Title: Reptiles Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Open Graph Title: Reptiles Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
X Title: Reptiles Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss
Description: Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Open Graph Description: Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
X Description: Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.
Opengraph URL: https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles
Domain: www.mentalfloss.com
{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"WebSite","@id":"www.mentalfloss.com","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com","name":"Mental Floss","description":"Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Mental Floss","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png"}},"inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntity":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles","url":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles","name":"Reptiles Facts, History & Quizzes | Mental Floss","description":"Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity.","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPageElement","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles#main-content","name":"Main Content","description":"Discover fun reptile facts, trivia, and surprising stories on Mental Floss—content that entertains, educates, and satisfies your curiosity."}}}
{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.mentalfloss.com"}]}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/archaeology/nightmare-worthy-beasts-prehistory","headline":"5 Nightmare-Worthy Beasts From Prehistory","description":"These now-extinct creatures, including the Anteosaurus and Nanuqsaurus, are total nightmare fuel.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Ivan Farkas"},"datePublished":"2025-11-06T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-11-06T15:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/archaeology/nightmare-worthy-beasts-prehistory"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/gecko-rediscovered-on-galapagos-island","headline":"Tiny Gecko Rediscovered on Galápagos Island Where It Was Feared Extinct","description":"A rare gecko once thought to be lost is making a comeback in the Galápagos.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"CaLea Johnson"},"datePublished":"2025-07-30T21:01:00Z","dateModified":"2025-07-30T21:01:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/gecko-rediscovered-on-galapagos-island"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/amputated-sea-turtle-dilly-dally","headline":"A Three-Flippered Sea Turtle Named Dilly Dally Returns to the Sea","description":"Meet Dilly Dally: A loggerhead sea turtle who beat the odds and is now back home after healing from a flipper amputation.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"CaLea Johnson"},"datePublished":"2025-06-06T19:01:00Z","dateModified":"2025-06-06T19:01:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/amputated-sea-turtle-dilly-dally"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/home/how-to-identify-snake-holes","headline":"Snake Holes in Your Backyard? Here’s What To Do About It","description":"Learn more about how to identify snake holes, including what signs to look for and which snakes are most likely to be slithering in your backyard. ","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Rudie Obias"},"datePublished":"2025-04-14T22:02:00Z","dateModified":"2025-04-14T22:02:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/live-smarter/home/how-to-identify-snake-holes"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/hurricane-helene-boosts-florida-gopher-tortoises","headline":"A Florida Park’s Gopher Tortoise Population Exploded Thanks to Hurricane Helene","description":"After Hurricane Helene devastated Florida’s coast, gopher tortoise populations unexpectedly surged in one area.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"CaLea Johnson"},"datePublished":"2025-04-09T19:01:00Z","dateModified":"2025-04-09T19:01:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/hurricane-helene-boosts-florida-gopher-tortoises"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/florida-sewers-swimming-with-alligators","headline":"At Least One Florida Sewage System Is Swimming With Alligators, Study Shows","description":"Alligators living in the sewers isn’t just an urban legend.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"CaLea Johnson"},"datePublished":"2025-02-18T18:48:21Z","dateModified":"2025-02-18T18:48:21Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/florida-sewers-swimming-with-alligators"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/bizarre-animal-smuggling-stories","headline":"10 Bizarre Animal Smuggling Stories","description":"It seems pants are a common place for smugglers to conceal animals.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"mentalfloss .com"},"datePublished":"2024-11-06T22:02:00Z","dateModified":"2024-11-06T22:02:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/bizarre-animal-smuggling-stories"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/animals-you-dont-want-to-mess-with","headline":"22 Animals You Really Don’t Want to Mess With","description":"Most of the animals we’re covering in the latest episode of The List Show aren’t out to hurt you on purpose—but you still don’t want to face off with them.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"mentalfloss .com"},"datePublished":"2024-07-24T19:57:00Z","dateModified":"2024-07-24T19:57:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/animals-you-dont-want-to-mess-with"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/paleontology/t-rex-brain-intelligence","headline":"‘T. rex’ Might Have Been as Smart as a Crocodile (But Not As Smart As We Thought)","description":"Previously, a study suggested that the king of the dinosaurs was as intelligent as a primate. New data hints that this may not have been the case.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Tim Brinkhof"},"datePublished":"2024-05-03T21:04:00Z","dateModified":"2024-05-03T21:04:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/paleontology/t-rex-brain-intelligence"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/how-tell-difference-between-7-pairs-commonly-confused-animals","headline":"7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Animals—And How to Tell the Difference","description":"You won't confuse a moth and a butterfly or an alligator and a crocodile again.