Between the Animals that creep To move are the iguana, the snake, the lizards and other animals belonging to the class of reptiles.
It is not known exactly whether reptiles ( Reptilia ) Constitute a class of animals or a group. In any case, living beings belonging to this classification have common characteristics, either the appearance or the way in which they move.
To this group belonged the dinosaurs. Within this group, you can find animals of all sizes and different habitats. In this article, you will be able to know in more detail some of them.
You can also see what the Airfield animals: characteristics, mobility and examples.
1- Iguana
Iguanas are herbivorous lizards with flaccid skin on their throats and thorns that protrude from their heads, necks, backs and tails. Iguanas can live from 15 to 20 years.
The green iguana can measure from 1.5 to 2 meters in length while that of spiny tail, grows from 12.5 to 100 centimeters in length. The heaviest iguana is the blue iguana, which can weigh up to 14 kilograms.
They are cold-blooded. This means that the outside temperature is what keeps them warm, since they have no way to regulate the internal heat with their own bodies.
These lizards are found in Mexico, Central and South America, the Galapagos Islands, some of the Caribbean islands, Fiji and Madagascar.
2- Chameleon
Of the family Chamaeleonidae , Are Old World lizards, mainly arboreal, known for their ability to change the color of their body.
Other characteristics of the chameleons are the zygodactylus feet (toes fused in opposing bundles of two and three), the acrodontada dentition (with the teeth attached to the edge of the jaw).
Also characteristic features of the chameleons are the eyes that move independently, atrophied venom glands that produce innocuous amounts of venom and a long, thin tongue.
The specialized view of these animals and the specialized system of projecting their language allow them to catch insects and even birds from a distance.
The eyes of the chameleon are very good for detecting and regulating light. The lens of the eye of a chameleon is able to concentrate extremely fast and can enlarge visual images as if it were a telephoto lens.
Chameleons can move their tongues at high speed more than twice their body length and can hit and capture their prey with great precision.
The hydrostatic force resulting from the rapid contraction of a ring accelerating muscle is used to project the tongue towards the prey of the chameleon; A tip of sticky tongue adheres to the body of the victim.
3-Komodo Dragon
The Komodo Dragon ( Varanus komodoensis ) Is the largest species of lizard in existence and belongs to the family Varanidae . It inhabits the island of Komodo and some neighboring islands of the smaller islands of Sunda in Indonesia.
Interest in the large size of the lizard and its predatory habits has allowed this endangered species to become an ecotourism attraction, which has encouraged its protection.
The lizard measures approximately 3 meters and weighs about 135 kg. He usually digs very deep burrows (about 9 meters) and lays eggs that hatch in April or May.
The newly hatched dragons, about 45 centimeters long, live in trees for several months.
Komodo adult dragons eat smaller members of their own species and sometimes even other adults. They can run quickly and occasionally attack and kill humans.
They rarely need to capture live prey directly, as their poisonous bite releases toxins that inhibit blood clotting.
Their victims are thought to go into shock from a rapid loss of blood. Some Herpetologists Point out that the physical trauma of the bite and the introduction of bacteria from the mouth of the Komodo dragon into the wound kill the prey.
4- Giant Tortoise from the Galapagos Islands
The giant tortoise is perhaps the most emblematic species of the Galapagos. In fact, the name Galapagos comes from the old Spanish word"saddle,"in reference to the shape of some shells of giant turtle species.
Today, the giant tortoise has come to symbolize the uniqueness and fragility of life in the Galapagos Islands. Giant tortoises covered much of the world before the arrival of the Homo sapiens .
Today, they are found only in some isolated island groups in the tropics, including the Galapagos archipelago, the Seychelles and the Mascarene islands.
These turtles can weigh up to 250 kilos. Scientists believe that the ancestors of the Galapagos tortoises came to the islands two or three million years ago from the mainland of South America.
Fourteen separate settlements were established on ten of the largest islands. Nowadays, taxonomists consider each island population a distinct species, although recent genetic studies suggest that there may be considerable differences among populations found on the island.
5- Galapagos marine iguana
The marine iguana is another iconic species of the Galapagos. This endemic reptile is the only sea lizard in the world and can be found on rocky shores in most of the archipelago.
The marine iguana has adapted to venture into the sea for food, a unique habit that gives access to an abundant source of food throughout the year. Their diet is based on algae that grow on rocks and even small crustaceans.
Large males have been observed diving to depths of forty feet and remaining under water for up to one hour.
Among the many adaptations that allow the marine iguana to occupy this unique ecological niche, are a short and forceful nose, a long flattened tail that propels them effortlessly by the water and a special gland that allows them to free their bodies of the excess of salt that Consume as part of their diets.
