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Introduction

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Selected reptile type

Pope's pit viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum)

Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (/sɜːrˈpɛntiːz/). Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints than their lizard ancestors, enabling them to swallow prey much larger than their heads (cranial kinesis). To accommodate their narrow bodies, snakes' paired organs (such as kidneys) appear one in front of the other instead of side by side, and most have only one functional lung. Some species retain a pelvic girdle with a pair of vestigial claws on either side of the cloaca. Lizards have independently evolved elongate bodies without limbs or with greatly reduced limbs at least twenty-five times via convergent evolution, leading to many lineages of legless lizards. These resemble snakes, but several common groups of legless lizards have eyelids and external ears, which snakes lack, although this rule is not universal (see Amphisbaenia, Dibamidae, and Pygopodidae).

Living snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica, and on most smaller land masses; exceptions include some large islands, such as Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and the islands of New Zealand, as well as many small islands of the Atlantic and central Pacific oceans. Additionally, sea snakes are widespread throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans. Around thirty families are currently recognized, comprising about 520 genera and about 3,900 species. They range in size from the tiny, 10.4 cm-long (4.1 in) Barbados threadsnake to the reticulated python of 6.95 meters (22.8 ft) in length. The fossil species Titanoboa cerrejonensis was 12.8 meters (42 ft) long. Snakes are thought to have evolved from either burrowing or aquatic lizards, perhaps during the Jurassic period, with the earliest known fossils dating to between 143 and 167 Ma ago. The diversity of modern snakes appeared during the Paleocene epoch (c. 66 to 56 Ma ago, after the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event). The oldest preserved descriptions of snakes can be found in the Brooklyn Papyrus.

Most species of snake are nonvenomous and those that have venom use it primarily to kill and subdue prey rather than for self-defense. Some possess venom that is potent enough to cause painful injury or death to humans. Nonvenomous snakes either swallow prey alive or kill by constriction. (Full article...)

Selected Crocodilia article

Siamese crocodile at Moscow Zoo

The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a medium-sized freshwater crocodile native to Indonesia (Borneo and possibly Java), Brunei, East Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered and already extirpated from many regions. Its other common names include Siamese freshwater crocodile, Singapore small-grain, and soft-belly. (Full article...)

Selected lizard article

White, grey and brown Southern dwarf chameleon found in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Bradypodion ventrale, the southern dwarf chameleon, occurs in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is also known as the eastern Cape dwarf chameleon. It is a relatively large species of dwarf chameleon, reaching lengths of 14 cm (5.5 in). It has a very prominent casque on the back of its head and a long, beard-like throat crest. It lives in dense thickets and shrub, and is usually very difficult to spot because of its colouring. It adapts very well to living in suburban gardens, but domestic cats – being introduced predators – will usually kill all chameleons in the immediate area. Consequently, one should not bring chameleons into a garden which is frequented by cats. It gives birth to litters of between 10 and 20 babies in the summer. (Full article...)

Selected turtle article

The Manning River snapping turtle (Wollumbinia purvisi) is a species of turtle in the family Chelidae, endemic to Australia. (Full article...)

Picture slideshow

Image 1Species of Ceratopsia dinosaurs
Image 2Leiocephalus carinatus
Image 3Bosc's fringe-toed lizards during courtship
Image 4Cerastes cerastes
Image 5 Albino alligator
Image 6Plestiodon fasciatus
Image 7Vipera xanthina
Image 8White-headed dwarf gecko
Image 9Sicilian wall lizard
Image 10Carolina anole
Image 11Green sea turtle
Image 12Common collared lizard
Image 13Bothriechis schlegelii
Image 14Namaqua chameleon
Image 15Vipera dinniki
Image 16Indian chameleon
Image 17Gold dust day gecko close-up
Image 18Eastern bearded dragon
Image 19Ladder snake
Image 20Phelsuma grandis
Image 21Eastern long-necked turtle
Image 22Anole at Polychrotinae
Image 23Namaqua chameleon
Image 24Common box turtle
Image 25Steneosaurus
Image 26Yacare caiman
Image 27Cape skink - Trachylepis capensis. Close-up on purple Aster flowers.
Image 28Red-headed Amazon River turtles
Image 29Jackson's chameleon
Image 30Australian water dragon
Image 31Morelia spilota
Image 32Aldabra giant tortoise
Image 33Niveoscincus metallicus
Image 34Green sea turtle
Image 35Green sea turtle
Image 36Trachylepis maculilabris mating
Image 37Barracudasauroides
Image 38Rough chameleon
Image 39Mexican beaded lizard
Image 40Asian vine snake Ahaetulla prasina. This snake has a wide distribution in Asia. It feeds on small reptiles and amphibians, particularly lizards and tree frogs. Adults may attain 1.8 m (6 feet) in total length, with a tail 0.6 m (2 feet) long. Its appearance is very much like those of South American vine snakes. It is a rear-fanged species and is mildly venomous but is not considered a threat to humans.
Image 41A green sea turtle swimming above a coral reef.
Image 42Dwarf yellow-headed gecko
Image 43Thamnophis elegans terrestris at Western terrestrial garter snake
Image 44Gold dust day gecko
Image 45Italian wall lizard
Image 46Leiocephalus personatus
Image 47Trachylepis striata
Image 48Marine iguana
Image 49Gold dust day gecko
Image 50Plumed basilisk
Image 51Marginated tortoise hatchling
Image 52Mwanza flat-headed rock agama
Image 53Sinai agama

Selected snake article

Sanzinia madagascariensis, also known as the Madagascar tree boa or Malagasy tree boa, is a boa species endemic to the island of Madagascar. It was once considered conspecific with the Nosy Komba ground boa (Sanzinia volontany). Like all other boas, it is non-venomous. (Full article...)