On Earth makes our planet so unique and beautiful. Surprisingly, discoveries of new animal species that were previously unknown to science still occur. The most interesting for scientists are reptiles. This is the type of animal that is considered the most ancient on the planet and has not yet been fully studied by scientists. We will tell you about them today.
Reptiles - who are they?
Every schoolchild can tell a lot of interesting things about these amazing representatives of the animal world. It is also known from the biology course that reptiles are a special class of animals, which are currently represented by four orders. They are cold-blooded vertebrates and therefore prefer to live in countries with warm or hot climates. Many people believe that reptiles and amphibians belong to the same class, but this is actually not the case. Reptiles can live both in water and on land, and their skin, unlike the skin of amphibians, is covered with small scales, which allow them to retain precious moisture in the body.
The class of reptiles, or reptiles, as they are called, dominated our planet millions of years ago. The eggshells helped them in this, which reliably protected the future cubs from all dangers. The eggs of amphibians could easily be damaged. In addition, baby reptiles are born fully adapted to independent life, which cannot be said about amphibians, which go through several stages of development before reaching full adulthood.
Reptiles: what they look like
Reptiles are animals with an elongated body and small short legs (some species lack them). Their skin is always dry, and the need for water and fresh air is minimal. When moving on the ground, animals seem to crawl along the surface, which is why they are called “reptiles.” Reptiles grow very slowly, and their growth occurs throughout their lives. The lifespan of some reptile species reaches six hundred years.
Most reptiles tolerate hot weather well and literally “charge” themselves from the sun. It is enough for them to crawl onto a warm surface after a cold night for their body temperature to rise to approximately human temperature. On too hot days, reptiles hide in the shade.
Reptile species
The reptile class is represented by approximately seven thousand species and four orders:
1. Turtles
It is believed that turtles appeared on the planet more than two hundred million years ago; about six and a half thousand different species have survived to this day. Moreover, turtles are represented in nature by twelve families. Scientists claim that such a variety of surviving species of this order was ensured. Their durable shell provided the animals with protection from predators.
2. Lizards and snakes
They are combined into one squad, but they also have some differences. As scientists have seen, lizards live in almost all corners of the planet; there are more than three hundred and fifty species. Moreover, they are so diverse that it is difficult to identify any common features between all lizards.
Snakes cause a lot of delight among scientists; there are three thousand species of them on the planet.
3. Crocodiles
These creatures are the closest relatives of birds and are considered the most ancient animals on Earth. Only three species of crocodiles have survived to this day.
4. Hatteria
This animal is one of a kind and lives only in one place on the planet.
When did reptiles appear on the planet?
The class of reptiles (or reptiles) appeared on our planet 340,000,000 years ago. Almost immediately they spread throughout the planet, some species chose land, while others descended into the depths of the sea. Flying reptiles appeared later than other species, but also occupied their niche in the animal world of the Earth.
Scientists believe that the ability of reptiles to grow throughout their lives is what ultimately killed them. After all, in the process of evolution they have reached enormous sizes, and this, as is known, leads to the extinction of the species.
Reptiles' perception of the world
Reptiles are unique animals that have not only vision and hearing, but also special sensory organs that allow them to perfectly adapt to various conditions. For example, snakes can perceive and classify odors using special cells on their tongues. Many of the reptiles have the ability to distinguish infrared radiation coming from warm-blooded creatures. This allows some reptiles to hunt even at night.
Lizards, for example, rely heavily on their vision. They see the world in a color spectrum and, according to scientists, they can also distinguish heat coming from objects. In addition, most reptiles do not have eyelids, so they cannot blink. They moisturize the mucous membrane of the eyes with the help of their tongue.
Reptile breeding
Most reptiles lay eggs. This ensures the safety of their offspring and allows them to develop into adults while in the shell. This opportunity provides a high percentage of survival of cubs in nature, which, in turn, ensures the safety of the species.
Some reptile species are viviparous, including snakes and lizards. Their offspring are also born prepared and can exist separately from their parents. Surprisingly, baby reptiles can hunt from the moment they are born and completely repeat the habits of their parents. Moreover, this quality is innate in them; parents do not teach their offspring anything.
