The Animal Kingdom Doesn’t Really Have “Reptiles”—At Least Not as a True Group
Imagine walking through a lush, green forest, sunlight dancing on the scales of a basking lizard. Nearby, a turtle glides through the water and a snake slithers silently in the underbrush. For generations, people have called these creatures “reptiles,” grouping them together in museums, zoos, and textbooks as if they’re one big, scaly family. But ...