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73-499: 12°44′38″N 80°14′24″E / 12.743875°N 80.240107°E / 12.743875; 80.240107 The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for Herpetology (MCBT) is a reptile zoo and herpetology research station, located 40 km (25 mi) south of the city of Chennai , Tamil Nadu , India. The centre is both a registered trust and a recognized zoo under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and comes under
146-562: A clade ( monophyletic group) including birds, though the precise definition of this clade varies between authors. Others prioritize the clade Sauropsida , which typically refers to all amniotes more closely related to modern reptiles than to mammals . The earliest known proto-reptiles originated from the Carboniferous period, having evolved from advanced reptiliomorph tetrapods which became increasingly adapted to life on dry land. The earliest known eureptile ("true reptile")
219-566: A herpetologist . Whitaker had been familiar with Agumbe since the 1970s when he began studying the King Cobra . Its purpose is to create a local biodiversity database , encourage individual scientific research, collaborate with India's Department of Forestry and conserve the rainforest of the Western Ghats as well as to educate the residents of the region in the importance of forestry conservation. The King Cobra, an endangered species
292-558: A reptile zoo and herpetology research station. The centre is both a registered trust and a recognized zoo under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and comes under the purview of the Central Zoo Authority , Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change , Government of India . The Crocodile Bank is situated on a 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) stretch of land, located about 40 km (25 mi) south of Chennai on
365-447: A temnospondyl ). A series of footprints from the fossil strata of Nova Scotia dated to 315 Ma show typical reptilian toes and imprints of scales. These tracks are attributed to Hylonomus , the oldest unquestionable reptile known. It was a small, lizard-like animal, about 20 to 30 centimetres (7.9 to 11.8 in) long, with numerous sharp teeth indicating an insectivorous diet. Other examples include Westlothiana (for
438-683: A full scientific journal in 1991. In 2003, the bank was renamed the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Center for Herpetology and additional exhibits of other reptiles were added. The trust is also involved in research on snake venom and in 2005, the Agumbe Rainforest Research Station was established in Agumbe in Karnataka for the study of King Cobra and other diverse animals and ecosystems of
511-509: A group of tetrapods with an ectothermic ('cold-blooded') metabolism and amniotic development . Living reptiles comprise four orders : Testudines ( turtles ), Crocodilia ( crocodilians ), Squamata ( lizards and snakes ), and Rhynchocephalia (the tuatara ). As of May 2023, about 12,000 living species of reptiles are listed in the Reptile Database . The study of the traditional reptile orders, customarily in combination with
584-592: A natural shelter for a variety of birds, enabling bird-watching. The bank also operates a night safari on weekends. Reptile stock at the Crocodile Bank as on 1 April 2011 is as follows: As of 2021-22, the trust declared revenues of ₹ 4.22 crore (US$ 510,000) against an expenditure of ₹ 5.26 crore (US$ 630,000). The trust gets about one-third of revenues from ticketing at the zoo with other income coming through research grants (23%), donations (12%), educational programmes (11%) among others. The trust spends 30% of
657-495: A section of the clade Amniota : The section that is left after the Mammalia and Aves have been hived off. It cannot be defined by synapomorphies , as is the proper way. Instead, it is defined by a combination of the features it has and the features it lacks: reptiles are the amniotes that lack fur or feathers. At best, the cladists suggest, we could say that the traditional Reptilia are 'non-avian, non-mammalian amniotes'. Despite
730-1006: A single month was 4,508 millimetres (177.5 in) in August 1946. The table below is comparison of rainfalls for between Agumbe in Thirthahalli taluk in Shimoga district, Hulikal in Hosanagara taluk in Shimoga district, Amagaon in Khanapur Taluk in Belgaum district and Talacauvery in Madikeri taluk in Kodagu district, Kokalli of Sirsi Taluk, Nilkund of Siddapur Taluk, CastleRock of Supa (Joida) Taluk in Uttara Kannada District to show which one can be called
803-652: A snake venom extraction center, operated by the Irula tribes. The trust engages in research projects on reptiles and other educational programmes. The bank has served as a regional source of status information for the World Conservation Monitoring Centre and has hosted numerous international meetings of the IUCN Specialist Groups dealing with reptiles. The trust publishes a biannual herpetology journal called Hamadryad and
