Reptiles

Evolution of the Reptiles

In all, there are a total of 8,163 species of reptile on Earth. Reptiles evolved from amphibians by producing shelled eggs. The closed system of the egg enabled reptiles to fully colonise the land as the egg provided an aqueous water-like environment for development. Some species of reptile don’t lay eggs but instead retain the shell and give birth to live young, and still others produce eggs lacking shells. These shell-less eggs later evolved into the mammalian placenta.

There are two main types of reptiles, the Lepidosaura, which are the scaly reptiles such as lizards and snakes, and the Archosauria, or ruling reptiles, including crocodilians and the extinct dinosaurs.

Reptiles of the Amazon Rainforest

Reptiles of the Australian Rainforest

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