Aquatic and terrestrial reptiles - turtles, terrapins and
tortoises. These have a rigid body shell comprising a dorsal
carapace and a ventral plastron, into which most species draw
their head and legs for protection. The jaws are beaked,
without teeth.
Cheloniidae
Sea turtles
5
Worlwide
Chelydridae
Common and alligator snapping turtles
2
N and S America
Chelyidae
Snake-necked turtles
21
Australia, S America
Dermatemydidae
Central American river turtle
1
C America, Mexico
Dermochelyidae
Leatherback turtle
1
Worldwide
Emydidae
Common turtle
76
Abundant in N hemisphere
Kinosternidae
Mud and musk turtles
21
Tropical regions
Pelomedusidae
Side-necked turtles
14
Africa, S America
Platysternidae
Big-headed turtle
1
SE Asia
Testudinidae
Tortoises
40
All continents except Australia
Trionychidae
Soft-shell turtles
20
All continents except S America and Australia
Squamata
Gekkonidae
Geckos
650
Worldwide
The Squamata are a large and very diverse order comprising
three sub-orders, Sauria (lizards), Serpentes (snakes) and
Amphisbaenia (worm lizards). This order contains the great
majority of living reptiles.
Lizards vary in size from
a few centimeters (some geckos) to about 3 meters in length
(the Komodo dragon). They feed as herbivores, insectivores
or as predators of small vertebrates. The skull is made up of
several separate mobile elements (a form of modification known
as cranial kinesis). Limbs may be reduced in burrowing forms.
Snakes have no limbs, have long, cylindrical scaly
bodies, lidless eyes and highly mobile jaws (cranial kinesis).
They eat animals (or eggs), killing by suffocation, by biting
or by venim, and cannot chew. They moult their skin several
times each year.
Worm lizards are small, limbless
burrowing lizards with concealed eyes and wedge-shaped skulls
to aid with digging. They eat small animals.
Sub-order Sauria
Agamidae
Agamid lizard
300
Tropical regions
Anguidae
Glass lizards, alligator lizards, galliwasps
67
Americas
Anniellidae
California legless lizards
2
California
Chameleontidae
Old World chameleons
85
Africa, W Asia, India
Cordylidae
Girdle-tailed lizards
50
S Africa, Madagascar
Dibamidae
Burrowers
3
Philippines, Vietnam, New Guinea
Helodermatidae
Gila monster, bearded lizards
2
N America
Iguanidae
Iguanas
600
N ans S America, W Indies, Galapagos, Fiji, Madagascar
Lacertidae
Old World terrestrial lizards
150
Europe, Asia, Africa
Lanthanotidae
Earless monitor lizard
1
Borneo
Pygopodidae
Flap-footed lizards
15
Australia, New Guinea
Scincidae
Skinks
800
Worldwide
Teiidae
Whiptail lizards
200
Tropical regions
Varanidae
Monitor lizards
30
Tropical regions
Xantusiidae
Night lizards
12
C America, Cuba
Xenosauridae
4
Mexico, China
Sub-order Serpentes
Acrochordidae
Wart snakes
2
Australia, E Indies, SE Asia
Boidae
Pythons, boas, woodsnakes
60
Tropical regions
Colubridae
Terrestrial, arboreal and aquatic snakes
>1500
Worldwide
Elapidae
Cobras, mambas, coral snakes
170
Asia, Africa, N and S America
Hydrophiidae
Sea snakes
50
Indian and Pacific oceans
Letotyphlopidae
Slender blind snakes
40
N and S America, SW Asia, Africa
Typhlopidae
Blind snakes, worm snakes
200
Tropical regions
Uropeltidae
Shieldtail snakes
50
S Asia
Viperidae
Vipers, rattlesnakes, moccasins
180
Asia, Europe, Africa, Americas
Xenopeltidae
Sunbeam snake
1
India
Sub-order Amphisbaenia
Amphibaenidae
Worm lizards
100
Africa, C and S America, SE Asia and Seychelle Islands
Crocodilia
Alligatoridae
Alligators, caiman
7
S America, Africa, Asia
Small to very large (7 meters) carnivorous, amphibious
reptiles. Heavy cylindrical body armoured with bony plates,
elongated snout, webbed toes, powerful tail, maily nocturnal.
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