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#1732793430654876-460: A spider and Drosophila agumbensis a small fly species. Cremnoconchus agumbensis is a local small fresh water snail. The Agumbe Venugopalakrishna Hindu temple is an old structure known for beautiful architecture and peacefulness. The temple deity is Sri Venugopala Krishna . An annual fair is conducted each year in February during Ratha Saptami in honour of the deity. Another local temple
949-569: A tiny gecko, Sphaerodactylus ariasae , which can grow up to 17 mm (0.7 in) to the saltwater crocodile , Crocodylus porosus , which can reach over 6 m (19.7 ft) in length and weigh over 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). In the 13th century, the category of reptile was recognized in Europe as consisting of a miscellany of egg-laying creatures, including "snakes, various fantastic monsters, lizards, assorted amphibians, and worms", as recorded by Beauvais in his Mirror of Nature . In
1022-514: Is 850 ft (259 m) in height. It is the tenth highest falls in India. Onake Abbi Falls (latitude 13°30'44"N, longitude 75°4'25"E) at 400 feet, is smaller than Barkana Falls. In the Kannada language, "onake" means 'pounding stick', an instrument used by villagers to pound grains to flour. Trekking for 5 km through rainforest is needed in order to reach a view of the falls. Jogigundi
1095-410: Is a small water fall near Agumbe. This is about 800m deep. It is usually filled with water. Koodlu Theerthra waterfall is located 25 km from Agumbe. Srimane falls is located at about 40 km from Agumbe. Agumbe hosts India's first automatic weather station , founded by Romulus Whitaker b. 1943, New York, NY. Agumbe lies in a rainforest region with a tropical climate , warm and humid. Under
1168-479: Is equivalent to the more common definition of Sauropsida, which Modesto and Anderson synonymized with Reptilia, since the latter is better known and more frequently used. Unlike most previous definitions of Reptilia, however, Modesto and Anderson's definition includes birds, as they are within the clade that includes both lizards and crocodiles. General classification of extinct and living reptiles, focusing on major groups. The cladogram presented here illustrates
1241-587: Is helpful to their survival. other reptiles and amphibians of the area include the cane turtle and a flying lizard . Agumbe is a popular destination for bird watchers and photographers. Among the endemic birds are the Malabar trogon, the yellow-browed bulbul and Sri Lankan frogmouths. Agumbe's many insect species include the Atlas moth , Cyclotoma alleni (a beetle discovered in Agumbe), Selenops agumbensis ,
1314-435: Is home to the largest library of herpetological literature in India. Research in the field of herpetology within the bank has resulted in over 600 scientific publications, books, reports, newspaper and magazine articles and films. The centre has hosted numerous local and international scientists and research specialists. In the early 1980s, Edward Moll of Eastern Illinois University did a study on turtles in India based out of
1387-564: Is near the Someshwara Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kudremukh National Park . Agumbe is a small hill village with very limited visitor accommodation. The population is approximately 500 people. The village covers an area of 3 square kilometres (1.2 sq mi). The villagers of Agumbe are subsistence farmers. Rice and areca are grown. The Raksha Kavacha Weavers' Cooperative Society represents
1460-453: Is the largest breeding centre in India. The park is one of the centres for breeding the critically endangered gharials and has been successfully breeding the species since 1989. The park breeds other two species of crocodiles from India, mugger and salt-water crocodiles from 1983. It has also been breeding other exotic crocodile species such as Morelet's crocodile ( Crocodylus moreletii ) and Siamese crocodile ( Crocodylus siamensis ). In 2010,
1533-577: Is the station's "flagship species". The station occupies an area of 8 acres (32,000 m ). Funding for the station came from Whitaker's mother, Doris Norden and from the Whitley Award received by Whitaker in 2005. The Agumbe Medicinal Plants Conservation Area was established in 1999 to protect the important medicinal plants of the region. The "Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions" recorded 371 plant species at Agumbe, of which 182 were medicinal. Endangered plant species in
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#17327934306541606-472: The Arabian Sea . The coastal town of Udupi hosts the nearest major railway station approximately 50 km (31 mi). The nearest airport is at Bajpe near Mangaluru which lies at a distance of approximately 94 km (58 mi). The elevation of Agumbe is 660 m (2,165 ft) above mean sea level. As part of the Western Ghats mountain range, Agumbe lies in a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Agumbe
