도마뱀분양 Reptiles are characterized by hard, scaly skin and a bony skeleton. They include snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles.
Most reptiles lay eggs. However, about 20% of lizards and snakes are viviparous and give birth to live young.
Shedding – or sloughing – is how reptiles renew their scaly, protective skin several times a year. It also helps them get rid of any parasites living on their body.
Snakes
Snakes are long, slender vertebrates that have no legs. Their specialized senses allow them to hunt and defend themselves. They can also move quickly and strike with force. When they bite, they inject venom that causes paralysis in their prey.
Snakes use their forked tongues to smell their surroundings. By flicking the tongue, they collect odors and send them to special sacs in the roof of their mouth, called Jacobson’s organs. The smells are analyzed by the brain and the snake knows whether it is near food or an enemy.
Like all reptiles, snakes have scales and leathery or hard-shelled eggs. Their scales help them 도마뱀분양 retain water and keep them from losing too much heat. Most reptiles live on land, but some — including turtles, crocodiles, and lizards — are adapted to life in water.
The class Reptilia includes more than 3,500 species of slender, long-necked, limbless, air-breathing vertebrates. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles, birds, and turtles are all members of this group of scaly-skinned, backboned animals. These organisms are primarily predators and have adapted to living in a wide range of habitats. Most reptiles are active hunters that pursue prey such as rodents, birds, fish and invertebrates. Some eat insects, while others subdue their prey with poisonous venom. Some snakes are able to regurgitate their meal, thus saving energy during digestion.
Lizards
With the exception of alligators, crocodiles, and some snakes, reptiles are mainly found on land, and they have adapted to the many different types of habitats around the world. Most reptiles are oviparous and lay eggs in a nest. With the exception of crocodiles and alligators, which give birth to live young, the young of most reptile species are born as male or female. All reptiles have highly developed lungs that allow them to breathe air.
Reptiles have scaly skin that helps them to retain moisture. Most have small limbs and vary in appearance, from the brightly colored skin of a snake to the flattened body of a horned lizard. Some lizards use camouflage to blend with their environment, and others are fast and agile. Some lizards have the ability to break off their tail in order to escape from predators. The lizards can then regrow their tails, although the new ones won’t look quite the same.
While research on reptiles has largely focused on their individual characteristics, in recent years researchers have begun to uncover some of their cryptic social behavior. For example, males of a Central American whiptail lizard have been observed offering their mates a dead frog to eat before mating. Scientists hope to learn more about the social lives of reptiles to help conserve the endangered species.
Turtles
Turtles (or chelonians) are cold-blooded reptiles whose body is encased in a bony shell. They can be found on land, in sea water or brackish water and are able to scavenge food as well as eat plants. They are considered to be the oldest and most primitive of all reptiles and, along with tortoises, are part of the order Testudines.
The main distinguishing feature of a turtle is its shell, which is made up of two parts called the carapace and the plastron. These two bony structures cover the entire turtle’s body and are joined together along both sides to form a rigid skeleton box. Although many animals have evolved a shell, they are not as rigid as those of turtles and do not allow the expansion and contraction that allows other amniotes to breathe.
All turtles are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. Some species of turtles, like the loggerhead, spend their lives at sea, while others live in fresh or brackish water. The babies of both types hatch from the eggs. These baby turtles are known as hatchlings. Unlike fish and amphibians, the eggs of turtles are protected by a layer of amniotic membrane called the plastron.
Keeping a turtle in your home is not difficult, but you need to make sure you have the right habitat for them. The tank must be big enough and should be a type that is designed for aquatic (water-dwelling) reptiles, not one for terrestrial reptiles like snakes or lizards. You also need a way to change the water in the habitat. This can be done using a tank water-change kit or by using a bucket. The temperature of the water should be between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Crocodiles
Crocodiles are semi-aquatic – they spend most of their time in water, but can also come on land to bask in the sun and lay eggs. They belong to the order Crocodylidae, which includes other reptiles such as alligators and caimans.
While all crocodiles have similar appearances, they differ significantly in their proportions, the arrangement of their scales and the bones on their backs. The snouts of different species also vary, and the differences between a crocodile and an alligator or caiman can be determined by listening to their calls.
Crocs are apex predators that will eat anything they can catch – fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. They have excellent hearing and vision, and specialized sensors on their jaws allow them to detect vibrations in the water.
These animals are very smart and have strong bonds with their young. Female crocodiles look after their eggs and hatchlings for months, protecting them from predators. They will even carry the young to safe bodies of water in case they are threatened by other predators or by a flood. The temperature of the nest will determine if the resulting hatchlings are male or female – cooler nests produce more males, while warmer ones create more females.
Crocodiles are an important part of the ecosystem and are valuable for fishing and tourism. However, people can put themselves at risk of an attack if they do not respect these magnificent creatures. When swimming in an area where crocodiles are known to live, only swim during the day and make sure to read and obey all crocodile warning signs. Never leave food or fish scraps near a camp site, river bank or boat ramp, as these could attract crocs and put people at risk.