Perhaps its most remarkable adaptation, unique among all vertebrates in the animal kingdom, is the ability to actually shorten its length of body during certain times, such as periods of famine caused by the phenomenon The boy .
When the food comes back to be abundant, the marine iguana returns to its normal size. Researchers believe that to achieve this miraculous survival feat, marine iguanas literally absorb a portion of their bones.
6- Anaconda
Of the genre Eunectes , Is one of the two species of constrictive and water-loving snakes found in tropical South America.
The green anaconda (Eunectes murinus), also called the giant anaconda, sucuri or water kamudi, is an olive snake with alternating oval black spots. The yellow or southern anaconda (E. notaeus) is much smaller.
Green anacondas live along tropical waters east of the Andes and on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world. This anaconda can measure more than 10 meters.
7- Good
Boa is the common name for a variety of non-venomous constrictive snakes. There are more than 40 species of boas (family Boidae ).
In addition, the boa can also refer to two other groups of snakes: the Mascarenas, or and the good dwarfs (boa de tierra and madera del familia Tropidophiidae ).
The family members Boinae Vary from 1 meter (3.3 feet) long in some species to more than 4 meters. Although these snakes rarely exceed 3.3 meters (11 feet) in length, some reach well over 5 meters.
La boa occupies a variety of habitats from the coastal north of Mexico and the Lesser Antilles to Argentina. A subspecies, the red-tailed boa is particularly popular in the pet trade.
8- Cobra
Cobra is one of several species of highly poisonous snakes, most of which expand the neck ribs to form a hood. Although the hood is characteristic of snakes, not all are closely related.
Snakes are found from southern Africa through southern Asia to the islands of Southeast Asia. Different species are the favorites of snake charmers.
Cobra venom usually contains active neurotoxins against the nervous system of the prey, mainly small vertebrates and other snakes. Bites, particularly of larger species, can be deadly depending on the amount of venom injected.
Neurotoxins affect respiration and, although the antidote is effective, it should be administered shortly after the bite. Thousands of deaths occur each year in South and Southeast Asia by snake bites.
9- Viper
It belongs to the family of the Viperidae . It can be any of the more than 200 species of venomous snakes belonging to two groups: pit snakes (subfamily Crotalinae ) And the vipers of the Old World (subfamily Viperinae ), Which are considered families separated by some authorities.
They eat small animals and hunt by beating and poisoning their prey. Vipers are characterized by a pair of long, hollow, poison-filled fangs attached to movable bones of the upper jaw (jaw), which fold back into the mouth when not in use.
His eyes have vertical pupils. They have a length of less than 25 cm (10 inches) when it comes to the dwarf viper, while the Namaqua ( Bitis schneideri ) Of southern Africa is more than 3 meters.
10- Eslizón
Of the family Scincidae , Is one of about 1,275 species of lizards. Eslizones are secret inhabitants of the earth or burrows, found in most of the world, but are especially diverse in Southeast Asia and its associated islands, the deserts of Australia and the temperate regions of North America.
The largest spider species reaches a maximum length of nearly 76 cm (30 inches), but most species are less than 20 cm (8 inches) long.
Some species of gliding may have peculiarities such as reduced or absent limbs and sunken eardrums.
Some species are arboreal and others are semi-aquatic. Sliders usually eat insects and small Invertebrates . The large species are herbivorous and consume fruits of various types.
11- Two-legged Worm Lizard
This species is endemic to the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico, and extends from the extreme southwest of Baja California, through the west of Baja California Sur, to the isthmus of La Paz and the western region of the Cape.
It is probably a relatively abundant species, but is not often found. Scientist Papenfuss collected 2,719 specimens in an extensive study of the species he carried out in 1982.
To live, this fossil species requires areas with sandy soils with abundant litter. They are seldom seen on the surface. The general habitat in its range is dry and desert, with arboreal vegetation.
These reptiles construct an elaborate system of burrows just below the surface, usually centered on the supports of vegetation.
12- Leopard Tortoise
It is the largest species of turtle in South Africa. It is the only species in the genus Stigmochelys And is often kept as a domestic animal because of its ability to adapt to captivity, where these animals are easily reared.
When these turtles are transported from the Cape provinces to the northern parts of the country they mingle with local populations, as many escape or are released by the owners.
When the genetic strains are mixed, the turtles lose their identity so the scientists are really worried. There is also the danger of introducing diseases into local populations. However, these can be exterminated because they are not resistant to pathogens.
Being relatively durable animals, they can reach an age of up to 100 years under normal conditions. In captivity they can live from 30 to 75 years.
