TERRESTRIAL ADAPTATIONS IN

REPTILES

Reptiles evolved from their water-dwelling

ancestors and moved to land during the

Paleozoic era, over 280 million years ago.
They dominated the earth between 248 and 213

million years ago and live on today as modernday snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, etc

During this great stretch of time the reptiles

evolved into multitude of forms.

Some 65 million years ,at the end of Cretaceous
period ,the dinosaurs vanished , possibly
because of a dramatic change of climate.
Most of the reptiles that survived the
catastrophe were in general , less spectacular
animals like lizards and snakes. These animals
flourished due to many adaptations and makeup
the bulk of the around 7000 species of reptiles
that exist today.

SCALY SKIN

Most important factor in evolution of reptiles

was the development of tough , dry, scaly
impermeable skin which prevented them
from drying , dessication and physical injury.
Skin has a thin epidermis which is shed
periodically and a lower much thicker
dermis. Scale is made of keratin. Scales are
of different types granular(appear
bumpy) ,keeled (have a centre ridge) or
modified into scutes example crocodile

Reptilian JAWS are efficiently designed

applying crushing or gripping force on the

prey. The jaw muscles have become larger,
longer and arranged for much better
mechanical advantage.

Reptiles have evolved efficient strategies for water conservation :

Many reptiles have salt glands located near the nostrils, eyes
or in tongue .Chelone and salt water crocodile secretes a
salty fluid that is strongly hyper osmotic to the body fluids.
Nitrogenous wastes are excreted as uric acid which has low
solubility and precipitates easily, allow in water to be
conserved.
The urine of many reptiles is a semi solid suspension.

Reptiles don't regulate body temperature

like warm-blooded mammals. Reptiles are

ecto thermic or cold-blooded. Reptiles use
behavior and their environments to keep
their body temperatures at optimum
capacity. When they feel cold they bask in
the sun to warm themselves. When too hot
for reptiles to function effectively, they
move into the shade or hide in underground
burrows to avoid the heat.

 To cool its body reptiles opens its mouth and

increase its breathing rate ,lizards increases its

breathing rate from normal 31 breaths/minute to
114 breaths/minute.
During winter they lie dormant either alone or in
groups ,during which they stop eating and lower
their metabolic rate.

All Reptiles except limbless ones ,have

better body support than amphibians and

more efficiently designed limbs for
movement on land .Reptiles legs are
directed down towards the ground, which
allows them to pick their bellies off the
ground to move fast.

 Nervous system of Reptiles is considerably more complex

than amphibians. Cerebrum is large in relation to rest of the

brain. Connections to the CNS are more advanced ,permitting
complex behaviour. With exception of hearing ,sense organs
in general are well developed. Jacobsons organ a specialized
olfactory structure is highly developed in lizards and snakes.
Odours are carried to Jacobsons organ by the tongue.They
also help in detecting presence of water and also mate.

 The main function of smell has been rerouted

from the nose to the tongue. When a lizard or a

snake wants to smell it's surroundings it will flick
it's tongue out and gather the particles in the air.
The tongue then returns to the mouth and the tips
of the tongue are pushed up against the roof of the
mouth where they enter two pits in the roof
,because of which the tongue is bifid or forked like
in snakes and varanus.

The head of some snakes like pit

viper,python and boas have heat sensitive

organs or pits that enable them to detect
minute variations in heat, especially the
change in air temperature by the presence of
warm-blooded prey.

Camouflage
Many reptiles use camouflage for defense as

well as to conceal themselves from prey .

on provide some clues to what reptiles see, and when they hunt. Reptiles with round pupils are usually active during the day, and probably see in color. Slit-like pupils are common in nighttime predators, whi

Reptilian eye is similar to that of other vertebrates. Lizards,

turtles and Sphenodon have a number of bony plates inside

the eyes ,that enable them to focus well.
Lizards have good eye sight because colors are an important
guide in mating and hunting.
Most snakes have poor eye sight ,since they rely on smell to
track their prey .
Pupil shape and eye position provide some clues to what
reptiles see and what they hunt. Reptiles with round pupils
are usually active during day and probably can see colors.Slitlike pupils are common in night time predators ,which have
black and white vision.

Reptilian lungs are considerably more complex

than those of amphibians, showing internal
partitioning to provide additional surface area
for gas exchange between lung gas and blood.
Reptiles depend almost exclusively on lungs
for gas exchange ,supplemented by respiration
through pharyngeal membranes and cloacal
lining as seen in some aquatic forms like
chelones.

The circulatory system of a reptile, like those

of all terrestrial vertebrates, is composed of

two loops. The pulmonary loop carries
deoxygenated blood from the heart to the
lungs and returns oxygenated blood to the
heart. The systemic loop transports
oxygenated blood to the tissues of the body,
where oxygen and nutrients are unloaded and
where carbon dioxide and wastes are picked
up, and returns deoxygenated blood to the
heart.

Most reptiles lay amniotic eggs covered with leathery or

calcareous shells. An amnion , chorion, and allantois are
present during embryonic life. The shell protects and keeps
it from drying out, but it is flexible to allow gas exchange. The
chorion aids in gas exchange .The albumin serves as a
reservoir for water and protein. The allantois collects the
metabolic waste produced by the embryo. The amniotic sac
with amniotic fluid which protects and cushions the embryo.
The amnion aids in osmoregulation .The yolk sac
surrounding the yolk contains protein and fat rich nutrients
that are absorbed by the emryo. The air space provides the
embryo with oxygen while it is hatching. This ensures that
the embryo will not suffocate while it is hatching.

 Reptiles lay the eggs in a sheltered location on land. Eggs are

buried in ground in nest, no parental care seen.

In crocodiles, some turtle families, and some lizards, nest
temperature determines sex of offspring; low temperatures
are males and higher temperatures are females
The appearance of large shelled egg widened the division
between the amphibians and reptiles ,this contributing factor
played a role in evolution of reptiles.

Credits :
Wikipedia
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