Question

What features do reptiles possess that make them better adapted than amphibians to terrestrial life?

Answer 1

Adaptations of reptiles to terrestrial life.

1. The major adaptation is laying amniotic eggs which have  a thick leathery coating or hard calcium shells after using internal fertilization to create viable eggs. Amphibians tend to lay soft, gelatinous eggs and most use form of external fertilization. Such eggs will not survive the dry conditions found in land.

2. Reptiles develop thick scaly skin that helps them to conserve moisture inside their body, which is an essential feature that helps them survive in land. this makes them survive not only in land but in dry desert areas as well.

3. Reptiles have lungs for breathing and they cannot rely on skin to absorb oxygen like amphibians.Even reptiles like crocodiles which live in water have lungs for respiration. Lungs allow reptiles to venture far away from aquatic environment.

4. Reptiles are ectothermic. instead of relying on surrounding water temperature like many amphibians. Reptiles use behavior and their environment to keep their body temperature at optimum. when it is cold they bask in sun to warm up and when it is too hot they move to shade or hide in underground burrows to avoid heat.