How do reptiles grow?
As we have already said, reptiles grow throughout their lives, but to do this they need to molt. The fact is that reptile skin is quite dense and tough; its composition is very similar to human nails. There is quite a lot of keratin in the scales of reptiles, so over time the skin becomes quite hard and inhibits the growth of the animal.
This is why reptiles go through the molting process. Under the old skin, a thin layer of new and tender skin begins to grow, which gradually thickens. As a result, the animal sheds its old skin, crawling out of it like from a stocking. This is especially noticeable in snakes; they seem to crawl out of their skin, turning it inside out. Lizards, for example, molt in a slightly different way - they shed their skin in large pieces over several days.
Reptiles, which have remained in our world since ancient times, are the object of close attention of scientists around the world. Their abilities are used in many fields of science, as well as robotics. These amazing creatures of nature can give us many more discoveries, because it is not for nothing that only they managed to survive to our days from the impossibly distant era of dinosaurs.
Larval stage. Most reptiles are oviparous, although there are also viviparous species.
Reptiles range in size from the tiny gecko ( Sphaerodactylus ariasae), with a maximum body length of about 18 mm, to the saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus), which can reach 6 m in length and weigh more than 1000 kg.
Reptiles are common to all except . Depending on the species, they can live both on land and in water.
The modern classification identifies the following 4 orders of reptiles:
Order Beakheads
Beakheads ( Rhynchocephalia) - an order of lizard-like reptiles that includes only one living genus, tuatara (tuatara). In turn, this genus ( Sphenodon) includes two types: Sphenodon punctatus And Sphenodon guntheri. According to some sources, the genus contains one species Sphenodon punctatus, which is divided into two subspecies - Sphenodon punctatus punctatus And Sphenodon punctatus guntheri. Representatives of the order live only in some areas of New Zealand.
Despite the current lack of diversity, the squad Rhynchocephalia at one time included a large number of genera and families, and can be traced back to.
Hatteria grows up to 80 cm in length, from head to tail, and weighs up to 1.3 kg. This animal has a spiny crest along its back, which is especially pronounced in males. Tuatara are also distinguished by the presence of a pronounced parietal eye (third eye). Animals can hear, although there is no external ear and hatteria have unique skeletal features.
Tuatara, like many of New Zealand's endemic animals, are endangered due to loss and introduction of invasive species.
Squad Crocodiles
Saltwater crocodile
Crocodiles ( Crocodylia) - a detachment of large, predatory reptiles, which includes 24 species. This includes: caimans, alligators, real crocodiles, gharials, etc. Crocodiles have powerful jaws with a large number of conical teeth and short paws, with claws, and webbed toes. They have a unique body shape that allows the eyes, ears and nostrils to be above the surface of the water while most of the animal's body is submerged. The tail of crocodiles is long and massive. The skin of these reptiles is thick and covered with horny scales.
Crocodiles are the closest living relatives. A wide variety of fossil crocodiles have been discovered that lived for more than 200 million years, in the late. They are the largest and heaviest of modern reptiles. The largest representatives of the order are the Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus) and saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) - reach a body length of up to 6 m and a weight of more than 1000 kg. For comparison, the smallest representatives of the order are smooth-faced caimans ( Paleosuchus) and blunt-snouted crocodiles ( Osteolaemus tetraspis), have a length of about 1.7 m.
Crocodiles are found mainly in the low-lying, humid tropics and...
Turtle Squad
Spurred turtle
Turtles ( Testudines) - a detachment of reptiles, including about 300 species of turtles that live on land and in water (fresh and salt) on all continents except.
The earliest known members of this order existed about 220 million years ago, making turtles one of the oldest reptiles. Some species are endangered.
Turtles range in size from less than 10 cm ( Sternotherus depressus) up to more than 2.5 m, (leatherback turtle - Dermochelys coriacea). Some species live in cold climates with a breeding season of only about three months; others live in tropical regions and breed year-round. Some turtles rarely see water, while others spend almost their entire lives in it, be it in one small pond or.
