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Definition: reptile from The Penguin Dictionary of Science

A member of the vertebrate class Reptilia, whose members have a scaly skin and typically lay amniotic eggs with a leathery shell. They are an ancient and very diverse group and dominated the earth's fauna until the end of the Triassic ➤era. Modern reptiles include snakes, lizards, crocodilians, turtles and terrapins.

reptile

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
name for the dry-skinned, usually scaly, cold-blooded vertebrates (see Chordata ) of the order Reptilia. Reptiles are found in a variety of habitats throughout the warm and temperate regions (except on some islands), with the greatest variety in the tropics. Reptiles differ from other terrestrial vertebrates (birds and mammals) in that they are cold-blooded, that is, they lack an effective system for regulating their body temperature, which tends to approach that of the environment. For this reason reptiles are not found in the coldest regions of the world, and they hibernate in cool winter areas. They range in size from 2-in.-long (5-cm) lizards to 30-ft-long (9-m) snakes. They typically have low-slung bodies with long tails, supported by four short legs that project outward from the sides of the body; however, all snakes are limbless. Although reptiles are fundamentally a terrestrial group, some are adapted to living in water. All breathe air by means of lungs and have thick, …
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Full text Article reptile

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
name for the dry-skinned, usually scaly, cold-blooded vertebrates (see Chordata ) of the order Reptilia. Reptiles are found in a variety of habitats throughout the warm and temperate regions (except on some islands), with the greatest variety in the tropics. Reptiles differ from other terrestrial…
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The class Reptilia includes about 6500 species, all of which breed on land. The class is divided into four orders of which only two are significant as far as exotic pets are concerned. The four orders are as follows: Rhynchocephalia includes the tuatara; very rare and unlikely to be kept in…
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Full text Article reptile

From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather Guide
Any member of a class (Reptilia) of vertebrates. Unlike amphibians, reptiles have hard-shelled, yolk-filled eggs that are laid on land and from which fully formed young are born. Some snakes and lizards retain their eggs and give birth to live young. Reptiles are cold-blooded, and their skin is…
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Full text Article REPTILES

From National Geographic Answer Book: 10,001 Fast Facts About Our World Full text Article LIFE ON EARTH
MAJOR SNAKE FAMILIES COLUBRIADAE 1,700 species / 1-10 feet long; many species lay eggs / Includes garter snakes, corn snakes, black snakes, rat snakes BOIDAE 45 species / 3-25 feet long; bear living young / Includes pythons, boas, and anacondas ELAPIDAE 315 species / 2-20 feet long; venom-conducting…
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Full text Article Reptiles

From Black's Veterinary Dictionary
A class of animal which includes chelonians (tortoises, turtles and terrapins), lizards and snakes. About a fifth are threatened with extinction. They are all ECTOTHERMIC , although larger specimens of turtles and snakes are known to be capable of ENDOTHERMY . Reptiles tend to favour warm places…
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Full text Article ANIMAL: REPTILE

From Gaither's Dictionary of Scientific Quotations
Scottish geologist and theologian Reptiles, reptiles, reptiles – flying, swimming, waddling, walking… Sketch-Book of Popular Geology Lecture Forth (p. 151 ) William P. Nimmo & Company. Edinburgh Scotland . 1880. English lyrical poet, critic, and philosopher What, if one reptile sting ano... …
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Full text Article marine reptiles

From Science Encyclopedia: Encyclopedia of Marine Science
A hawksbill sea turtle swims around the coral...
Marine reptiles are mostly cold-blooded vertebrates, comprising the sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles, marine iguana, and sea snakes that inhabit salt water and in some cases travel great distances to lay eggs. Reptiles have lungs, and their hearts are three-chambered, except in crocodilians, which…
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Head for water The eggs hatch and hundreds of...
These turtles, like most reptiles, have to fend for themselves after they areborn. There is safety in numbers so they all hatch at the same time, and usuallyduring the night. Even so, it is estimated that just 1 in 1,000 baby turtles makesit to adulthood. Turtle conservation Sadly, the number of sea…
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Full text Article reptile

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Any of the approximately 8,700 species of the class Reptilia, the group of air-breathing vertebrates that have internal fertilization and a scaly body and are cold-blooded. Most species have short legs (or none) and long tails, and most lay eggs. Living reptiles include the scaly reptiles ( snakes…
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Full text Article evolution of reptiles

From Encyclopedia of Evolution
Reptiles are primarily terrestrial vertebrates, with amniotic eggs, but without feathers or hair. An amniotic egg has a shell and a series of fluid-filled membranes that feed and protect the developing embryo. Largely because of the amniotic egg, most reptiles are very well adapted to life on dry…
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