It was due largely to their amniotic eggs that reptiles became the first vertebrates to adapt completely to life on land. Among the reptiles are present-day snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles, and alligators, as well as thousands of extinct species. The tuatara of New Zealand is the sole living member of its taxonomic order. Reptile Scales Reptile Shedding Reptile Bones and Organs Scales. The epidermal scales of reptiles may be overlapping, as seen in many lizards, or arranged side by side, as in snakes and crocodilians.
Scales cover the bony shells of turtles.
Reptiles replace their scales throughout their lifetimes. For some species, shedding is continual, while for others it is a seasonal occurrence. Snakes shed all of their scales at once. Lizards, crocodilians, and turtles shed their scales individually or in patches. The Reptile Heart Internal Temperature Regulation in Reptiles Skeleton and internal organs.