1679-545: The Chambal valley in Uttar Pradesh as well as a snake venom extraction centre. It is also involved in various research, conservation and educational projects. Towards the end of the 19th century, hunting of crocodiles for their skin began and by the 1960s, wild populations of the crocodiles were reducing. Amongst the three Indian species, the mugger ( Crocodylus palustris ) had disappeared from most of its range,
1752-609: The East Coast Road at Vadanemmeli near Thiruvidandhai , along the Bay of Bengal . The bank runs three field bases namely Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team at South Andaman, Agumbe Rainforest Research Station at Agumbe and Gharial Ecology Project in Chambal valley . The trust is affiliated with more than 47 institutions including The World Conservation Union (IUCN), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Marine Conservation Society and Smithsonian Institution . The trust manages
1825-514: The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1975, for the protection and captive breeding of crocodiles. The Madras Crocodile Bank was conceived in 1973 and it was established on 26 August 1976 by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker with his wife Zai Whitaker and others. The bank was started for the protection and breeding of Indian crocodile species. The Crocodile Bank later developed a captive breeding program for freshwater turtles and tortoises . In
1898-481: The Government of India in 1988. It has been breeding cane turtle ( Vijayachelys silvatica ) and Travancore tortoise ( Indotestudo travancorica ) since the 1980s. In May 2004, the bank successfully bred one of the world's most critically endangered turtles, the red-crowned roofed turtle ( Batagur kachuga ), for the first time ever in captivity. Some of the turtles were sent to Uttar Pradesh to be introduced into
1971-522: The Köppen system of climate classification Agumbe is an 'Am' climate, that is, a tropical monsoon climate . A dense silvery fog forms over the Western Ghats at Agumbe. The driest month in Agumbe is February with an average rainfall of 1 mm. The wettest month is July with an average rainfall of 2,647 mm. The mean annual rainfall is 7,620 millimetres (300 in). The highest recorded rainfall in
2044-465: The Western Ghats mountain range. Owing to its high rainfall, it has received the epithet of "The Cherrapunji of South India ", after Cherrapunji , one of the rainiest places in India. Agumbe is associated with rainforest conservation efforts, documentation of medicinal plants, tourism (trekking and photography), and the promotion of cottage industry. The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station
2117-457: The Western Ghats . In 2005, Rom Whitaker was given a Whitley Award and used the money to assist in setting up the Agumbe station. In 2011, the Crocodile Bank announced plans for the construction of a new frontage and satellite facility, followed by the redesign and construction of the display area including new enclosures with glass facades, walkways and interactive features. As per the new plan, estimated at ₹ 100 million (US$ 1.2 million),
2190-418: The amniotic egg . The terms Sauropsida ("lizard faces") and Theropsida ("beast faces") were used again in 1916 by E.S. Goodrich to distinguish between lizards, birds, and their relatives on the one hand (Sauropsida) and mammals and their extinct relatives (Theropsida) on the other. Goodrich supported this division by the nature of the hearts and blood vessels in each group, and other features, such as
2263-545: The gharial ( Gavialis gangeticus ) was critically endangered and saltwater crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus ) numbers were threatened. The crocodile species were protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 by the Government of India . The Crocodile Conservation Project was launched by the Indian government in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
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2336-444: The " Cherrapunji of South India". Maximum temperatures in Agumbe vary between 24.4 and 31.5 °C. Minimum temperatures vary between 16.2 °C and 21.4 °C. Average temperatures vary between 22.2 °C and 23.6 °C with an annual average temperature of 23.5 °C. April is the hottest month of the year and December the coolest. The average annual variation in temperature is 4.1 °C. The lowest recorded temperature
2409-1741: The "family tree" of reptiles, and follows a simplified version of the relationships found by M.S. Lee, in 2013. All genetic studies have supported the hypothesis that turtles are diapsids; some have placed turtles within Archosauromorpha, though a few have recovered turtles as Lepidosauromorpha instead. The cladogram below used a combination of genetic (molecular) and fossil (morphological) data to obtain its results. Synapsida ( mammals and their extinct relatives) [REDACTED] † Millerettidae [REDACTED] † Eunotosaurus † Lanthanosuchidae [REDACTED] † Pareiasauromorpha [REDACTED] † Procolophonoidea [REDACTED] † Captorhinidae [REDACTED] † Paleothyris † Araeoscelidia [REDACTED] † Claudiosaurus [REDACTED] † Younginiformes [REDACTED] † Kuehneosauridae [REDACTED] Rhynchocephalia ( tuatara and their extinct relatives) [REDACTED] Squamata ( lizards and snakes ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] † Eosauropterygia [REDACTED] † Placodontia [REDACTED] † Sinosaurosphargis † Odontochelys † Proganochelys Testudines ( turtles ) [REDACTED] † Choristodera [REDACTED] † Prolacertiformes [REDACTED] † Rhynchosauria [REDACTED] † Trilophosaurus [REDACTED] Archosauriformes ( crocodiles , birds , dinosaurs and extinct relatives) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The placement of turtles has historically been highly variable. Classically, turtles were considered to be related to
