Snakes And Lizards example essay topic

SquamataMy Research Paper is on Squamata. Squamata means scaly reptiles. Squamata is the order that lizards and snakes fall under. The Squamata are the most successful order of Cenozoic reptiles. Cenozoic is one of the Dinosaur era's. The era goes like this: Precambrian, then Paleozoic, then Triassic, after is Jurassic, then Cretaceous, then finally Cenozoic.

In the Cenozoic there was an estimate of over six thousand species. There were more Squamata than Mammals then. Reptiles in the order of Squamata were found everywhere in the world except for Antarctica. Squamata is put into two suborders: Snakes, and lizards. For example some snakes are Rattlesnakes, Sea Snakes, Vipers, King Cobras, Copperheads, or Coral snakes. Some Lizards are Geckos, Anoles, Iguanas, Horned Lizards, and even Komodo Dragons.

You can tell the that the snakes and the lizards have a close relationship by most of their similarities. For instance, both lizards, and snakes shed their skin, both lizards and snakes do not have a connecting jaw. So both have very powerful and very flexible jaw muscles. That's why snakes and lizards can eat things way bigger than even their head. It is also a fact that leg less lizards are difficult to tell apart from snakes. Lizards and Snakes size and weight Some Lizards and snakes can only grow to about 10 inches at max.

Like, the gecko can only grow to about ten or so inches. Then Come Lizards and Snakes can grow to sixteen feet or so. Komodo dragons can grow to about ten feet long, and whats even crazier is that Anaconda snakes can grow to sixteen Squamata feet. The worlds largest reptile is the Anaconda, One Anaconda grew to thirty-three feet. Snakes and Lizards weight can range from ounces to five hundred pounds. The largest Lizard recorded (in weight) is the Komodo dragon, which weight five hundred and fifty pounds.

Its funny that some humans can weight way more than that. Some lizards have the ability to change color. For example, Anoles, and Chameleons can change color. Anoles change color by their moods, surrounding, and to camouflage themselves from predators. Chameleons change color by their surroundings and also to camouflage themselves from predators. Some lizards can also lose their tails and grow back a new one.

The reason for that is because they don't have a vertebrae in their tails. All Squamata reptiles have toes with claws to climb up trees and grasp food so the food won't get away. Squamata reptiles have dry, scaly skin. All reptiles are cold blooded of course, so they need sun often to keep their body heated.

Some Carnivorous lizards and snakes eat insects and rodents to heat their bodies. Most reptiles reproduce sexually. Most reptiles mate during the spring, and the babies are born in the summer. The females are oviparous, meaning they lay with shells or eggs. Squamata lay amniotic eggs.

Amniotic eggs have water and food in it so the little one in there can survive. Squamata Reptiles hibernate in the winter by burrowing underground or in cracks between rocks until the weather warms up. Before the hibernate though, they eat a lot of food to form a big layer of fat that will help them survive while hibernating. Squamata's are very interesting. I researched on squamata's because I have two little Anoles at my house. I wanted to find out more about them and I did.