Reptilia
English: Reptiles.
Zoology: air-breathing, cold-blooded amniotes; skin covered in scales or scutes; tetrapods, four limbs; lay amniote eggs, oviparous, embryos surrounded by the amnion membrane; some give live birth, either through ovoviviparity, egg retention, or viviparity, offspring born without use of calcified eggs.
Extant reptiles range in size from a tiny gecko, Sphaerodactylus ariasae, that grows to only 1.6 cm (0.6 in), to the saltwater crocodile that may reach 6 m in length and weigh over 1,000 kg.
The science dealing with reptiles is called herpetology.
Region: worldwide, excep Antarctica.
Sauropsida ("lizard faces") is a group of amniotes that includes all existing reptiles and birds and their fossil ancestors. Sauropsida is distinguished from Synapsida, which includes mammals and their fossil ancestors.
Orders:
Crocodilia (crocodiles, gavials, caimans, and alligators): 23 species.
Sphenodontia (tuatara from New Zealand): 2 species
Squamata (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenids ("worm-lizards"): approximately 7,900 species
Testudines (turtles, tortoises, and terrapins): approximately 300 species.
Classification to order level, after Benton, 2004.
Series Amniota
Class Synapsida
Order Pelycosauria*
Order Therapsida
Class Mammalia
Class Sauropsida
Subclass Anapsida
Order Testudines (turtles)
Subclass Diapsida
Order Araeoscelidia
Order Younginiformes
Infraclass Ichthyosauria
Infraclass Lepidosauromorpha
Superorder Sauropterygia
Order Placodontia
Order Nothosauroidea
Order Plesiosauria
Superorder Lepidosauria
Order Sphenodontia (tuatara)
Order Squamata (lizards & snakes)
Infraclass Archosauromorpha
Order Prolacertiformes
Division Archosauria
Subdivision Crurotarsi
Superorder Crocodylomorpha
Order Crocodilia
Order Phytosauria
Order Rauisuchia
Order Rynchosauria
Subdivision Avemetatarsalia
Infradivision Ornithodira
Order Pterosauria
Superorder Dinosauria
Order Saurischia
Class Aves
Order Ornithischia