2482-453: The 18th century, the reptiles were, from the outset of classification, grouped with the amphibians . Linnaeus , working from species-poor Sweden , where the common adder and grass snake are often found hunting in water, included all reptiles and amphibians in class "III – Amphibia" in his Systema Naturæ . The terms reptile and amphibian were largely interchangeable, reptile (from Latin repere , 'to creep') being preferred by
2555-571: The 1980s, the bank was established on the Moyar River to study the mugger crocodiles. In 1990, the Andaman and Nicobar Environmental Team (ANET) was set-up as a division of the bank with a station established on a 5 acres (2.0 ha) stretch of land in Wandoor , on the southern tip of South Andaman in 1993. The newsletter Hamadryad being published by the trust since 1976 was converted into
2628-733: The 1990s, studies on breeding biology and growth of lizards was conducted. In 2001, the Crocodile Bank was awarded the Ford Conservation and Environmental Grant for project "Integrated Environment Education", a multi-lingual programme on reptile preservation to create environmental awareness. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team is focused on research and conservation of the bio-diversity in Andaman and Nicobar islands. The park conducts research into snake venom and mitigation of its effects in humans. The Agumbe research centre aids in study of venomous snakes and other organisms in
2701-484: The French. J.N. Laurenti was the first to formally use the term Reptilia for an expanded selection of reptiles and amphibians basically similar to that of Linnaeus. Today, the two groups are still commonly treated under the single heading herpetology . It was not until the beginning of the 19th century that it became clear that reptiles and amphibians are, in fact, quite different animals, and P.A. Latreille erected
2774-493: The Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society, which also conducts venom extraction shows for the public at its snake farm. The cooperative society was officially registered on 19 December 1978, and venom extraction was started on 16 December 1982. Started with 26 members, the membership of the society rose to 350 by 2001. As of 2022, it is the largest venom-producing center in India, contributing to 80% of
2847-413: The Western Ghats. The park conducts regular educational and outreach programmes. The bank serves as a consultant on reptile management and conservation issues to multiple organisations and countries. The bank also runs an animal-adoption programme under which patrons can sponsor an animal housed at the center. The Crocodile Bank has a veterinary care section which works with the maintenance staff to monitor
2920-657: The anapsid condition has been found to occur so variably among unrelated groups that it is not now considered a useful distinction. By the early 21st century, vertebrate paleontologists were beginning to adopt phylogenetic taxonomy, in which all groups are defined in such a way as to be monophyletic ; that is, groups which include all descendants of a particular ancestor. The reptiles as historically defined are paraphyletic , since they exclude both birds and mammals. These respectively evolved from dinosaurs and from early therapsids, both of which were traditionally called "reptiles". Birds are more closely related to crocodilians than
2993-546: The area include Agumbe provides an environment for large and small mammals such as the endangered lion-tailed macaque , tiger , leopard , sambar , giant squirrel , dhole , a wild dog of India, gaur , the Indian bison and barking deer . In creating funds for conservation of the Agumbe rainforest, the Ophiophagus hannah , king cobra is a 'flagship' species. An Agumbe-based scientific project to radio-locate rescued king cobras aims to determine whether relocation
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3066-580: The bank also bred the rare false gharial , a species listed as endangered on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The trust has been involved in re-introducing crocodiles to the wild and various zoo exchange programmes. The government stopped the release of captive bred crocodiles into the wild in 1994, which led to the number of crocodiles increasing at the park. As no methods have been evolved to sterilize
