Reptiles evolved from an ancestor of amphibians that developed a(n) ____.

Question

Reptiles evolved from an ancestor of amphibians that developed a(n) ____.

Answer 1

There may be multiple characters that can distinguish amphibians from reptiles.  Most cladograms show that reptiles, birds, and mammals (going up the tree) possess amniotic eggs whereas amphibians do not.  Therefore, reptiles evolved from an ancestor of amphibians that developed amniotic eggs.

Answer 2

Reptiles evolved from an ancestor of amphibians that developed an amniotic egg. The amniotic egg is a key adaptation that allowed reptiles to reproduce on land, without the need to return to water like amphibians. The amniotic egg has several membranes that protect and provide nutrients to the developing embryo, including the amnion, chorion, yolk sac, and allantois. This innovation allowed reptiles to colonize a wide range of habitats on land, and ultimately gave rise to diverse groups of reptiles such as turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodiles, and birds.

Answer 3

They developed an egg with strong outer shell that kept it from drying out.