The shell is a unique adaptation of turtles that protects them from predators. It has various modifications and shapes to meet the protection, feeding and movement needs of turtles.
Order Scaly
Anaconda
Scaly ( Squamata) - the most numerous order of reptiles, including lizards, chameleons, moths and snakes. Consisting of over 10,000 species, squamates are also the second largest extant order, after the Perciformes (containing about 41% bony fishes).
Representatives of the order are distinguished by their skin consisting of horny scales. They also have movable square bones. This is especially noticeable in snakes, which are able to open their mouths very wide to swallow relatively large prey.
Squamates come in a variety of sizes, from the 16 mm dwarf gecko ( Sphaerodactylus ariasae) to more than 5 m green anaconda ( Eunectes murinus). The order also includes the now extinct mosasaurs, which reached a body length of about 15 m. Among other reptiles, squamates are most closely related to beaked mosasaurs, which closely resemble lizards.
The topic of this article is reptiles. Species, origin, habitats, as well as some other facts about them will be presented in it.
The word "reptile" comes from a Latin term meaning "to creep" or "to crawl." This implies the nature of movement of representatives of this class. It should be noted, however, that not all reptiles are animals that can only crawl. There are those who jump well, run, swim and even practically fly, gliding like flying squirrels.
Ancient reptiles
These animals lived long before humans appeared on our planet. Reptiles living on Earth today are only relics (minor remnants) of a very diverse and rich class in the past. We are talking about reptiles that reached their greatest prosperity in (approximately 230-67 million years BC). Ancient reptiles were represented in a huge number of forms. Some of their species lived on land. One can note among them the large predatory Tarbosaurus and the giant herbivorous Brontosaurus. Others, such as ichthyosaurs, lived in water. Still others could fly like birds. The amazing world of reptiles of antiquity has not yet been fully studied. Perhaps in the near future scientists will encounter new discoveries.
In 1988, the remains of reptiles were discovered in Scotland. According to experts, these reptiles lived 340 million years ago. It turned out to be the most ancient species of fossil reptile known today. Their body length was only 20.3 cm.
Origin of ancient reptiles
Ancient reptiles evolved from ancient amphibians. This event became the next stage in the adaptation of vertebrates to life on land. Today, amphibians and reptiles coexist. Amphibians are otherwise called amphibians, and reptiles are called reptiles.
Groups of modern reptiles
Reptiles (modern) include the following groups.
1. Crocodiles. These are large animals with a lizard-like body. There are only 23 species, which include true crocodiles, as well as alligators, caimans and gharials.
2. Beakheads. They are represented by only one species of hatteria called Sphenodon punctatus. These reptiles (a photo of one of them is presented below) resemble in appearance (up to 75 cm) with a massive body, five-fingered limbs and large heads.
3. Scaly. This group of reptiles is the most numerous. It includes 7600 species. These include, for example, lizards, the largest group of modern reptiles. These include: monitor lizards, iguanas, lizards, skinks, agamas, chameleons. Lizards are a specialized species that leads a primarily arboreal lifestyle. Scaly animals also include snakes - legless reptiles, as well as amphisbaenas - creatures with a worm-like body and a short tail, externally resembling the head end. Amphisbaenas are adapted to lead a burrowing lifestyle. They very rarely appear on the surface. These reptiles spend most of their lives underground or in the nests of termites and ants, which amphisbaenas feed on. They usually lack limbs. Representatives belonging to the genus Bipes have only front legs. They can move along earthen passages and tail first. Because of this, they are also called two-year-olds. "Amphisbaena" is translated from Greek as "moving in both directions."
4. Another group - turtles. Their bodies are surrounded from below, from the sides and from above by shells. The carapace includes the abdominal (plastron) and dorsal (carapace) shields, which are connected by a bone bridge or tendon ligament. There are about 300 species of turtles.
Together with mammals and birds, reptiles are combined into one group of higher vertebrates.
Where do reptiles live?
Most reptiles lead a terrestrial lifestyle. These are creatures that prefer open landscapes warmed by the sun, including arid deserts practically devoid of vegetation. However, many turtles and all crocodiles live in rivers, lakes or swamps. Some snakes and some turtles also live permanently in the seas.
