Abstract
Reptilian skin is covered with scales forming armor that makes it watertight and enables reptiles to live on land in contrast to amphibians. An important part of the skin is the horny epidermis, with thick stratum corneum in which waxes are arranged in membrane-like layers. In lizards and snakes, the whole skin is covered in overlapping epidermal scales and in turtles and crocodiles in dermal scutes. The cornified part of the epidermis is strengthened by β-keratin and sometimes α-keratin. In crocodiles and many turtles, the outer scale surface consists of β-keratin and the hinge region containing α-keratin. In lizards and snakes, both keratins form continuous layers with the α-keratin below the β-keratin. Some reptiles have developed a sensitive mechanosensory system in the skin. The colors of reptile skin are produced by melanocytes and three types of chromatophores: melanophores, xanthophores, and iridophores. The color patterns may be fixed or the chromatophores may provide rapid color change. Skin from different species of reptiles, turtles (red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)), snakes (Emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus) and Burmese python (Python bivittatus)), Cuvier’s dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus), lizards (Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularius)), and Green iguana (Iguana iguana), were examined with histology techniques and compared.
Highlights
Except some legless, snake-like-bodied species. They are territorial and have many antipredator strategies, such as camouflage, venom, reflex bleeding, and the ability to destroy and regenerate their tails after destruction. They are covered in overlapping keratin scales, enabling them to live in the driest deserts on the earth [3, 4]
Some skin histology features are similar between mammals and reptiles; on the other hand, they have numerous differences
The main special feature of their skin is that the epidermis is heavily keratinized with a layer, which prevents water loss
Summary
Reptiles are one of the six main animal groups together with amphibians, invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals. Snakes are carnivorous reptiles with highly mobile jaws, which enable them to swallow prey much larger than they are They are legless (some species retain a pelvic girdle) and have an elongated body, this means that paired organs appear one in front. Often, they are territorial and have many antipredator strategies, such as camouflage, venom, reflex bleeding, and the ability to destroy and regenerate their tails after destruction. Turtles are among the most ancient of the reptiles alive today and have changed little since they first appeared 200 million years ago They have a protective shell that encloses their body and provides protection and camouflage. They have keratinized plates instead of teeth and a shell that consists of a carapace and plastron [5, 6]
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