory system of reptiles:

The reptile's scaly skin does not permit gas, exchange, so reptiles cannot use their skin for additional respiratory surface, as many amphibians can. Instead, most reptiles have a pair of lungs with small grape-shaped chambers called alveoli located on the inner surface of the lungs. The alveoli greatly increase the respiratory surface area of a reptile's lungs, In addition, reptiles have strong muscles attached to their rib cage. The action of these muscles helps to move air into and out of the lungs, increasing their efficiency.

The reproduction of reptiles:

Unlike the eggs of most amphibians, reptillian eggs are fertilized within the female, a process called internal fertilization. The male reptile introduces his semen directly into the female's body. the semen contains sperm and fluid secretions. Internal fertilization protects the gamates from drying out, even though the adult animals are fully terrestrial. Many reptiles are oviparous, meaning the young hatch from eggs. The female deposits the eggs in a suitable place in the enviroment, and heat from the eviroment incubates them. In most cases, the eggs are not protected by the parents.

What reptiles eat:

It depends on the lizard, its age, its size, and a lot of other factors.Some are vegetarian, some are carnivores, some are omnivores, and still others are scavengers. The most common in the US, the Anole lizards (the smooth skinned green or brown color-changing varieties), will eat pretty much anything from apples to smaller lizards.

Habitat:

Members of class Reptilia live throughout the world in a wide variety of habitats, except in the coldest regions, where it is impossible for ectotherms

Characteristics:

Reptiles need more oxygen than amphibians.

Strong, bony skeletons.

Ectothermic metabolism.

Dry, scaly skin, almost watertight.

Amniotic eggs, almost watertight.

Repiration through well-developed lungs.

Ventricle of heart partly divided by a septum

Internal fertilization

Legs are positioned more vertically under their body, than the limbs of amphibians, to enable them to support their weight to move more quickly on land than amphibians.

Claws, which are used for climbing and digging, Claws also enable reptiles to get a good grip on the ground, and many can run quickly for short distances.

Pink's Science Blog