Reptile skin, unfortunately, is now used for the production of leather products. It is highly valued, and many reptiles suffer because of it. Their future is in our hands.
Habitats of crocodiles
Crocodiles are common in all tropical countries. Basically, these reptiles are animals that live in deep swamps, lakes and rivers. They usually spend most of the day in the water. Crocodiles come out to the coastal shallows in the morning and also in the late afternoon to bask in the sun. Relatively few of their species are tolerant of salty sea water. The saltwater crocodile swims especially far into the open sea - up to 600 km from the coast.
Habitats of tuataria and lizards
Hatterias today survive only on rocky islands located near New Zealand. A special reserve was created here for their sake.
Lizards are distributed almost throughout the planet, except for cold zones. Some types of mountains rise to the border of eternal snow, for example, in the Himalayas - to an altitude of 5.5 km above sea level. Most lizards lead a terrestrial lifestyle.
However, some of them climb trees or bushes, such as roundheads. Others can live permanently in trees and have the ability to glide. Rock-dwelling agamas and geckos can move along vertical surfaces. Also, some lizards live in the soil. They usually have no eyes and their bodies are elongated. The sea lizard lives near the surf line. She has excellent swimming ability. She spends a lot of time in the water, feeding on seaweed.
Where do snakes and turtles live?
Snakes are common everywhere on Earth, except New Zealand, the polar regions and some oceanic islands. They are all good swimmers, and there are even species that spend almost all or all of their time in the water. These are sea snakes. Their tails are compressed laterally in a paddle-like manner. Due to the transition of snakes to a burrowing lifestyle, some of them have smaller eyes and disappeared under the shields, and their tails have also shortened. These are narrow-mouthed snakes and blind snakes.
Freshwater and land turtles are found on many islands, as well as on all continents except Antarctica. Their habitats are very diverse. These are tropical forests, hot deserts, rivers, lakes and swamps, expanses of the ocean and sea coasts. Sea turtles spend their entire lives in water. They come ashore only to lay eggs.
The largest snakes
The largest modern snakes are anacondas (pictured above) and reticulated pythons. They reach 10 meters in length. In Eastern Colombia, a specimen of anaconda was found, unique in size - 11 m 43 cm. The Brahmin blind beetle is a body length of no more than 12 cm.
Sizes of crocodiles
The largest of the crocodiles are the combed and the Nile. They reach a length of 7 m. 1.2 m for females and 1.5 m for males is the maximum body length of the smooth-fronted caiman, the smallest among other species of crocodiles.
The largest and smallest turtles
The largest of the modern turtles is the leatherback sea turtle. Its length can exceed 2 meters. In Great Britain, on the shore in 1988, the dead body of a male was discovered; it had a width of 2.77 m and a length of 2.91. The musk turtle is the smallest of all species. On average, the length of its carapace is 7.6 cm.
Lizard sizes
Among lizards, Virginia round-toed geckos are considered the smallest. The length of their bodies is only 16 mm (excluding the tail). Without a doubt, the largest lizard is the Komodo dragon (its photo is presented below).
The length of its body reaches three or even more meters. The thin-bodied Salvador monitor lizard, which lives in Papua New Guinea, reaches 4.75 m in length, but about 70% of its length is in the tail.
Reptile body temperature
Like amphibians, reptiles do not have any constant body temperature. Their life activity therefore depends to a large extent on the ambient temperature. For example, in dry and warm weather they are especially active and are often seen at this time. On the contrary, in bad weather and cold they become inactive and rarely leave their shelters. At temperatures close to zero, reptiles fall into torpor. That is why they are few in number in the taiga zone. There are only about 5 species here.
Reptiles can control their body temperature simply by taking shelter from hypothermia or overheating. Hibernation, for example, allows reptiles to avoid the cold, and the heat of the day allows them to be active at night.