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Rosemary Mosco"},"datePublished":"2016-11-17T14:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-04-10T11:46:51Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/how-tell-difference-between-7-pairs-commonly-confused-animals"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/10-amazing-facts-about-komodo-dragons","headline":"9 Amazing Facts About Komodo Dragons","description":"In addition to being Earth’s largest living lizard, behavior like human-eating and grave-robbing are the Komodo dragon’s biggest claims to fame.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Mancini"},"datePublished":"2019-08-01T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-03-13T14:51:38Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/10-amazing-facts-about-komodo-dragons"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/whats-difference-between-turtle-and-tortoise","headline":"Turtle vs. Tortoise: What’s the Difference?","description":"All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. Learn the key differences between these bony-shelled reptiles.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Ellen Gutoskey"},"datePublished":"2021-11-03T15:30:00Z","dateModified":"2024-02-23T17:25:37Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/whats-difference-between-turtle-and-tortoise"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-sea-turtles","headline":"20 Terrific Facts About Sea Turtles","description":"Did you know that sea turtles can dive up to 3000 feet deep and migrate thousands of miles? Learn more intriguing facts about these incredible creatures.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Gaskill"},"datePublished":"2014-12-08T11:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-02-06T17:42:51Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-sea-turtles"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/florida-invasive-species","headline":"9 Animals That Have Invaded Florida ","description":"Pythons, peacocks, and monkeys have all made the Sunshine State their home.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jackie Mead"},"datePublished":"2023-09-21T18:00:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-21T18:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/florida-invasive-species"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/columns/survival-tactics/can-you-suck-poison-out-snakebite","headline":"Can You Actually Suck the Poison Out of a Snakebite?","description":"You may have been taught the old cowboy trick of applying a tourniquet and using a blade to cut the bite wound to suck out the poison. It looks dramatic, but does it really work?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Mental Floss UK"},"datePublished":"2018-08-15T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2023-08-15T19:33:38Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/columns/survival-tactics/can-you-suck-poison-out-snakebite"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/why-are-there-no-snakes-ireland","headline":"Why Are There No Snakes in Ireland?","description":"Legend tells of St. Patrick using the power of his faith to drive all of Ireland’s snakes into the sea. It’s an impressive image, but there’s no way it could have happened.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Kate Horowitz"},"datePublished":"2019-03-17T08:00:00Z","dateModified":"2023-03-15T13:27:43Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/why-are-there-no-snakes-ireland"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/paleontology/prehistoric-animals-not-dinosaurs","headline":"7 Prehistoric Creatures That Aren’t Dinosaurs","description":"These prehistoric beasts deserve just as much recognition as their dinosaur peers.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Michele Debczak"},"datePublished":"2022-12-09T23:00:50Z","dateModified":"2022-12-09T23:00:50Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/science/paleontology/prehistoric-animals-not-dinosaurs"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/10-colorful-facts-about-chameleons","headline":"10 Colorful Facts About Chameleons","description":"You probably know that these lizards can change their skin color, but they’ve got plenty of other tricks as well.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Mark Mancini"},"datePublished":"2016-09-23T04:00:00Z","dateModified":"2022-07-26T18:39:20Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/10-colorful-facts-about-chameleons"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/terrifying-animals-that-actually-exist","headline":"10 of the Scariest-Looking Animals in Existence","description":"Scientists estimate that roughly 8.7 million species of plants and animals roam the Earth today. And some of them might haunt your dreams.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Tasia Bass"},"datePublished":"2021-09-16T12:00:00Z","dateModified":"2021-09-16T12:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/terrifying-animals-that-actually-exist"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/strangest-animal-penises","headline":"10 Truly Bizarre Animal Penises","description":"The animal kingdom features a wide variety of penises that vary in shape, size, and function. Here are some of the most unusual of them.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Ross Benes"},"datePublished":"2021-07-16T16:00:00Z","dateModified":"2021-07-16T16:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/strangest-animal-penises"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/fulk-lake-indiana-beast-of-busco","headline":"Indiana's Fulk Lake, Home to 'The Beast of Busco,' Is Up for Sale","description":"The lake is known to locals for harboring the possibly real, possibly mythological 500-pound snapping turtle known as Oscar.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2021-06-02T13:30:00Z","dateModified":"2021-06-02T13:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/fulk-lake-indiana-beast-of-busco"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/movies/komodo-dragon-hunt-inspired-king-kong","headline":"King Kong Was Inspired By a Real-Life Komodo Dragon-Hunting Expedition","description":"An expedition to hunt Komodo dragons and bring them to New York City in 1927 bore many similarities to the movie 'King Kong' that premiered six years later.