Reptiles: Reptiles refer to a class of vertebrate animals with particular common like scaled skin and the ability to lay eggs. There are various species of reptiles, and they are found all over the world in different places. Each of the species has specific unique characteristics that make them different from the others.
Lizards are also a type of reptiles, and there are different types of lizards a to z under the species of reptiles. A list of reptiles, along with their scientific classification, is given. This list of reptiles’ names with pictures will make it easier to identify the specified reptile quickly with minimal effort.
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List of Reptiles
Name of Reptiles
- Crocodile
- Alligator
- Turtle
- Terrapin
- Snake
- Worm Lizard
- Tortoise
- Caiman
- Gavialis
- Tuatara
- Lizard
- Chameleon
- Skink
- Gecko
- Iguana
Description of the reptiles given on the list
Crocodile
Crocodiles are giant semi-aquatic reptiles that are found in the tropics of Asia, Australia, Africa, and America. Many species of crocodiles are listed as critically endangered species and are at risk of extinction. Crocodiles usually live in freshwater habitats like rivers, wetlands, and lakes and live in brackish water or saltwater sometimes. They feed on vertebrates like mammals, birds, reptiles, and fishes, and also on invertebrates.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodilia |
| Superfamily | Crocodyloidea |
| Family | Crocodylidae |
| Scientific name | Crocodylinae |
Alligator
The alligator is a crocodilian that belongs to the family of Alligatoridae and is native to China, the United States, and Mexico. They usually live in freshwater habitats like lakes, swamps, marshes, ponds, rivers, wetlands, and brackish water. The food that they consume depends entirely upon their size since it keeps changing as they start growing. Alligator skin is used for manufacturing different leather items.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodilia |
| Family | Alligatoridae |
| Subfamily | Alligatorinae |
| Genus | Alligator |
| Scientific name | Alligator |
Turtle
The turtle is an order of reptiles and has a shell that is mainly developed from its ribs. Combining the living and recently extinct species, Turtles have nearly 360 species. They do not lay eggs underwater even though most of them live in water or near water. Turtles are hunted for their meat since it is used in preparing traditional medicines, and they feed on sedentary animals and plant materials.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Clade | Perichelydia |
| Order | Testudines |
| Scientific name | Testudines |
Terrapin
Terrapin is a type of small turtle that lives in brackish water or freshwater. They do not have a taxonomic unit, but most of their species belong to the family of Emydidae and Geoemydidae.
Snake
Snakes are limbless, elongated, carnivorous reptiles that are found on almost every continent, excluding the continent of Antarctica. Most of the species of snakes are non-venomous, and those with venom use it to kill their prey. They feed on small animals, and since they cannot tear or bite their food, they swallow their prey entirely.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Clade | Ophidia |
| Suborder | Serpentes |
| Scientific name | Serpentes |
Worm Lizard
Worm lizard, commonly known as amphisbaenians, refers to a group of legless squamates found in South America, North America, Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and Western Asia. They have long, elongated bodies and rudimentary eyes. These are predatory creatures and can tear their prey with the help of their strong teeth. Most of the species of these creatures have a length of fewer than 6 inches.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Superfamily | Lacertoidea |
| Clade | Amphisbaenia |
Tortoise
Tortoises belong to the Testudinidae family and are found in Madagascar, Southeast Asia, Southern North and South America, and Eurasia. They are land-dwelling animals with a shell for protection and are also known as the longest living land animals. Tortoises are herbivorous, diurnal animals and are very slow-moving.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Testudines |
| Suborder | Cryptodira |
| Superfamily | Testudinoidea |
| Family | Testudinidae |
| Scientific name | Testudinidae |
Caiman
Caiman is an alligatorid that belongs to the subfamily of Caimaninae and can be found in Mexico, South America, and Central America. Predatory animals hunt and feed on various fishes, birds, small mammals, insects, and small reptiles. Caimans tend to hibernate during summer and are often hunted by humans for their skin and meat.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodilia |
| Family | Alligatoridae |
| Subfamily | Caimaninae |
| Scientific name | Caimaninae |
Gavialis
Gavialis is a crocodylian that comprises the living gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) and another known species that went extinct, the Gavialis bengawanicus. The Gavialis gangeticus is found in the Indian subcontinent, while the Gavialis bengawanicus came from Java. These are the only two species of the Gavialis.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Crocodilia |
| Family | Gavialidae |
| Subfamily | Gavialinae |
| Genus | Gavialis |
Tuatara
Tuataras are native to New Zealand. They are greenish-brown to greyish and are sometimes known as living fossils. These are nocturnal and terrestrial reptiles but can also be found under the sun for warming their bodies. Tuataras feed on spiders, beetles, crickets, frogs, chicks, lizards. Their bites are harmful and can cause serious injuries.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Rhynchocephalia |
| Family | Sphenodontidae |
| Genus | Sphenodon |
| Species | S. punctatus |
| Scientific name | Sphenodon |
Lizard
Lizards refer to a group of squamate reptiles that are found in every continent except Antarctica. They are primarily quadrupedal creatures and also have the ability to shed and regenerate their tails. Lizards are territorial and primarily carnivorous, feeding on various insects.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Superorder | Lepidosauria |
| Order | Squamata |
| Suborder | Lacertilia |
| Family | Lacertidae |
| Scientific name | Lacertilia |
Chameleon
Chameleon is a highly specialized and distinctive clade of the Old World lizards that prefers living in warm habitats and is found in Madagascar, Southern Europe, Africa, and Southern Asia. They come in different colors and also have the ability to change colors according to their surroundings. Chameleons are great climbers, can hunt visually, and feeds on different insects.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Suborder | Iguania |
| Clade | Acrodonta |
| Family | Chamaeleonidae |
Skink
Skinks belong to the Scincidae family and are found in almost every habitat except the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Usually, most of their species have tiny legs and can shed their long and tapering tails if needed. The blood color of skinks is green, and they feed on flies, crickets, earthworms, isopods, small lizards, millipedes, caterpillars, beetles, and small rodents.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Superfamily | Scincidae |
| Family | Scincidae |
| Scientific name | Scincidae |
Gecko
Geckos are small lizards that are usually found in warm climates and hence are not found in the continent of Antarctica. They use different sounds for interaction and have both species, nocturnal and diurnal, present. There are more than 1,850 species of geckos present worldwide. Similar to other reptiles, these reptiles are also ectothermic, i.e., they produce very minimal metabolic heat.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Clade | Gekkonomorpha |
| Infraorder | Gekkota |
| Scientific name | Gekkonidae |
Iguana
Iguanas are a type of herbivorous lizards that are endemic to the tropical regions of the Caribbean, South America, Mexico, and Central America. They are often kept as pets, and their meat and eggs are also consumed in certain parts of the world. The vision of an Iguana is very keen, and that enables them to see colors, shadows, shapes, and movements very accurately, even from a long distance.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Suborder | Iguania |
| Family | Iguanidae |
| Genus | Iguana |
| Scientific name | Iguana |