Breathing Features
Reptiles (photos of some of them are presented in this article), unlike amphibians, breathe only through their lungs. Their lungs retain a sac-like structure, but reptiles have a much more complex internal structure than amphibians. The inner walls of their lung sacs have a folded cellular structure. They resemble a honeycomb. This significantly increases the respiratory surface of reptiles. Unlike amphibians, reptiles do not force air through their mouths. However, most of them are characterized by breathing of the so-called “suction” type. They exhale and inhale air through the nostrils by constricting and expanding the chest. The act of breathing is carried out using the abdominal and intercostal muscles.
However, in turtles, the ribs are immobile due to the presence of a shell, so the species belonging to them have developed a different method of ventilation than other reptiles. They force air into their lungs by swallowing it or by making pumping movements with their front legs.
Reproduction
Reptiles breed on land. Moreover, unlike amphibians, they have direct development, that is, without a larval stage. Reptiles usually lay large, yolk-rich eggs with shell and amniotic (embryonic) membranes, which protect the embryos from mechanical damage and water loss, and also provide gas exchange and nutrition. By the time of hatching, young reptiles reach significant sizes. These are already miniature copies of adult individuals.
Reptiles are an unusual class that falls between amphibians and mammals. They are otherwise called reptiles. But not everyone knows what reptiles are.
Reptiles are vertebrates that share similarities with birds and mammals.
Let's take a closer look at this class.
What are reptiles?
Representatives of this class are cold-blooded creatures. Their body temperature is determined by the temperature of the environment. But they have one feature: they can regulate their temperature themselves. The ancestors of reptiles are amphibians. In winter, reptiles usually sleep. And in hot weather they are only nocturnal.
Reptiles have tough skin covered with scales.. Such skin is needed to protect the body from drying out. These animals breathe only through their lungs. Some representatives of this class have lungs of the same size, while others have one lung larger than the other. And this is the norm. The skeleton of reptiles is well developed. Everyone has ribs, but their number depends on the representative of this class.
Almost all species of this class have a tongue, but for some it is short, and for others it is very long. It is also the main sense organ. To protect themselves from enemies, these animals change color, some have a hard shell, and some are even poisonous. These animals reproduce like birds, that is, they lay eggs.
The following animals belong to the class of reptiles:
- Snakes;
- Lizards;
- Turtles;
- Dinosaurs.
Types of reptiles
Reptiles or reptiles are divided into four orders:
Reptiles can be found anywhere, but the largest number of them live in warm countries. Where it is always cold and there is little vegetation, these animals are very rare. Reptiles live everywhere. And in water, and on land, and in the air. Let's take a closer look at the representatives of this class.
Turtles
Turtles are the most famous among reptiles. They can live both on land and in water. They can be seen not only in the zoo and in the wild; many people keep them at home. These cute animals do not pose any danger to humans; they are harmless.
Turtles appeared about two hundred million years ago. These reptiles have a shell. He protects them from enemies. It consists of two parts: abdominal and dorsal. On top it is covered with horny tissue in the form of plates.
These animals come in different sizes. There are giant turtles that can reach 900 kilograms. And there are little turtles. Their weight does not exceed 125 grams, and the length of the shell is only ten centimeters.
Instead of teeth, this animal has a powerful beak. She uses it to grind food.
Based on their habitat, turtles are divided into:
- Freshwater: painted or decorated, European marsh, red-eared, caiman;
- Marine: hawksbill, leatherback, green or soup turtle;
- Ground;
- Land: elephant, Egyptian, Central Asian, leopard, Cape;
What do these animals eat?. Their food depends entirely on their habitat. Land turtles feed on fruits, vegetables, tree branches, mushrooms and grass. And sometimes they can even eat worms and snails.
Aquatic turtles feed on small fish, shrimp, squid, frogs, snails, mollusks, insects, and bird eggs.
Land turtles Those who live at home eat cabbage, apples, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, dandelions, and chicken eggs. And aquatic house turtles love to eat earthworms, boiled meat, bloodworms, insects, algae and lettuce.
The turtle is a long-liver. She will outlive any other representative of reptiles.
Crocodiles
Crocodile
The crocodile is the only representative of the archosaur subclass. Their body length ranges from two to seven meters. And the mass can reach more than 700 kilograms. The crocodile is a fairly fast animal in the water. Its speed can reach forty kilometers per hour.
