Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
development of amniotic egg favoured the
juveniles of reptiles to develop within the egg
and prevent them from predation. It also allowed
the eggs to be laid in dry place, out of reach from
the aquatic predators.
The evolution of copulatory organs by reptiles
allowed for increased ef
Marine Crocodiles
Several species of crocodiles such as American
crocodile (
Crocodylus acutus
), Nile crocodile
(
Crocodylus niloticus
)
and Asian saltwater
crocodile (
) are best suited to
the marine environment. The saltwater crocodile
inhabits estuaries from India and South-East Asia
to northern Australia covering more than several
hundred kilometres. They are known for their
long-distant travel. It has been documented that
some individuals are able to travel more than
1,100 km (683 miles) from Malaysia to Cocos
Island in the Indian Ocean.
Saltwater crocodiles
are very large in size
growing up to a length of 6 m (20 ft). They feed
mainly on
Crocodylus porosus
ciency of internal fer-
tilization prior to the ovum being encased by a
shell and being laid by female. There are further
many other features of reptiles, which enable
them to get adapted to both land and ocean. The
circulatory system of reptiles is more advanced
than
shes. The circulation through lungs and
circulation through rest of the body is completely
separated, which allows for ef
cient method of
supplying oxygen to the animal tissues to support
their active lifestyles. Their kidneys are very
ef
shes and are sometimes known to
attack and kill sharks close to their own size. They
are very aggressive and often attack and kill human
beings within their range. It drinks saltwater
eliminating the excess salt through salt glands on
their tongues. This animal lives in burrows along
the shore, where it makes its nest and lay eggs.
Crocodylus porosus
cient in elimination of wastes and conserve
water during dry regions and salty environment
of the ocean. Reptiles usually have scales on their
bodies with no glands, which allow them to resist
losing water in the marine environment.
The ancestors of modern reptiles rst began to
appear around 100 million years ago. Modern-
day reptiles include crocodiles, turtles, lizards
and snakes, all of which are present in the marine
environment.
is one of the largest sal-
ine water reptiles, which is common in the
estuaries adjacent to Bay of Bengal. They are
also sighted in estuarine creeks (Fig.
2.24
), where
the water salinity drops down to 10
‰
during the
Fig. 2.24
Crocodiles on the mud
at of Indian Sundarbans (photograph taken by Mr. Saumya Kanti Ray,
Environmentalist under the supervision of Dr. Pradeep Vyas, IFS)
fl
