Reptiles

Reptile Notes
 * Characteristics
 * Body structure:
 * They have dry skin and scales that help protect them and conserve water
 * Their legs are fully underneath their body to help with mobility
 * The Jacobsen's organ is a small hole in the roof of the mouth that the tongue goes into in order to analyze the air for scents
 * Body functions:
 * Lungs for breathing
 * Three-chambered heart, like amphibians
 * Ectotherms (cold-blooded)
 * Reproduction:
 * Internal fertilization, the egg fertilizes the sperm inside of the body
 * External development, the baby develops outside of the body in an amniotic egg
 * There are many sacs inside the shell that feed and nourish the embryo until it hatches
 * This egg helped reptiles have success living on land
 * The yolk is the food for the embryo
 * The allantois gets rid of the embryo's waste
 * The Amnion is fluid filled and protects the embryo
 * Reptile Taxonomy:
 * Kingdom: Animalia
 * Phylum: Chordata
 * Subphylum: Vertebrata
 * Class: Reptilia
 * Orders: Chelonia, Crocodilia, Squamata
 * Chelonia:
 * Turtles
 * Turtles are protected by a shell on their backs
 * They have a strong beak and jaws for eating, but no teeth
 * Sea turutles have flippers and come to land when they need to lay eggs
 * Tortoises live completely on land
 * Crocodilia:
 * All members have strong jaws and lay their eggs in the ground
 * Crocodiles:
 * More of their time is spent in water
 * They have a slim nose/mouth
 * Alligators:
 * More of their time is spent on land
 * They have a wide nose/mouth
 * Squamata:
 * Lizards:
 * Examples: Monitor lizards, komodo dragon, geckos, gila monster, beaded lizard
 * Snakes:
 * They have the most types of all reptiles
 * They don't have limbs
 * Their jaws are hinged so they can swallow prey whole
 * Examples: Boas, pythons, anacondas, rattlesnakes, cobras, vipers

Sidewinding Snake media type="custom" key="8786880"

Leapin' Lizards media type="custom" key="8786818"

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