By: Blake Iddings & Maggie Bedillion

1. By: Blake Iddings & Maggie Bedillion

2. Characteristics • Amniotic Egg: made reptiles fully independent from water • Chorion: outer membrane below egg shell; allows gas exchange but keeps water in • Amnion: encases developing embryo within fluid-filled cavity • Yolk Sac: provides food for embryo through blood vessels • Allantois: encases cavity for waste products • Fertilization: must be internal • Dry Skin: watertight, layers of scales that develop from epidermal cells with keratin (protein) • Thoracic Breathing: movement of rib cage • Vertebrate

3. Reproduction • Reptiles reproduce by laying eggs • Some give birth to live young that hatch from the eggs inside the mother’s body • Most reptiles reproduce amniotic eggs • Which are able to survive outside of water • These eggs have complex membrane systems • Protective shells that are permeable to oxygen and other gases

4. Feeding/Digestion • Complete digestive tract • Organs include: • Mouth • Pharynx • Esophagus • Stomach • Intestines • Liver • Pancreas • Anus • http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/American-alligator

5. Diversity Able to complete life cycle Diversified throughout land and ecosystems -including driest deserts

6. Body support • Water tight skin enriched with protein called keratin • Keratin prevents dehydration • Skull • Backbone • Hinged jaw

7. Examples of reptiles • Turtles • Lizards • Snakes • Crocodiles • alligators

8. Flying Reptiles http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/player.html?title=6037

9. Works cited • http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/videos/player.html?title=6037 • http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/American-alligator