The New Childrens Encyclopedia

 LONG NECK The common snake-necked

turtle uses its long neck to lunge at prey.

There are 4,500 species of lizard, from the enormous

komodo dragon to the tiny pygmy chameleon. Most

of them have long tails. Some lizards, mostly skinks,

have an interesting defense technique: if a predator

catches their tail, it can break off so the lizard can run

free. Eventually the tail will grow back.

Despite having no limbs, snakes

are incredible predators. There are

around 2,900 species of snake,

and 300 of these are venomous.

Other snakes are constrictors:

they coil around their prey

and squeeze until it suffocates.

 SMALLEST & LARGEST 


At up to 10 ft (3 m) long, the komodo

dragon is 60 times the length of the

2 in (5 cm) pygmy chameleon.

SNAKES

 JACOBSON’S ORGAN

A snake often hunts by

smell and by tasting the air—

picking up scents with its

tongue. It uses its Jacobson’s

organ to analyze the scent for

signs of prey.

 LAND AND SEA Tortoises live on land,

but turtles are water-based.

Tuatara

Sphenodon

punctatus

LIZARDS

CROCODILES AND ALLIGATORS

There are 23 species of crocodilian,

which have flat, wide bodies, powerful

tails, and menacing jaws. They have eyes

on the tops of their heads and nostrils

on the tops of their noses so they can see

and breathe while lying submerged in

water, which is where they wait to

ambush prey. Fish, and mammals that

come down to a lake or river to drink,

are the main targets: caught in the

crocodile’s immense jaws, mammals are

dragged into the water and drowned.

The crocodile can safely open its mouth

under water: it has a flap of skin that it

closes across the back of its throat.

 SNOUTS Alligators have shorter, wider

snouts than crocodiles; gharial snouts are the

narrowest. Only the alligator’s top teeth can

be seen when its mouth is shut.

ALLIGATOR

CROCODILE

GHARIAL

 CAUGHT Crocodiles that live in the

Grumeti River, Africa, take advantage of the

wildebeeste migration that crosses the river.

Long, narrow

snout

Shorter,

broader snout

Upper and lower

teeth visible

There are just two species of tuatara.

They look a lot like iguanas (which are

lizards), but tuataras are found only on

islands off the coast of New Zealand,

coming out of their burrows at night

to hunt insects. Tuataras have changed

little in the 100 million years since

their prehistoric ancestors died out.

TUATARAS

The 255 species of tortoise, turtle, and

terrapin are easily recognized by their

hard shells. They move slowly, and so

most are herbivorous (eat plants), since

they are too slow to catch prey. Turtles are

more likely to be carnivorous (eat meat):

they lie in wait for fish to swim past, then

snap their jaws around the prey.

TORTOISES AND TURTLES

Nostril

Tongue

Jacobson’s organ

 DEADLY GRIP A rock

python kills a gazelle.

REPTILES

103

LIVING WORLD