Class Reptilia
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| Psammobates geometricus |
Their scales can be rough or smooth. They are made out of tough keratin, and help to protect the body, and retain body water. Scales do not grow with the reptiles, so they must be shed and new ones will grow back.
Reptiles are ectotherms, which means that they rely heavily on their environment to keep their internal body temperature stable. Some reptiles will bask in the sun or burrow into the ground, depending on whether they are hot or cold.
They have a closed circulatory system. They have two types of circulation--pulmonary and systemic. Their hearts have two atria and either one or two ventricles. Reptiles with only one ventricle have a partial septum (wall), which helps to separate the oxygen-rich blood from the oxygen-low blood.
Reptiles have sexual reproduction with internal fertilization. Most are oviparous, where the mother lays her eggs outside the body. Some, though, are ovoviviparous, where the eggs stay inside the mother's body.
Reptiles lay amniotic eggs. They are named for one of the four membranes that are inside the eggs--amnion. The other three membranes are the Chorion, Allantois, and the Yolk sac. Amniotic eggs allow the reptiles to lay their eggs on land instead of in water. They help keep the eggs from drying out, while also protecting them.
Below, are examples of reptiles:
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| Opheodrys vernalis |
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| Terrapene carolina Carolina |
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| Crocodylus mindorensis |
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| Varanus komodoensis |
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