REPTILES

                                                       By Dillon, Freddy, and Evan

Reptiles are a group of vertebrates. They are cold-blooded and breathe air. Reptiles include snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, alligators, and frogs, etc. Reptiles are found on every continent except for Antarctica. There are nearly 8000 species of reptiles which walk, crawl, slither and swim in their own unique ways. Reptiles often make their homes around water and lay eggs. Reptiles also have waterproof skin, and can rarely breathe underwater.

                                   All Reptiles possess these characteristics:

A. Notochord, or a rod of vacuolated cells, encased by a firm sheath that lies ventral to the neural tube in vertebrate embryos and some adults.

B. Hollow nerve cord that lies dorsal to the notochord 

C. Pharyngeal pouches

D. Endostyle - elongated groove in the pharynx floor of protochordates that may develop as the thyroid gland in chordates. Notochord, or a rod of vacuolated cells, encased by a firm sheath that lies ventral to the neural tube in vertebrate embryos and some adults. 

                                                      http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v447/n7141/images/447153af1.2.jpg                                    (This is a picture of a hollow nerve cord that reptiles possess.)

                                    http://www.ashtonbiodiversity.org/images/pet_reptiles_front.jpg

                (In this picture you see many types of Reptiles. All of these animals are vertebrates, meaning they have a backbone. These animals are also cold-blooded meaning that these creatures take on the temperature of their surroundings. They are hot when their environment is hot and cold when their environment is cold. In hot environments, cold-blooded animals can have blood that is much warmer than warm-blooded animals. Cold-blooded animals are much more active in warm environments and are very slow in cold environments. This is because their muscle activity depends on chemical reactions which run quickly when it is hot and slowly when it is cold.)

               Most scientists classify the reptile group into four different catigories. 

                                   The four catigories are:

• Crocodillia ex: crocodiles, caimans, and alligators,
• Sphenodontia ex: tuataras,
• Squamata ex: lizards, snakes and amphisbaenids,
• Testudines ex: turtles and tortoises

                                              http://www.bugsinthenews.com/Snake

This photo shows the inside of the snake. It also shows the reproduction system and the digestive system. 

                   PLEASE ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS:

1. Are Reptiles invertebrates or vertebrates?
2. List five animals that are reptiles
3. Are reptiles cold-blooded, or warm blooded?
4. What are the four categories that scientists classify reptiles into?
5. Explain what cold-blooded means
6. Reptiles are mostly found on every continent except ___________________?
7. List the chordates of reptiles
8. Nearly____________ species of reptiles walk, crawl, slither and swim in their own unique ways.
9. Right what you thought was most interesting on our page.
10. Do reptiles have waterproof skin?

Acknowledgements: Stephan for pointing out corrections

Works Cited 

Prentice Hall. Parade of Life. Washington, D.C: Anthea Maton, n.d. Print.

Sam Houston State University. “Characteristics of Chordates.” Sam Houston State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2010. <http://www.shsu.edu/

                                              HERE ARE SOME GOOD YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO WATCH

                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7XY3dMVNhg&feature=

                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5g6_ZBoltw&feature=related

                                   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJP6oQS8Vaw&feature=related

                                             http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAMko