Class Reptilia

Turtles, Tortoises, Tuataras,

Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes
 Classification
• Domain Eukarya
• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
– Subphylum Vertebrata
• Class Reptilia
– Order Chelonia
– Order Crocodilia
– Order Squamata
– Order Rhynchocephalia
 Order Chelonia
• Turtles and Tortoises
– Earliest fossils dated to 200 m.y.a
– Shell consists of fused boney plates
• Carapace (Dorsal, top)
• Plastron (Ventral, lower)
– 250 species worldwide
– Variety of habitats
• Most species ribs and
spine fused to inner
surface of carapace
• Pelvic and Pectoral
girdles lie within the
ribs
• Sharp beak instead of
teeth
• Shell and limbs reflect habitat
 Turtles
• Marine or freshwater
• Stream – lined shells
• Webbing between toes
• Terrapin refers to small aquatic or semi –
aquatic other than sea turtles
 Tortoises
• Heavy domed shell
• Retract limbs and head
• Limbs sturdy with scales
• Clubbed walking feet
 Order Crocodilia
• Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, Gavial
 Order Crocodilia
• Most closely related to dinosaurs
• Heavy bodied, mostly aquatic
• Carnivorous
 Order Squamata
• Lizards and Snakes
– Upper jaw is loosely joined to the skull
– Jacobson’s organ
 Lizards
• Only 2 species venomous
– Gila Monster
– Bearded Lizard
• Autotomy
 Snakes
• Backbone of 100 – 400 vertebrates
– Pair of ribs attached to each vertebra
• Seize and swallow prey
• Constrictors
• Venom
– Fangs back of mouth
– Elapid, inject poison through fixed fangs in front
– Vipers, inject venom using large mobile fangs
 Order Rhynchocephalia
• Ancient order inhabit few
small islands of New
Zealand
• 24 inches in length
• Spiny crest that runs down
the animal’s back
• Tolerate cool temp,
burrow during day and
hunt at night