What is a reptile?
In South Africa, there are 3 orders of reptiles and about 517 different species. The 3 orders are the Chelonia, the Squamata and the Crocodylia.
Characteristics of reptiles:
- they have a dry, horny skin modified into scales or plates, to prevent them from loosing water at a fast rate. They live in dry land, they are not restricted to moist habitat.
- they are ectothermic: fuel efficiency, no need of a constant intake of food, they can be dormant in cold weather, no waste of energy.
- they lay eggs that undergo a development without water and parents being present, in warm and moist place to help with the incubation. Crocodiles, few snakes and lizards stay with them to protect them.
- the fertilization is internal: they have 1 single penis (crocodiles, tortoises, terrapins, turtles) while lizards have 2 hemipenes (only 1 is used at a time). Some reptiles give birth to live youngs (eggs hatch inside the female's body).
- they have a Jacobson's organ (vomeronasal) in the roof of their mouth which is used for smelling (not found in crocodiles).
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