The number of teeth in a crocodile ranges from 70 to 100. This depends on the type of crocodile. The teeth are long and sharp, about five centimeters.
These animals live only in warm countries with a humid climate: Africa, Japan, Australia, Bali, North and South America, Guatemala, and the Philippine Islands.
Crocodile is a predator, so it feeds on fish, shellfish, birds, lizards, snakes, antelopes, deer, buffalos, wild boars, dolphins, sharks, leopards, lions, hyenas. These animals can even eat a monkey and a porcupine, a kangaroo and a bunny. And there are cases when crocodiles eat their own kind.
Crocodiles live for quite a long time - a hundred years.
Species of crocodiles
Crocodiles are divided into three families: true crocodiles, gharials and alligators.
In its turn, Crocodiles of the true family are divided into the following species:
The alligator family is divided into:
- Mississippian - differs from other species in that it can easily withstand the cold, freezing its entire body in the ice.
- Chinese is a rare and small species of alligator. Its length does not exceed two meters, and it weighs only about forty-five kilograms.
- Crocodile caiman - otherwise called the spectacled crocodile. This is due to the fact that on its muzzle there are growths between the eyes that resemble glasses.
- The black caiman is a fairly large species of alligator. Its length reaches 5.5 meters and it weighs more than 500 kilograms.
The gharial family is divided into:
- Gangetic gharial. The length of his body reaches six meters, and he weighs only about two hundred kilograms.
- Gharial. The muzzle of this species is narrow and long. The body length is six meters, and the weight does not exceed 200 kilograms.
Hatteria
Most people think that hatteria is lizard. But this is a mistaken opinion. This reptile lived back in the era of dinosaurs and forms the order of beaked heads. This reptile has another name - tuatara.
They live only in New Zealand. In appearance they resemble an iguana. The internal structure is similar to that of a snake. They took some from turtles, and some from crocodiles.
She has one more feature - three eyes. The third eye is located at the back of the head. The length of the hatteria reaches more than fifty centimeters, and it weighs no more than one kilogram.
This amazing animal is only nocturnal. The breathing of the hatteria is slow. She may not breathe for as long as sixty minutes.
This reptile feeds on insects, snails, and worms. Life expectancy is quite long, about a hundred years.
Lizards
Lizards belong to the class of reptiles. Their diversity is very large - about six thousand species. They all differ from each other in their size, color, and habitat.
Lizards are very similar to newts, but they have many differences. One of the main differences is that the newt is an amphibian. An amphibian is different from a reptile.
Almost all lizards have a feature- this is the ability to throw off your tail in emergency situations. Many lizards can change body color.
Lizards feed on insects: butterflies, snails, grasshoppers, spiders, worms. Large representatives feed on small animals, snakes and frogs.
Lizards are divided into six infraorders:
- Skink-like;
- Iguanas;
- Gecko-like;
- Fusiform;
- Vermiform;
- Monitor lizards
All these infraorders are divided into families. Skinkoids are divided into:
Iguanas are divided into fourteen families. The most striking representative of this infraorder is the chameleon.
Gecko-like are divided into seven families. Of which an unusual lizard can be distinguished is the scalepod. The peculiarity of this reptile is that it has no legs.
Fusiformes is divided into five families: earless monitor lizards, spindle lizards, legless lizards, monitor lizards, xenosaurs.
Worm-like lizards consist of one family. These reptiles are similar to earthworms.
Monitor lizards consist of several families. They are the largest lizards. For example, a Komodo dragon can weigh more than ninety kilograms.
Snakes
A snake is a cold-blooded animal, which belongs to the class of reptiles. The weight and size of snakes vary. Their length can reach nine meters and weight more than one hundred kilograms.
Snakes can be poisonous or non-venomous. These reptiles are deaf. They navigate using language. It is he who collects information about the environment.
Snakes eat rodents, bird eggs, fish, and some even feed on their own kind. They eat food only twice a year.
Snakes are oviparous. Some people lay ten eggs, while others lay one hundred and twenty thousand eggs. Some representatives give birth to live young.
