General Facts about Reptiles
There are about 6000 species of living reptiles. Reptiles first evolved from amphibians about 250 million years ago in the Carboniferous period and were dominant in the world's fauna during the Mesozoic era, sometimes called the Age of Reptiles. Reptiles fertilize their eggs internally and don't rely on water as a medium in which to lay their eggs. Reptiles are mostly carnivorous. They would eat insects, other reptiles, and small animals. A few are herbivorous, preferring to eat plants while leaving their fellow animals alone. They range in size from 2inches (5 cm) long lizards to 30 feet (9 m) long snakes. Reptiles are cold-blooded. The smallest species of crocodile is the dwarf caiman of South America. Females hardly grow beyond 4 feet and males hardly exceed 5 feet. The worlds longest snake was a reticulated python that was 32 feet 9 1/2 inches long. The heaviest snake on record is an Anaconda (Eunectes murinus) that was shot in Brazil in 1960. She was never officially weighed but scientist estimate that her 27 feet 9 inch length and her 44 inch girth must have put her over 500lbs! The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world. The longest specimen ever was kept at the London Zoo and measured 18 feet and 9 inches. Zookeepers killed it in 1939 due to the outbreak of war. They feared it would escape the zoo and pose a threat to the citizens of London. Let me get this straight...relentless Nazi bombing attacks raining down day and night and they're afraid of one snake? The worlds most venomous snake is PROBABLY the species of sea snake Hydrophis belcheri. It has a myotoxic venom that is 100 times more powerful than any land snake. I'm sure this claim will be disputed by the Herpetologists that visit this page (herpetologists are a highly intelligent as well as a very confrontational group). This Amazing Animal Fact is up for debate. The snake that is responsible for the most deaths of humans is the saw-scaled or carpet viper. It resides from West Africa to India. The worlds fastest reptile (measured on land) is the spiny-tailed iguana of Costa Rica. It has been clocked at 21.7 mph! The worlds largest lizard is the adult male komodo dragon found on the islands of Indonesia. The largest ever recorded was 10 feet 2 inches long and weighed 365 lbs! These lizards can eat animals as large as goats. They cannot chew so they must rip huge chunks of flesh off of their prey and swallow it whole. The smallest lizard in the world is the rare, tiny gecko of the Virgin Islands. Only 15 specimens have ever been found. They measure 0.70 inches from snout to vent (nose to butt). Many lizards can change colors in seconds to match their surroundings. The Blue tongue skink is an amazing reptile that can be a house pet.The Bearded Dragon is becoming a very popular pet in the U. S. Even now there is not very many of these animals left. |
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