Kinds Of Reptiles In The World
Reptiles are creepy, crawly creatures and cold blooded vertebrae’s that are capable of giving most people goose-bumps. There are different kinds of reptiles in the world that comprise of turtles, crocodiles, lizards, snakes and tuataras and some extinct species like dinosaurs. Most of the reptiles are misunderstood creatures; however, some of them are vicious too. To understand more about them, let us take a brief look at some of the different kinds of reptiles in the world.
Lizards
Lizards are one of the most commonly spotted reptiles around the world. They have an elongated body and a tapering head rested on a small neck and a long tail. At present there are over 4600 different species of lizards. Let us understand some common species
– Chameleon – This lizard is a tree dweller and has the ability to change color and camouflage in his surrounding and move each eye on its own.
– Komodo dragon – This is the largest living species of lizard and found exclusively on the Komodo Island in Indonesia. They can weigh up to 300 pounds and grow up to 10 feet
– Gila Monster – This is a poisonous lizard found in the dessert region in the US and Mexico
– Tuatara – This lizard-like creature is found on the islands of New Zealand and can grow up to 2 feet in length and weigh 2 pounds.
Snakes
Snakes are one of the most intriguing creatures. These kinds of reptiles in the world are one of the most misunderstood creatures due to their poisonous nature. There are about 3400 species of snakes that can range from just a few inches to almost 30 feet in length.
– Poisonous snakes – There are many species of snakes that are venomous and have the ability to kill humans. Some of the poisonous snakes are Asp, bushmaster, cobra, rattlesnake, copperhead, coral snake, mamba, moccasin, pit viper etc.
– Non poisonous snakes – Non poisonous snakes are harmless but there are a lot of myths and phobias around snakes. The common non-poisonous snakes are water snakes, pythons, boa constrictor, puff adder, mud snake, milk snake, hognose, garter snake, flying snake, garter snake, black racer, anaconda etc
Crocodiles
Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles that are found in sub tropical regions of Australia, America, Africa and Asia. They have a large lizard like body and they eat fish, birds, and large animals and have known to attack humans in the past. These kinds of reptiles in the world can be classified as the following
– Alligators – Alligators are large reptiles that live in swamps, rivers, marsh land and lakes. There are 2 species of alligators; the American alligators and the Chinese alligators.
– Caiman – Caiman are similar to alligators but are smaller in size and grow up to 4-6 feet in length. They are found in Central and south America and Florida
– Gharials – This crocodile is native to the Indian sub continent and is also known as Gavial. They are comparatively huge and can grow up to 18 feet in length.
Turtles
Turtles are gorgeous creatures that have a cartilaginous skull that works as a shield on its back. Turtles can be found in various sizes that can vary from a few centimeters to almost 7 feet in length. They have a relatively long life and some of them can live up to 150 years. Turtles are gentle creatures and are amphibians in nature. Some of the common species of turtles are leather backs, African spurred tortoise, sea turtle, snapping turtle, green sea turtle and red eared sliders.
