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The non-avian
reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates ( lizards and snakes) and rhynchoce ...
s of Australia are a diverse group of animals, widely distributed across the continent. Three of the four reptile orders are represented:
Testudines Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
,
Squamata Squamata (, Latin ''squamatus'', 'scaly, having scales') is the largest order of reptiles, comprising lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards), which are collectively known as squamates or scaled reptiles. With over 10,900 species, ...
and
Crocodilia Crocodilia (or Crocodylia, both ) is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians. They first appeared 95 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period ( Cenomanian stage) and are the closest living ...
. The only missing extant order is Sphenodontia, containing the tuataras, which are endemic to
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country ...
. Australia has over 860 species, a large number in comparison to other continents; for example, North America's total is about 280. The most species-rich group is
Squamata Squamata (, Latin ''squamatus'', 'scaly, having scales') is the largest order of reptiles, comprising lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians (worm lizards), which are collectively known as squamates or scaled reptiles. With over 10,900 species, ...
, the
snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joints ...
s and
lizard Lizards are a widespread group of Squamata, squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbae ...
s. They are especially diverse in the arid areas of Australia, where other fauna are scarcer. Spinifex grass is a major habitat which allows them to remain in a relatively cool, moist area. Australia has a large array of reptiles which can be dangerous to humans. The world's largest reptile, the
saltwater crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been liste ...
(''Crocodylus porosus''), is native to the continent's north coastal area.


Australian reptile families


See also

* List of reptiles of Tasmania *
List of reptiles of Western Australia This is a list of reptiles of Western Australia: Crocodylia (crocodiles) ;Crocodylidae * ''Crocodylus johnstoni'' (freshwater crocodile) * ''Crocodylus porosus'' (estuarine crocodile, saltwater crocodile) Testudines (turtles) ;Chelidae *''Che ...
*
List of Australian and Antarctic dinosaurs This is a list of dinosaurs whose remains have been recovered from Australia or Antarctica. Criteria for inclusion *The genus must appear on the List of dinosaur genera. *At least one named species of the creature must have been found in Austr ...


References

* Harold G. Cogger. ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia''. Sydney, AH & AW Reed. Revised edition, 1983. 979 and subsequent editions* Harold G. Cogger. ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia''. CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne. Revised edition 2014. * * {{portal-inline, Reptiles Australia