The variety of snakes is huge. There are more than three thousand species.
The most interesting representatives are the following:
Now you know what reptiles or reptiles are. And who are their representatives.
This lesson will cover the topic “Reptiles. Differences between reptiles and other animals. We will learn about the first true land animals - the order of Reptiles. They have adapted well to life on land, with the exception of a few. Let's look at the main differences between reptiles and other animals.
It consists of a head, torso, paired limbs with claws and a long tail. In case of danger, some lizards can throw away their tail. The skin of a lizard is covered with scales, plates, and ridges. Their heads move well, their eyes have movable eyelids. Lizards react well to moving prey and they hear well. Lizards have small teeth and a tongue in their mouth. This tongue has a fork because it is perfectly adapted to hunting. It is also the organ of smell, touch and taste. Lizards have a varied diet.
The yellowtail and brittle spindle have no legs and look like snakes (Fig. 2, 3).
Rice. 2. Yellow Tummy ()
Rice. 3. Brittle spindle ()
Sanding, green and viviparous lizards (Fig. 4-6) are the most common.
Rice. 4. Fast lizard ()
Rice. 5. Green lizard ()
Rice. 6. Viviparous lizard ()
The marine iguana has mastered the water element, where it feeds (Fig. 7).
Rice. 7. Marine iguana ()
Basilisks have a very terrifying appearance; they run on water as if on land (Fig. 8).
Rice. 8. Basilisk ()
The aga family includes the most bizarre lizards - the flying dragon (Fig. 9).
Rice. 9. Flying dragon ()
Moloch is impressive with its large and sharp spines (Fig. 10).
There are poisonous lizards, poison-toothed lizards (Fig. 11).
Gigantic monitor lizards live on Komodo Island (Fig. 12).
Rice. 12. Gigantic monitor lizard ()
Chameleons can change their color and body pattern (Fig. 13).
Rice. 13. Chameleon ()
The gecko can walk upside down (Fig. 14).
There is even a blue-tongued skink in nature (Fig. 15).
Rice. 15. Blue-tongued skink ()
Snakes They are also scaly reptiles. They have a long cylindrical body with a tail. The head is usually face-shaped or triangular in shape. Snakes have no legs, their body is covered with scales. Snakes move very well and crawl quite quickly. The eyes of snakes are covered with a transparent film; they see poorly and do not hear very well. Snakes have the same tongue as lizards. They have teeth. Some snakes are poisonous. Snakes are predatory animals. They also shed their skin and have a protective body coloration. Among the snakes there are those that strangle the victim, wrapping themselves around in rings. This is a boa constrictor and a python.
There are miniature blind snakes. They can even live in a flower pot (Fig. 16).
Rice. 16. Blindsnake ()
The rattlesnake is known for its rattle at the end of its tail. This is a kind of warning about the appearance of this snake (Fig. 17).
Rice. 17. Rattlesnake ()
There are even two-headed snakes in nature (Fig. 18).
Rice. 18. Two-headed snake ()
There are completely harmless snakes - these are snakes (Fig. 19). In case of danger, they can pretend to be dead themselves.
But the common viper is a viviparous snake (Fig. 20).
Very dangerous and poisonous snakes are the taipan (Fig. 21) and the tiger snake (Fig. 22).
Rice. 22. Tiger snake ()
The cobra has a warning before an attack - a swollen hood (Fig. 23).
There are arboreal flying snakes. While in a tree, if necessary, they will jump straight down in search of prey.
There is another type of reptile - this turtles. There are about 200 species. The body of turtles is usually hidden under a powerful shell, their limbs and neck are keratinized, the shape of the head is pointed, and turtles have no teeth. Turtles have color vision. In case of danger, the turtle hides all protruding parts of its body under its shell. Turtles can be herbivores and carnivores. In nature, there are land, sea and freshwater turtles. The largest leatherback turtle belongs to the sea (Fig. 24).
Rice. 24. Leatherback turtle ()
People eat green turtle meat (Fig. 25).
Rice. 25. Green turtle ()
Sea turtles have flat limbs and do not retract them into their shells. These reptiles are excellent swimmers.
