Chapter 15 Reptiles and fish
REPTILES
The class Reptilia includes about 6500 species, all of which breed on land. The class is divided into four orders of which only two are significant as far as exotic pets are concerned. The four orders are:
• Squamata – includes suborder Sauria (19 families of lizards), suborder Serpentes (11 families of snakes) and suborder Amphisbaena (one family, not kept in captivity).
General anatomy
The integument
The skin of reptiles is thick and keratinised and is protected by scales or horny plates. Reptiles grow by a process known as ecdysis, during which they shed or slough the old skin. Beneath this is a new layer, which, to start with, is quite soft and easily damaged. Ecdysis varies with species and may be partial shedding, as seen in lizards, or entire, as seen in snakes.