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Introduction

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Selected reptile type

Pope's pit viper (Trimeresurus popeiorum)

Snakes are elongated, limbless 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

The Transvaal dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion transvaalense) is a chameleon native to South Africa, where it is found in forested areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. It is also known as the Wolkberg dwarf chameleon, after the Wolkberg range. (Full article...)

Selected turtle article

The Malayan flat-shelled turtle (Notochelys platynota) is a species of turtle found in Southeast Asia. (Full article...)

Picture slideshow

Image 1Thamnophis elegans terrestris at Western terrestrial garter snake
Image 2Sinai agama
Image 3Yacare caiman
Image 4Ladder snake
Image 5Jackson's chameleon
Image 6Anole at Polychrotinae
Image 7A green sea turtle swimming above a coral reef.
Image 8Dwarf yellow-headed gecko
Image 9Gold dust day gecko
Image 10Namaqua chameleon
Image 11 Albino alligator
Image 12Leiocephalus personatus
Image 13Morelia spilota
Image 14Cerastes cerastes
Image 15Asian 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 16Bothriechis schlegelii
Image 17Barracudasauroides
Image 18Leiocephalus carinatus
Image 19Marine iguana
Image 20Plestiodon fasciatus
Image 21Marginated tortoise hatchling
Image 22Phelsuma grandis
Image 23Italian wall lizard
Image 24Common box turtle
Image 25Common collared lizard
Image 26Vipera dinniki
Image 27Niveoscincus metallicus
Image 28Eastern long-necked turtle
Image 29Mwanza flat-headed rock agama
Image 30Trachylepis striata
Image 31Green sea turtle
Image 32Plumed basilisk
Image 33Trachylepis maculilabris mating
Image 34White-headed dwarf gecko
Image 35Eastern bearded dragon
Image 36Cape skink - Trachylepis capensis. Close-up on purple Aster flowers.
Image 37Green sea turtle
Image 38Sicilian wall lizard
Image 39Vipera xanthina
Image 40Aldabra giant tortoise
Image 41Australian water dragon
Image 42Gold dust day gecko
Image 43Indian chameleon
Image 44Mexican beaded lizard
Image 45Gold dust day gecko close-up
Image 46Bosc's fringe-toed lizards during courtship
Image 47Green sea turtle
Image 48Namaqua chameleon
Image 49Steneosaurus
Image 50Rough chameleon
Image 51Carolina anole
Image 52Species of Ceratopsia dinosaurs
Image 53Red-headed Amazon River turtles

Selected snake article

Vipera ammodytes, commonly known as horned viper, long-nosed viper, nose-horned viper, and sand viper, poskok is a species of viper found in southern Europe, mainly northern Italy, the Balkans, and parts of Asia Minor. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs (up to 13 mm) and high venom toxicity. The specific name, ammodytes, is derived from the Greek words ammos, meaning "sand", and dutes, meaning "burrower" or "diver", despite its preference for rocky habitats. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. (Full article...)