Reptile Fossils

Reptile Fossils and Reptiles living today are animals with back bones that are covered with dry tough scaly skin. They are cold-blooded, air-breathing vertebrates that include tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles and other extinct forms. They are unable to produce their own body heat and often lie in the sun to warm-up. They are active during warm days and inactive during cooler nights. They hatch from eggs laid on land and are covered by a leathery shell. When hatched the young are well developed and self-sufficient.

They are represented by 4 living orders: Crocodilia, Sphenodontia, Squamata and Testudines. They are widely diversified with nearly 8,000 species alive today. Found in every corner of the world, except Antarctica, they are mostly unchanged since before the Dinosaur Age.

Most reptiles are meat-eaters or carnivores, but some are omnivores, eating both plant and animals.

They were thought to have evolved from ancient four limbed Tetrapod amphibians about 330 Million Years ago. They developed into two groups: the Anapsida and the Synapsida. The Synapsida are the mammal-like reptiles in which the mammals evolved.

Florida's oldest vertebrate fossil is a small turtle from the Cretaceous Period.