3139-586: The bank. The bank's research biologists have since studied freshwater turtles in the Chambal River in Uttar Pradesh on a WWF grant with many species kept in the park as part of the centre's ongoing research program. The bank collaborated with J.W. Lang from University of North Dakota , to initiate a project for the study mugger crocodiles. The project was done in association with Romulus Whitaker and Harry Andrews and focused on reptile reproduction, egg incubation, and temperature-dependent sex determination. In
3212-500: The beginnings of cottage industry in the village. Places in the vicinity of Agumbe that tourists visit include the Kundadri and Kodachadri Hills, Udupi , Malpe , Mangalore (for the airport and seaport), Karkala , Kolluru , Sringeri , Chickmagaluru , Shivamogga, Bhadravathi , N.R. Pura, Sagar , Hosanagar , Koppa and Thirthahalli. In the summer, a truck can be used to reach Narasimha parvata Sunset View Point rests on one of
3285-421: The class Batracia (1825) for the latter, dividing the tetrapods into the four familiar classes of reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. The British anatomist T.H. Huxley made Latreille's definition popular and, together with Richard Owen , expanded Reptilia to include the various fossil " antediluvian monsters", including dinosaurs and the mammal-like ( synapsid ) Dicynodon he helped describe. This
3358-545: The crocodiles, the increasing numbers resulted in nearly one thousand animals being relocated to Gujarat in 2022. The bank also breeds turtles, snakes and other reptiles. It is a coordinating zoo of the Central Zoo Authority of India for the breeding programmes for endangered species, including rock python , king cobra and Ganges softshell turtle , as per the National Zoo Policy adopted by
3431-554: The early proposals for replacing the paraphyletic Reptilia with a monophyletic Sauropsida , which includes birds, that term was never adopted widely or, when it was, was not applied consistently. When Sauropsida was used, it often had the same content or even the same definition as Reptilia. In 1988, Jacques Gauthier proposed a cladistic definition of Reptilia as a monophyletic node-based crown group containing turtles, lizards and snakes, crocodilians, and birds, their common ancestor and all its descendants. While Gauthier's definition
3504-542: The expenditure on wages followed by 23% for research. Other major costs include interest on capital and reptile feeding. The park recorded about 0.42 million annual visitors from April 2018 to March 2019. Post opening of the park after the Covid-induced lockdown, about 0.15 million visitors were recorded from September 2021 to March 2022 with an average monthly footfall of 21,400. Reptile See text for extinct groups. Reptiles , as commonly defined, are
3577-453: The fetus develops within the mother, using a (non-mammalian) placenta rather than contained in an eggshell . As amniotes, reptile eggs are surrounded by membranes for protection and transport, which adapt them to reproduction on dry land. Many of the viviparous species feed their fetuses through various forms of placenta analogous to those of mammals , with some providing initial care for their hatchlings. Extant reptiles range in size from
3650-462: The health and maintenance of the animals. Examination and treatment for various pathological and parasitical examinations are carried out on the animals. Unique identification numbers are assigned to individual animals with maintenance of health and medical records. The trust also engages in training of veterinarians to help equip other research and conservation projects. The trust was established for breeding crocodiles, has bred over 5000 crocodiles and
3723-585: The highest peaks of the Western Ghats on the Udupi-Agumbe Road. It is ten minutes walk from Agumbe. On a fine evening, the sunset can be seen over the Arabian Sea . Agumbe lies in a hilly, wet region of the Western Ghat mountains. This geography contributes to its scenery, and suitability for trekking. In addition, there are a number of waterfalls in the locality. Barkana Falls (Latitude 13.449315, Longitude 75.136015), Northeast of Agumbe,
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#17327934306543796-466: The hypothesis that turtles belong to a separate clade within Sauropsida , outside the saurian clade altogether. The origin of the reptiles lies about 310–320 million years ago, in the steaming swamps of the late Carboniferous period, when the first reptiles evolved from advanced reptiliomorphs . The oldest known animal that may have been an amniote is Casineria (though it may have been
3869-508: The late 19th century, a number of definitions of Reptilia were offered. The biological traits listed by Lydekker in 1896, for example, include a single occipital condyle , a jaw joint formed by the quadrate and articular bones, and certain characteristics of the vertebrae . The animals singled out by these formulations, the amniotes other than the mammals and the birds, are still those considered reptiles today. The synapsid/sauropsid division supplemented another approach, one that split