Land turtles less mobile. Among them there are long-livers. The sizes vary greatly. The elephant turtle is very large (Fig. 26), and the small ones are the spider turtle (Fig. 27).
Rice. 26. Elephant turtle ()
Rice. 27. Spider turtle ()
The Central Asian turtle hisses like a snake (Fig. 28).
Rice. 28. Central Asian turtle ()
There are also freshwater turtles - this is the mata mata fringed turtle. Its appearance is very unusual (Fig. 29).
Rice. 29. Mata-mata turtle ()
Chinese Trionix belongs to the soft-bodied turtles (Fig. 30).
Rice. 30. Chinese trionix ()
Snapping turtles are very biting and aggressive (Fig. 31).
Rice. 31. Cayman turtle ()
There are other representatives of reptiles - these are crocodiles. There are about 20 species of them in nature. Crocodiles are semi-aquatic animals, their skin is covered with scutes and plates. They have an elongated, long body. The muscular tail and webbed limbs provide excellent swimming in the water. Crocodiles see and hear well. They have powerful jaws with sharp teeth. Crocodiles swallow their food whole without chewing. The combed crocodile is considered the largest; it can even attack a person (Fig. 32). Its weight reaches over one ton. The Chinese alligator is a symbol of power in its homeland, because it looks like a dragon. In China, it is believed that meeting a crocodile is good luck.
Caymans are water nurses.
The Ghanaian gharial has a very unusual appearance (Fig. 35). It has surprisingly narrow and long jaws that look like large tweezers. They help catch the most agile fish.
Rice. 35. Ghanaian gharial ()
Another order of reptiles found in nature is Beakheads. The most interesting thing is that it consists of only one representative, tuateria, which is found only in New Zealand. Hatteria has a peculiar body shape. In appearance, the tuateria is more like a lizard; its head has a tetrahedral shape, the head and the whole body are covered with scales of various shapes. There is a ridge of thorns on the neck, back, and tail. In addition to teeth, the hatteria has incisors, like rodents. The shape of the mouth is also unusual, similar to a beak. The most interesting thing is that this reptile has three eyes. The third eye is located on the head and is covered with thin skin. Hatterias are the most cold-loving of all reptiles (Fig. 36).
Rice. 36. Hatteria ()
During the lesson we were convinced that reptiles are amazing and interesting animals that rightfully occupy an important place in nature . Let's look at the most interesting representatives of reptiles.
The largest snake is the water boa Anaconda, 11 m 43 cm.
The largest lizard is the Komodo monitor lizard, up to 3 m in length, weighing up to 140 kg.
The largest crocodile is a saltwater crocodile, up to 9 m in length, and its weight is approximately 1 ton.
The largest turtle in the sea is a leatherback turtle, about 3 m, and its mass is 960 kg.
On land, the largest turtle is the elephant turtle, 2 m long, weighing up to 600 kg.
The most poisonous snakes are the taipan, black mamba, tiger snake, rattlesnake, and sea snake.
The number of reptile species is decreasing, and humans are also to blame. Very often, a person, because of his fear, destroys and destroys these animals. It must be remembered that, like all living things, reptiles need to be protected and protected.
The next lesson will cover the topic “Ancient reptiles and amphibians. Dinosaurs." On it we will go on a long journey many millions of years ago and get acquainted with ancient reptiles and amphibians, the features of their structure and habitat. We will also learn about animals that became extinct many centuries ago - dinosaurs.
Bibliography
- Samkova V.A., Romanova N.I. The world around us 1. - M.: Russian Word.
- Pleshakov A.A., Novitskaya M.Yu. The world around us 1. - M.: Enlightenment.
- Gin A.A., Faer S.A., Andrzheevskaya I.Yu. The world around us 1. - M.: VITA-PRESS.
- Mirzhivotnih.ru ().
- Filin.vn.ua ().
- Festival of pedagogical ideas "Open Lesson" ().
Homework
- What are reptiles?
- What features do reptiles have?
- Name four orders of reptiles and describe each of them.
- * Draw a picture on the topic: “Reptiles in our world.”
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