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Michele Debczak"},"datePublished":"2021-03-01T15:00:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-10T14:15:23Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/movies/komodo-dragon-hunt-inspired-king-kong"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/mayo-saving-sea-turtles","headline":"How Mayo Is Being Used to Save Sea Turtles","description":"The popular condiment is good on sandwiches but even better for turtles. It's a major tool in an ecological disaster.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jake Rossen"},"datePublished":"2021-02-26T14:30:00Z","dateModified":"2021-02-26T14:30:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/mayo-saving-sea-turtles"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/worlds-tiniest-reptile-has-large-genitals","headline":"The World's Tiniest Reptile Has Disproportionately Large Genitals","description":"'Brookesia nana' males may be less than 1 inch long, but they make up for it by being able to strut around a locker room with enormous reproductive organs.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Alvin Ward"},"datePublished":"2021-02-04T17:00:00Z","dateModified":"2021-02-04T17:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles/worlds-tiniest-reptile-has-large-genitals"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/states-with-most-animal-collisions","headline":"The States With the Most—And Least—Animal Collisions, Mapped","description":"A 2026 data analysis from State Farm reveals that drivers in certain states have much higher odds of running into animals. See where your state falls.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jenny Cohen"},"datePublished":"2026-11-01T21:00:02Z","dateModified":"2026-11-01T21:00:02Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/states-with-most-animal-collisions"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/why-associate-ravens-death","headline":"Why Do We Associate Ravens With Death?","description":"Ravens have been almost universally connected with death, horror, and grief for centuries, but why?","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Thatcher"},"datePublished":"2026-10-31T14:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-10-31T14:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/folklore-mythology/why-associate-ravens-death"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/dogs/common-dog-behaviors-explained","headline":"20 Common Dog Behaviors, Explained ","description":"These behaviors might seem strange to us humans, but there’s an explanation for them.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-10-08T16:00:03Z","dateModified":"2026-10-08T16:00:03Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/dogs/common-dog-behaviors-explained"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/cryptids-that-turned-out-to-be-real","headline":"6 Cryptids That Turned Out to Be Real","description":"From the jackalope to krakens, these mythic creatures turned out to have very real counterparts.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Lorna Wallace"},"datePublished":"2026-09-26T12:00:05Z","dateModified":"2026-09-26T12:00:05Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/cryptids-that-turned-out-to-be-real"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-dog-breed-by-state-map","headline":"The Most Popular Dog Breed in Every State, Mapped","description":"Discover the most popular dog breed in every U.S. state based on new data from Trusted Housesitters, plus the rare breeds house sitters want to care for most.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Nitya Rao"},"datePublished":"2026-09-09T01:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-09-09T01:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/geography/maps/most-popular-dog-breed-by-state-map"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/polar-bear-kept-at-tower-of-london","headline":"The Polar Bear Once Kept at the Tower of London","description":"The Tower of London was once home to lions, tigers, baboons, and yes—a polar bear whose presence caused city officials a fair amount of grief.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-09-07T20:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-09-07T20:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/polar-bear-kept-at-tower-of-london"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/animals-won-bravery-medals-history","headline":"12 Animals Who Have Won Bravery Medals Throughout History","description":"These brave animals earned medals and recognition for their heroic actions on the battlefield and beyond.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Paul Anthony Jones"},"datePublished":"2026-09-03T16:00:01Z","dateModified":"2026-09-03T16:00:01Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/history/animals-won-bravery-medals-history"}}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/insects/spiritual-meaning-yellow-butterflies","headline":"The Spiritual Meaning of Yellow Butterflies","description":"Butterflies have long been connected to transformation, while yellow tends to be linked to happiness. The spiritual meaning of a yellow butterfly combines both these things.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Eden Gordon"},"datePublished":"2026-09-03T12:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-09-03T12:00:00Z","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/insects/spiritual-meaning-yellow-butterflies"}}
| fb:app_id | 350309542584520 |
| fb:pages | 10974002364 |
| og:site_name | Mental Floss |
| og:image:width | 1440 |
| og:image:height | 810 |
| twitter:url | https://www.mentalfloss.com/animals/reptiles |
| twitter:card | summary_large_image |
| twitter:image:width | 1440 |
| twitter:image:height | 810 |
| theme-color | #000000 |
| og:type | website |
| og:image | https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png |
| twitter:image | https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1541941289/frontier/sites/logos/mental-floss-logo-120px-height.png |
Links:
Viewport: width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0
Robots: max-image-preview:large