People love or hate reptiles because of their polarizing effect. There are so many kinds of reptiles all over the world. Here you will find information about some of the more interesting species that share the earth with us. People are afraid of reptiles because they do not understand their interesting behaviors and characteristics.
How To Understand the Different Kinds of ReptilesFirst step you should understand the system for their organization and classification.
Have in that the reptile classification system is changing, it is not constant - scientists discover new species, they often merge species from into other genera. This leads to plenty of confusion because there are so many revisions in the classification.
Reptile Classification System Of ReptilesReptiles are classified into four main groups known as orders:
- Crocodilia order of reptiles includes about 23 species of crocodiles, caimans,alligators and gharials with 25 individual species of reptile
- Squamata order of reptiles includes more than 7,000 individual species of lizards and snakes.
- Testudines reptile order includes about 300 species of tortoises and turtles.
- Sphenodontia is the smallest order of reptilesand includes only two species of tuataras from New Zealand. They are the last living members of "Dinosaur Era."
But if you only know the orders, it is not the reason to like the reptiles. Also you should learn some interesting facts about reptiles to provoke your appreciation and curiosity.
Interesting Facts About Reptiles How Many Venomous Snakes?The majority of snakes in the world are not poisonous. It is nearly two-thirds of all the 2,700 species of existing snakes. So only about 500 are poisonous, of them just 30 - 40 of are harmful to humans. All in all less than 2 percent of all snakes.
Not True for AustraliaAustralia is the only continent where poisonous snakes are more than non-venomous snakes. One of the world's most poisonous snakes - the taipan lives there.
The Long Life of TortoisesThe giant tortoises live longer than any other animal on the planet They can live nearly 180 years.
A Cold-Water Turtle?Emydoidea blandingii or so called Blanding's turtle swims under the ice in the Great Lakes region of the United States.
Snakes and Lizards Tasting the AirSnakes and lizards have a special organ, called Jacobson's which helps them "taste" the air around them. When a lizard or snake flick its tongue out, actually it collects particles from the air. Then it passes the particles over the Jacobson's organ in order to decipher the air --