Reptiles, such as crocodiles, alligators, turtles, lizards and many snakes, but this category of vertebrates includes many other species unknown to most. Reptiles are the first large terrestrial creatures, just think that they have inhabited the Earth for more than 350 million years, they inhabit the Earth and lay their eggs on or in the dry land , they have scales or plates on their bodies , cold blood flows in their veins, this last characteristic means that their body temperature depends on that of the environment.
They love the sun not because it tans them or puts them in a good mood, but because it warms them, so they live in temperate regions. Feeding on solar rays, they do not eat often, they are almost all provided with teeth, but turtles aside, and they are mostly carnivores , again turtles aside.
Today Reptiles are divided into 4 orders: Chelonians (turtles), Loricates (crocodiles and alligators), Saurians (lizards) and Ophidians (snakes).
Pet reptiles
The habit or desire, sometimes the claim, of having domestic reptiles for the house is increasingly frequent, sometimes it is more than understandable, other times it is an eccentric idea that can disturb the reptiles themselves, They are certainly not the ones knocking at our house, starting from the calm turtles, up to snakes and chameleons. Before getting this idea, of domestic reptiles, let’s inform ourselves in a very thorough way because they are not like dogs and cats, they have nature, habits and reactions of wild animals as they are.
For those who are convinced or want to get an idea of the commitment, I begin by mentioning that the reptiles that require less time are usually snakes, a less recommended alternative are lizards.
If among the possible domestic reptiles we lean towards crawling ones, we have chosen the ones that are more manageable and that require little daily care, do not make much of a mess and have a slow digestion, so they eat once a week. It is also true that they need space compared to other reptiles and in the menu they often require mice, both live and defrosted. It is not something for everyone, wanting to keep them at home. It is also necessary to check the Italian legislation regarding the possession of snakes, which is different from that of other European countries.
Saurians are domestic reptiles that take up less space so they are more manageable and, much appreciated, they do not eat mice but insects such as crickets, honey worms, or even vegetables. Unlike snakes, these animals digest quickly so they also make a bigger mess. These considerations are intended as an introduction, to give an idea to potential Reptile owners, but it is essential to thoroughly document the species you want to host to avoid risky moves.
Flying Reptiles
Among the flying reptiles I want to present one that, even if extinct, is par excellence the most interesting. The Pterosaur. It belongs to the Archosaur Reptiles , unfortunately appeared in the Upper Triassic and became extinct in the Cretaceous, in the meantime it hung around northern Italy but also in Germany, England, India, USA, Chile and China.
During the time when Pterosaurs could be seen in the sky, they gave birth to numerous species, over 120, both very large, with a wingspan of 12 meters, and very small, less than a thrush. What is surprising in these flying creatures is the size of the forelimb, but also a sort of bony plate welded to numerous dorsal vertebrae, called notarium, capable of absorbing part of the tension transmitted by the wings to the shoulder girdle. Also particular, and spectacular, in some cases is the tail, long and thin, with a leaf-shaped tip.
Loricated reptiles
The Loricates, one of the orders mentioned above, one of the 4, are crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gharials and other beings of this type, with armor, since the name loricates derives from the Latin “lorica” which means armor . We are talking about carnivores, all of them are, and who prefer to live near a body of water, be it a river, lake, pond or, more rarely, the sea.
The body of a reptile belonging to this order is covered on the back by bony plates, then there are the paws, webbed, short but robust, and the tail, long and tapered. Also perfect for swimming. As for the head, its shape is triangular, the protruding and not very reassuring eyes are evident. The size of a loricate can vary from 1 to 8 meters, from 15 kg to 1 ton.
Reptiles with legs
It would be just boring, even useless, to list those with legs and in many cases you see it with your own eyes. Of this group I remember the most cute and noteworthy such as the land sea turtle, chameleons, iguana and flying dragon. Let’s not forget the gecko and the armadillo, the lizard, crocodiles and the caiman. And the gharial not to be confused with the well-known caviar. Which is not a reptile and does not even have legs.
Reptiles with very tough skin
The classic example of very hard skin is that of turtles and crocodiles that have both an upper and lower horny layer, unlike saurians that are limited to just one upper lateral layer. In general, reptile skin is made up of scales that change with each moult, they serve to protect the internal organs and to camouflage the animal , it is rich in nerve endings that make it very sensitive to touch.
As for moulting, when the skin is very hard like in crocodiles and turtles , tiny pieces similar to dandruff are produced, a very different effect is seen on snakes where the old skin comes out perfectly, in lizards it changes again: it falls off in flaps.
Italian reptiles
In the Italian panorama today we can count 54 different species of living reptiles, in the wild, sedentary or habitually in transit. In this census we have not included those sighted once or in private homes or in breeding but without having undergone a process of acclimatization or indigeneity.
In the group of Italian reptiles I would like to mention those that are the only representatives of their subcategory. Among the Phyllodactylidae, the Gecko , among the Spherodactylidae the Tarantolino , among the Anguidae we have only the Italian Slowworm, among the Dermochelidae the Leatherback Turtle while the Lacewing Snake is the only one among the Lamprophyidae that lives in Italy.
Prehistoric reptiles
To avoid getting bored and to touch living beings that have not been alive for millennia, I suggest a fun set of prehistoric animals of small dimensions but useful for learning to associate names and appearance. There are the Tyrannosaurus, the Stegosaurus, the Triceratops, the Utahraptor, the Spinosaurus and our Pterosaur.
While we wait for this set to arrive, let’s start learning something about the protagonists: the Tyrannosaurus is a fearsome carnivore, the Triceratops we will recognize by its beak-like snout, the three horns and the bony collar while the Stegosaurus has very evident bony scales, excellent for defense. I’ll let you know the others as individuals, just a few words about the Spinosaurus that with its enormous sails never goes unnoticed.