SCALY SUCCESS STORY

 

Scaly Success Story, acrylic on canvas, 2021. 24" X 18"

Reptiles are animals which have dry, scaly skin and lay their eggs on dry land. They were considered as one of the animal kingdom's greatest success stories as they had evolved to adapt to extreme climates and conditions. There are about 6,560 species of reptile, which are divided into main groups including crocodilians, lizards, snakes and chelonians (turtles and tortoises).

Saltwater Crocodile

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest crocodilian, measuring up to 6 meters or more in length. A powerful ambush predator, its jaws had the strongest bite of any living animal. Unlike most crocodiles, the saltwater crocodile also inhabits brackish and salt water habitats like mangrove swamps, river deltas and even open beaches. It can be found from eastern India to Southeast Asia and northern Australia.

Reticulated Python

The reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) is a massive snake commonly found in India and Southeast Asia. It is the world's longest snake, reaching up to 10 meters from nose to tail, but is also the third heaviest behind the green anaconda and the Burmese python. It is named for the complex geometric pattern on its skin, which enables the snake to blend into its surroundings in order to protect it from predators and helps it catch its prey. Like all large snakes, the python does not carry venom and attack their prey by coiling.

Komodo dragon

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the world's largest lizard and is native to several small islands in Indonesia, including the island of Komodo where it got its name. It is a carnivore that hunts large herbivorous mammals such as wild pigs and deer, where it uses its primary weapon, a bite which employs toxic proteins, to subdue its prey. Growing up to 3 meters long and weighing more than 150 kg, the Komodo dragon is the national animal of Indonesia.

Common flying dragon

The common flying dragon (Draco volans) is a member of the agamid family of lizards. Found in the thick rainforests of Southeast Asia, it is known for its ability to glide across trees by extending wing-like flaps of skin called patagia on each side of its body which, when viewed from the top, make a circular shape.  

 

Aldabra tortoise

The Aldabra tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) is one of the largest tortoises in the world and is native to the Aldabra atoll of the Seychelles islands in the western Indian Ocean. Primarily herbivorous, it has a very long neck which helps it reach leaves on tall plants when feeding. Like its relative the Galapagos tortoise, the Aldabra tortoise also had different shell forms based on their diet. It is also one of the longest-living animals, with individuals living up to the age of 200 and above.

Alligator snapping turtle

The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. It had a large head and a rough, spiny shell. Its gaping mouth contains a small fleshy flap that is shaped like a worm, which the turtle uses to snap up fish that approach it.

Tuatara

The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) may look like a lizard, but is in fact a rhynchocephalian, a type of reptile with an ancient lineage. A living fossil, there is only one species of tuatara alive today, and it is found only on a few offshore islands of New Zealand. Tuataras have a parietal "third eye" on their foreheads which may have aided the animals in controlling their body temperature. Their eggs take a long time to hatch - around 15 months - the longest of any reptile.