Reptiles: Class Reptilia

Life Science - Middle School

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Reptiles - Class Reptilia Animals in the Class Reptilia include turtles, snakes, alligators and lizards. All reptiles share the following physical traits: 1) They lay eggs on land. A leathery shell protects the eggs from drying out. 2) They are covered with tough, dry skin and protective scales or plates. 3) They are cold-blooded. 4) Their teeth are about the same shape and size throughout their mouth. The Class Reptilia is broken down into four groups called Orders: Crocodiles (1), caimans, alligators (2) and gharials have long, flattened heads and bodies with legs coming off the sides, tough body armor made of scales, and a long, powerful tail. Their eyes and nostrils sit on top of their head, allowing them to stalk prey while being almost completely hidden under the water. Turtles, terrapins, sliders and tortoises vary in shape, size and habitat, from desert tortoises (3) to wetland painted (4) and snapping turtles (5) to ocean sea turtles (6). They all have one thing in common - a shell. This amazing structure is fused to the backbone and ribcage, surrounding and protecting the vital organs. Lizards and snakes are broken down into two Suborders. They have scale-like skin and a moveable upper jaw that lets them open their mouths very wide for big prey. a. Lizards differ from snakes in two ways they have legs and ears. They vary in size, from tiny anoles (7) to the massive komodo dragon (8), with lizards (9) and chameleons (10) all sizes in between. b. Snakes have elongated bodies and no legs, eyelids or external ears. They include rattlesnakes (11), vipers (12), cobras (13), garter (14) and milk snakes (15), and many other families. Tuataras (16) are lizard-like animals only found in New Zealand and the surrounding islands. They have a double row of teeth on their upper jaw. 4 1 3 5 8 9 6 7 10 11 13 12 16 15 14 2
94-4025 1) Reptiles lay _______________ on land. A leathery shell protects the eggs from drying out. 2) Reptiles are covered with tough, dry skin and protective __________________________ or plates. 3) They are _________________-blooded. 4) Their teeth are about the same shape and size throughout their mouth. The Class Reptilia is broken down into four groups called Orders. Crocodiles (1), caimans, alligators (2) and gharials have long, flattened heads and bodies with legs coming off the sides, tough body armor made of scales, and a long, powerful __________________. Their eyes and nostrils sit on top of their head, allowing them to stalk prey while being almost completely hidden under the _____________________. Turtles, terrapins, sliders and tortoises vary in shape, size and habitat, from desert tortoises (3) to wetland painted (4) and snapping turtles (5) to ocean _________________________ (6). They all have one thing in common - a shell. This amazing structure is fused to the backbone and ribcage, surrounding and protecting the vital organs. Lizards and snakes have scale-like skin and a moveable upper _______________ that lets them open their mouths very wide for big prey. a. Lizards differ from snakes in two ways they have ______________ and ears. They vary in size from tiny anoles (7) to the massive komodo ________________________ (8), with lizards (9) and ________________________________ (10) all sizes in between. b. Snakes have elongated bodies and no ___________, eyelids or external ears. They include rattlesnakes (11), _____________________ (12), _____________________ (13), garter (14) and milk snakes (15), and many other families. Tuataras (16) are lizard-like animals only found in New Zealand and the surrounding islands. They have a double row of ___________________ on their upper jaw. 4 1 3 5 8 9 6 7 10 11 13 12 16 15 14 2 Reptiles - Class Reptilia