History

Turtles: the oldest living reptiles and have gone particularly unchanged in 200 million years. Turtles are considered to be the more intelligent of the reptiles.

Lizards: make up the largest group of reptiles numbering @ 3,000 worldwide.

History cont’d

Snakes:

Unique Characteristics of Reptiles indeterminate growth

scales cover the entire body snakes shed their shin in one piece when snakes shed their skin they “hide” from predators legs- well developed-land travel the characteristic that makes snakes unique is their loss of

limbs respiration-lungs-air breathing eggs-calcareous-waterproof-laid on land some snakes give birth to live young, examples are water

snakes, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, pit vipers, etc… just to name a few

mating-on land mostly female internal fertilization of the eggs no larval stage-no transformation Cold blooded

http://health.stateuniversity.com/article_images/gem_01_img0108.jpg

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/ArchOLD/1086408038.jpg

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/kids/wild_things/images/snake_timber_rattlesnake400.jpg

http://niahd.wm.edu/attachments/20151.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/238/452663563_d306364789.jpg

Medical importance

The most common is the snake venom used as anti-venom http://www.worldbook.com/wb/Students?content_spotlight/reptiles/type_snake_imp

In ancient Greece snakes were seen as healers

• Snake rattle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7raYkYyB1wo

• Snake hiss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er6R66bxaiE&feature=related

• Timber rattlesnake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ3RIX9Bk28