1. Amniotic Egg:
- Allowed reptiles to reproduce on land, providing independence from water.
- Contains a protective membrane, albumen (protein), and yolk (nutrients) to support embryonic development.
2. Scales:
- Made of keratin, providing protection from desiccation, injury, and UV radiation.
- Can be modified into claws, teeth, and sensory structures.
3. Cleidoic Eggs:
- Laid in nests or burrows, providing shelter and protection for developing embryos.
- Calcareous shell prevents water loss and embryonic damage.
4. Allantois:
- A respiratory structure that increases gas exchange in embryos.
- Helps convert uric acid waste into ammonia, allowing retention of water.
5. Chorion:
- A thin membrane that lines the eggshell and forms the placenta in some live-bearing reptiles.
- Facilitate exchange of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nutrients between the embryo and environment.
6. Cloaca:
- A multi-purpose chamber that serves as a urinary, digestive, and reproductive outlet.
- Allows efficient excretion and waste management.
7. Limbs and Locomotion:
- Reptiles developed limbs with digits, enabling them to move on land.
- Different limb structures evolved in different reptile groups for various modes of locomotion (e.g., running, swimming, burrowing).
8. Sensors and Physiology:
- Evolved sophisticated sensory organs, including photoreceptors, thermoreceptors, and chemoreceptors.
- Developed mechanisms to regulate body temperature (e.g., basking, evaporation).
9. Respiration:
- Developed lungs and respiratory adaptations for extracting oxygen from air.
- Some reptiles (e.g., snakes) have specialized lungs with only one functional unit.
10. Spinal Cord and Brain:
- Improved coordination and behavior with a more complex spinal cord and brain.
- Developed cerebral hemispheres, enabling more advanced cognitive functions.