Sea Reptiles
What are Reptiles?
The reptiles have a long history of 300 millions years associated with them. The dinosaurs who once used to be the master of this earth belong to the category of reptiles. They were the true land-dwelling vertebrates who appeared first on this earth. Moreover snakes, turtles, lizards, alligators and crocodiles also belong to this category. They have scales over their body. Reptiles are known to be cold-blooded animals. They are called so because they cannot regulate their body temperature and depend on the temperature of external environment.
Sea Reptiles
During the Mesozoic time, the sea belonged to the reptilian realm but today the sea belongs to mainly fish and sea animals.
Some of the sea reptiles and their characteristics are the following:
Turtles and Tortoises
There are seven species of sea turtles, which are alive today. The largest in this category is "Archelon". Their shell can be 13.5 feet long and can weigh up to 2200 kg. The tortoises and turtles have a shell, which makes them different from other vertebrates. The tortoises known as giant tortoises can grow up to 4 feet long and can live a life span of 100 years.
Sea Lizards
Next are the monitor lizards, which swim even in brackish water. These lizards are vegetarians, which eat algae and weeds. They weigh up to 3.5 kg. 
Sea Snakes
The next sea reptile category is proper sea snakes. They have 17 generation and 62 species. There are seas relatives of cobra and they can move slightly on land too. They are highly poisonous. They are found from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean. They grow up to 1.5 m in length.
Sea Crocodiles
In the category of crocodilians, only crocodiles enter into water while alligators and caymans do not. The species of salt water that is the largest of these species can grow up to 23 feet in length. Crocodiles and alligators are considered as the largest amphibious reptiles.
|