13- Gecko
The gecko is any lizard in the family Gekkonidae , Which consists of more than 100 genera and almost 1,000 species.
Geckos are mostly small reptiles, usually nocturnal with very soft skin. They also have a short, sturdy body, a large head and typically well developed limbs.
Most species are between 3 and 15 cm in length, including the length of the tail. They have adapted to habitats ranging from deserts to jungles.
Currently, the gecko family is composed of five subfamilies: Aleuroscalabotinae , Diplodactylinae , Eublepharinae , Gekkoninae , Y Teratoscincinae . Both Aleuroscalabotinae Like the Eublepharinae Have moving eyelids.
14-Python
Pythons are non-venomous snakes that can be found in Asia, Africa and Australia. Because they are not native to North or South America, they are considered Old World snakes.
The word"Python"can refer to both the family Pythonidae Or gender Python , Which is found within the Pythonidae. There are 41 species of pythons found within the Pythonidae family, according to the Reptiles database.
Most pythons are large snakes, they can grow more than 30 feet (9 meters) long. There are also small species of pythons such as the python ( Antaresia perthensis ), Which only grows 61 centimeters in length and is considered the smallest python species in the world.
15- Phincephalus or Arabian agama
The p Hrynocephalus arabicus Is a member of the family of Agamidae , Also known as chisel teeth lizard. This name is because your compressed and fused teeth are firmly attached to the upper jaw, unlike most lizards that have loose teeth.
These animals are also known as Old World Chameleons because of their amazing ability to change their body color. They typically have a broad, strong, flattened body and a long, flattened tail rounded at the base.
The Arabic agama with a toad's head is a rather small lizard that is very adapted to life in the desert. It is very variable in color with several patterns of black, white and red markings, and tends to match the color of its background.
Lizards found on the pale sands of the coast tend to be paler and less patterned than red and white sands lizards.
16- Gila Monster
The monster of Gila ( Heloderma suspectum ) Was named because it inhabits the Gila River basin. It is also found in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico, as well as in the Mexican states of Sonora and Sinaloa.
It grows about 50 cm (20 inches). It is a robust reptile with black and pink spots or bands. It is the largest lizard in the United States.
During warm weather, Gila's monster feeds at night with small mammals, birds and eggs. Fat stored in the tail and abdomen is used during the winter months.
Its large head and muscular jaws produce a strong bite that holds as the venom seeps into the wound. Many of your teeth have two grooves that lead the venom.
17- Spider turtle
Its scientific name is Pyxis arachnoides. The Madagascar spider tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides spp.), Or Kapila, as this species is locally called, has a shell size of about 15cm. This makes it one of the smallest turtle species in the world.
With an intricate pattern that resembles the spider web in its shell, it is considered one of the most beautiful and charismatic turtles in the world. It feeds on insects, fresh leaves, and larvae. It lives approximately 70 years and is in serious danger of extinction.
18- Tree Crocodile
These crocodiles are found on the island of New Guinea. Most prefer the lowland environments of the island near the coast, although some have been observed living in mountainous environments up to 650 meters (about 2,100 feet) in height.
They are mainly black, with green, yellow or white spots. These reptiles weigh up to 90 kg (almost 200 pounds).
Although Komodo dragons are larger in weight, tree crocodiles are longer, reaching up to 5 meters (about 16 feet) long from snout to tail.
These reptiles are sometimes hunted for their flesh and their skin. They are known to be very aggressive, and therefore, it is considered risky to hunt them. Therefore, traps for other animals are used to catch them.
19- Angonoka turtle or plow turtles
They are small turtles of earth that measure about 40 centimeters in length. Males weigh a little more than 10 kilograms, while females about 8.8 kilograms - the sexes can often be visually distinguished by size.
One of the plates or shields of its lower shell projects outwards and upwards between the front legs, which vaguely resembles a plow, giving the species its name.
Turtles live on land and feed on all kinds of plants. They eat dead bamboo leaves, they seem to avoid buds and fresh leaves. They also eat the excrement of mammals living in their area.
The female buries up to seven egg embryos per season, allowing their young to hatch at the beginning of the rainy season.
Sexual maturity is not achieved during the first two decades, an unfortunate trait for an animal that is highly endangered.
20- Blind shingles
Blind shingles inhabit the Iberian Peninsula and appear to differ genetically from those of other parts, making it a separate species.
This species is endemic to this region of the world. It is found throughout Portugal and in most of central and southern Spain, especially in the Sierra Nevada.
It is difficult to determine the abundance of this species, but appears to be more common in areas of sandy and moist soil. It is an underground reptile found in a wide variety of Mediterranean habitats. The females lay only one egg.
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