REPTILES
Reptiles
are vertebrates, evolutionary ranked
after fishes and amphibians and before birds and mammals. A
special characteristic
of them is the fact that the upper surface of their skin forms
scales (skin foldings) or keratin plaques. This way, they are
discriminated from amphibians and also, from birds and mammals,
who bear hairs and feathers.
Reptiles
are the first vertebrate animals with distinct cervical vertebrae
and a closed thorax. Moreover, they were the first superior
organisms that managed to fully adjust in living on land and
they are not water-dependent, like amphibians. During Jurassic
period, reptiles presented an
exceptional growth; this
era is called the time of the dinosaurs.
The
reptiles’ skin is moulting from time to time, depending on the
animal’s age and status, as well as on the season. Juvenile
reptiles moult their skin more often than adults, as they progressively
grow in size. At first, the old outer layer is gently detached,
without separating from the body, while a fluid is being secreted
between the older and the new layer. The old layer is removed
by rubbing against rocks or pieces of wood. Snakes lose the
old skin at once, while lizards lose it in portions.
Like
amphibians, reptiles are poikilotherm (cold-blooded) animals,
with their body temperature being the same as their environment’s
or they absorb heat sitting on sunny places. They need external
heat to be active, but they are forced to recede in shady spots,
in order to avoid overheating. Several species decrease their
activity during the warmest hours of the day or they are active
after sunset during the warmest months of the year. Reptiles
living in temperate
areas, hibernate; their physical functions are diminished. They
revert to their normal rythms in spring.
Most
of the reptiles lay eggs, with a membranous (snakes, lizards)
or hard shell (tortoises, crocodiles), while some species are
viviparous, i.e., the embryo develops inside the body of the
mother, who then gives live birth. Hatchlings look like their
parents and can survive on their own immediately after they
are born.
Smell
is a well-developed sense in reptiles and several times it replaces
vision. Snakes also bear venomous glands in the basis of the
upper jaw, which secrete the venom in the tube of the poisonous
teeth. In Greece, vipers
are the only snakes
with powerful venom, but even then they are considered to bring
death to a human only if they bite him several times.
Longevity
is a common feature among reptiles. Various turtles for example
live for more than 150 years. Reptiles
exist on Earth for over 350 million years. 
Of
the 100 reptile species existing in Europe, 61 have been recorded
from Greece, further devided in numerous subspecies, many of
which are strictly endemics (very limited distribution, e.g.,
only on one island). Greek reptile-fauna is actually the richest
in Europe. Scandinavia for example, hosts only 20 reptile species!
On
Parnitha it is assumed that 3 tortoises, 10 lizards and 9 snakes
are present (Amorgianiotis & Vavizos, 1997). These are:
|
Scientific
name
|
Common
name
|
|
Turtles
|
|
Testudo boettgeri (=T. hermanni)
|
Hermann’s
tortoise
|
|
? Testudo ibera (=T. graeca)
|
Spur-thighed
tortoise
|
|
Testudo
marginata
|
Marginated
tortoise
|
|
Lizards
|
|
Cyrtodactylus
kotschyi
|
Kotschy’s
Gecko
|
|
Anguis
fragilis
|
Slow
worm
|
|
Ophisaurus
apodus
|
European
glass lizard
|
|
Ablepharus
kitaibelii
|
Snake-eyed
skink
|
|
Chalcides
ocellatus
|
Ocellated
skink
|
|
Ophiomorus
punctatissimus
|
Limbless
skink
|
|
Lacerta
trilineata
|
Balkan
green lizard
|
|
Podarcis
erhardii
|
Erhard’s
wall lizard
|
|
Podarcis
muralis
|
Common
wall lizard
|
|
Podarcis
taurica
|
Balkan
wall lizard
|
|
Snakes
|
|
Typhlops
vermicularis
|
Worm
snake
|
|
Coluber
gemonensis
|
Balkan
whip snake
|
|
Coluber
najadum
|
Dahl’s
whip snake
|
|
Elaphe
situla
|
Leopard
snake
|
|
Elaphe
quatuorlineata
|
Four-lined
snake
|
|
Malpolon
monspessulanus
|
Montpellier
snake
|
|
Natrix
natrix
|
Grass
snake
|
|
Telescopus
fallax
|
European
cat snake
|
|
Vipera
ammodytes
|
Nose-horned
viper
|
? Its occurance in Parnitha is doubtful
