Question

Give a brief overview of reptile evolution.

Answer 1

Reptiles arose about 310-320 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. Reptiles, in the traditional sense of the term, are defined as animals that have scales or scutes, lay land-based hard-shelled eggs, and possess ectothermic metabolisms. So defined, the group is paraphyletic, excluding endothermic animals like birds and mammals that are descended from early reptiles. A definition in accordance with phylogenetic nomenclature, which rejects paraphyletic groups, includes birds while excluding mammals and their mammal-like reptile ancestors. So defined, Reptilia is identical to Sauropsida.

Though few reptiles today are apex predators, many examples of apex reptiles have existed in the past. Reptiles have an extremely diverse evolutionary history that has led to biological successes such as dinosaurs, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurs, and ichthyosaurs.

Answer 2

What you mean?

Answer 3

YA do you want me to give you the website

Answer 4

Thats ok! =)

Answer 5

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_reptiles

Answer 6

There you go! :-)

Answer 7

Thanks !

Answer 8

(No Problem it is my pleasure to help those who need to be helped! =)