3942-508: The latter are to the rest of extant reptiles. Colin Tudge wrote: Mammals are a clade , and therefore the cladists are happy to acknowledge the traditional taxon Mammalia ; and birds, too, are a clade, universally ascribed to the formal taxon Aves . Mammalia and Aves are, in fact, subclades within the grand clade of the Amniota. But the traditional class Reptilia is not a clade. It is just
4015-796: The living reptiles, there are many diverse groups that are now extinct , in some cases due to mass extinction events . In particular, the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event wiped out the pterosaurs , plesiosaurs , and all non-avian dinosaurs alongside many species of crocodyliforms and squamates (e.g., mosasaurs ). Modern non-bird reptiles inhabit all the continents except Antarctica. Reptiles are tetrapod vertebrates , creatures that either have four limbs or, like snakes, are descended from four-limbed ancestors. Unlike amphibians , reptiles do not have an aquatic larval stage. Most reptiles are oviparous , although several species of squamates are viviparous , as were some extinct aquatic clades –
4088-498: The moment considered a reptiliomorph rather than a true amniote ) and Paleothyris , both of similar build and presumably similar habit. However, microsaurs have been at times considered true reptiles, so an earlier origin is possible. Agumbe Agumbe is a village situated in the Thirthahalli taluka of Shivamogga district , Karnataka , India . It is nestled in the thickly forested Malenadu region of
4161-422: The other euryapsids, and given the older name Parapsida. Parapsida was later discarded as a group for the most part (ichthyosaurs being classified as incertae sedis or with Euryapsida). However, four (or three if Euryapsida is merged into Diapsida) subclasses remained more or less universal for non-specialist work throughout the 20th century. It has largely been abandoned by recent researchers: In particular,
4234-403: The park would be divided into four areas corresponding to various geographies with thematic landscaping, interactive displays and signage. The plan included a separate gharial exhibit, entry plaza with a café, parking areas and an interpretation centre that houses small crocodiles, snakes , turtles and lizards on the upper level and underwater viewing of the largest saltwater crocodile exhibit in
4307-470: The park, on the lower level. In 2018, Whitaker was presented with Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian award by the Government of India. In 2020, the trust faced financial problems due to COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown. The trust raised funds through crowd funding to mitigate the situation and for further planned developments. The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust was established in 1976 which runs
4380-416: The primitive anapsid reptiles. Molecular work has usually placed turtles within the diapsids. As of 2013, three turtle genomes have been sequenced. The results place turtles as a sister clade to the archosaurs , the group that includes crocodiles, non-avian dinosaurs, and birds. However, in their comparative analysis of the timing of organogenesis , Werneburg and Sánchez-Villagra (2009) found support for
4453-428: The purview of the Central Zoo Authority , Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change , Government of India . The establishment is located on a 8.5 acres (3.4 ha) site covered by coastal sand forests , along the coast of Bay of Bengal . The MCBT was established in 1976 with the primary aim of conservation of three Indian species of crocodiles — mugger crocodile , saltwater crocodile and gharial . It
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#17327934306544526-438: The reptiles into four subclasses based on the number and position of temporal fenestrae , openings in the sides of the skull behind the eyes. This classification was initiated by Henry Fairfield Osborn and elaborated and made popular by Romer 's classic Vertebrate Paleontology . Those four subclasses were: The composition of Euryapsida was uncertain. Ichthyosaurs were, at times, considered to have arisen independently of
4599-789: The structure of the forebrain. According to Goodrich, both lineages evolved from an earlier stem group, Protosauria ("first lizards") in which he included some animals today considered reptile-like amphibians , as well as early reptiles. In 1956, D.M.S. Watson observed that the first two groups diverged very early in reptilian history, so he divided Goodrich's Protosauria between them. He also reinterpreted Sauropsida and Theropsida to exclude birds and mammals, respectively. Thus his Sauropsida included Procolophonia , Eosuchia , Millerosauria , Chelonia (turtles), Squamata (lizards and snakes), Rhynchocephalia , Crocodilia , " thecodonts " ( paraphyletic basal Archosauria ), non- avian dinosaurs , pterosaurs , ichthyosaurs , and sauropterygians . In
