Ten Fascinating Facts About Reptiles

These are the Crocodilians, which includes alligators and, of course, crocodiles, the Squamates which includes lizards and snakes, the Tuatara which look like lizards but differ in their bone structure, and the Turtles, which contains, well, turtles.

Turtles and Crocodilians have remained largely unchanged since they appeared around 200 million years ago. Squamates are the most diverse group, containing around seven and a half thousand different species.

You might remember the famous scene from Planet Earth in which the baby iguana is chased by snakes, perhaps one of the tensest television scenes of all time. This iguana, being a lizard, belongs to the Squamate group.

2. Reptiles and birds are actually related….

Some reptiles, like crocodiles, are more closely related to birds than they are to other lizards. For this reason, some scientists have started to consider birds a part of the Reptilia class, one of the stages of the taxonomic rank that groups evolutionarily similar animals together. This is because birds, lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodiles all descended from a common ancestor that lived around 300 million years ago.

Reptiles evolved from amphibians, being some of the first animals to move to live on the land rather than in the water. For this reason, reptiles are sometimes considered the evolutionary step between these amphibians and more recent animals, including dinosaurs (okay, not that recent), mammals, and birds.

3. And reptiles’ skin came with this evolution

Reptiles scaly skin evolved as a layer of protection, meaning these animals could finally move away from bodies of water and live on the land without a risk of drying out.

For the snake, which is entirely covered in scales, the skin gives protection, helps it move, and also functions as camouflage.

Reptiles either shed their skin in flakes or all at once, as snakes do. This shedding of the old, worn out skin means the reptile has a nice new set to live in. It also helps to remove parasites which may harm the reptile.

Some geckos even eat their own shed skin. Needs must.

4. Reptiles are cold-blooded

Or, in scientific terms, ectothermic. This means that they rely on the world to keep them warm, rather than having internal ways to regulate their body temperature.

Therefore, reptiles like crocodiles and snake relax in the sun during the way warming themselves up and energising. Then, in the evenings, they become sluggish, having no sun to keep them powered up.

This might sound like an inefficient way to live, but it actually means they’re able to eat significantly less than other animals like birds and mammals; it does, however, mean they’re unable to remain active at night.

5. Reptiles’ hearts aren’t like ours

Most reptiles have three-chambered hearts, which differs from the human’s four chambers. This poses some health benefits: reptiles are usually better at enduring bigger changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

Crocodilians, however, do possess four-chambered hearts. Their anatomy is still pretty different from a human’s, though. (But you could have told that just by looking at them.)

6. Some reptiles change sex based on temperature

Almost all reptiles lay eggs which have leathery-feeling shells. These eggs help to protect the reptile, as well as preventing it from drying out.

Some reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination, meaning the sex of the reptile is determined by how hot or cold the egg is incubated. This is exhibited most commonly in turtles and crocs, but is also true of some lizards too.

And snakes? Scientists just don’t know yet. Come on, guys, get it together.

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