4672-693: The study of modern amphibians , is called herpetology . Reptiles have been subject to several conflicting taxonomic definitions. In Linnaean taxonomy , reptiles are gathered together under the class Reptilia ( / r ɛ p ˈ t ɪ l i ə / rep- TIL -ee-ə ), which corresponds to common usage. Modern cladistic taxonomy regards that group as paraphyletic , since genetic and paleontological evidence has determined that birds (class Aves), as members of Dinosauria , are more closely related to living crocodilians than to other reptiles, and are thus nested among reptiles from an evolutionary perspective. Many cladistic systems therefore redefine Reptilia as
4745-714: The venom extracted. The bank hosts one of the largest reptilian zoos in the world. As of 2024, the park had 15 species of crocodiles including three critically endangered species and 33 other reptilian species. The park is divided into four areas corresponding to various geographies namely, Asia , Americas , Amazon and Africa , with thematic landscaping and signage. Apart from the crocodiles, there are various snakes including pythons , anacondas and boas , turtles and tortoises including Aldabra giant tortoises , lizards and piranhas . Four Komodo dragons have been acquired from Bronx Zoo in New York . The bank also functions as
4818-487: The wild. The trust has been involved in engaging local community and education for the conservation of olive ridley sea turtle ( Lepidochelys olivacea ). The Crocodile Bank is a nodal point for captive breeding of endangered pythons in the country, especially the Indian rock python ( Python molurus ) and reticulated python ( Python reticulatus ). The park is home to the few approved snake venom extraction centres in India,
4891-590: The years following Gauthier's paper. The first such new definition, which attempted to adhere to the standards of the PhyloCode , was published by Modesto and Anderson in 2004. Modesto and Anderson reviewed the many previous definitions and proposed a modified definition, which they intended to retain most traditional content of the group while keeping it stable and monophyletic. They defined Reptilia as all amniotes closer to Lacerta agilis and Crocodylus niloticus than to Homo sapiens . This stem-based definition
4964-650: Was Hylonomus , a small and superficially lizard-like animal which lived in Nova Scotia during the Bashkirian age of the Late Carboniferous , around 318 million years ago . Genetic and fossil data argues that the two largest lineages of reptiles, Archosauromorpha (crocodilians, birds, and kin) and Lepidosauromorpha (lizards, and kin), diverged during the Permian period. In addition to
5037-424: Was 3.2 °C in 1975 and the highest, 37 °C in 2008-2009. Rainforest is a dense, wet, tropical evergreen ecosystem, high in its level of biodiversity. According to the 'Champion and Seth' classification, Agumbe is an area of "Southern tropical wet evergreen forests" (1A/C4). R.S. Troup, an eminent forester of his day, said, The Agumbe Rainforest Research Station was founded in 2005 by Romulus Whitaker ,
5110-592: Was close to the modern consensus, nonetheless, it became considered inadequate because the actual relationship of turtles to other reptiles was not yet well understood at this time. Major revisions since have included the reassignment of synapsids as non-reptiles, and classification of turtles as diapsids. Gauthier 1994 and Laurin and Reisz 1995's definition of Sauropsida defined the scope of the group as distinct and broader than that of Reptilia, encompassing Mesosauridae as well as Reptilia sensu stricto . A variety of other definitions were proposed by other scientists in
5183-546: Was established as a sanctuary for the King Cobra , Agumbe's flagship species. Agumbe in Shivamogga district lies on the south-western coast of India, approximately 98 km (61 mi) north-east of Mangaluru and 357 km (222 mi) north-west of Bengaluru , the state capital of Karnataka in Southern India. It is approximately 24 km (15 mi) from Shringeri and 55 km (34 mi) from
5256-507: Was expanded as a centre for herpetology and research of other reptile species in 2003. The centre has bred over 5000 crocodiles since its inception and is one of the largest reptile zoos in the world. As of 2024, the park had 15 species of crocodiles including three critically endangered species and 33 other reptilian species. The park recorded about 0.42 million annual visitors from April 2018 to March 2019. The trust also runs three field stations at South Andaman , Agumbe in Karnataka , and
5329-627: Was not the only possible classification scheme: In the Hunterian lectures delivered at the Royal College of Surgeons in 1863, Huxley grouped the vertebrates into mammals , sauroids, and ichthyoids (the latter containing the fishes and amphibians). He subsequently proposed the names of Sauropsida and Ichthyopsida for the latter two groups. In 1866, Haeckel demonstrated that vertebrates could be divided based on their reproductive strategies, and that reptiles, birds, and mammals were united by
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