"Alright, we covered mammals and birds already...so now we are moving onto reptiles!" Fluttershy announced, approaching the group of reptiles in the sanctuary.
"Let's see, lizards, snakes and turtles?" Discord asked, observing the animals present in the group.
"There are more reptiles than that. Crocodiles and alligators are in the class too," Fluttershy giggled.
"Then how many reptiles are there?" Discord asked.
"Well, the total number of known living species of reptiles hovers between 7500 and 8000, of which the vast majority (more than 7000) are lizards and snakes." Fluttershy answered.
"More than 7000 of them being lizards and snakes?! They might take over the entire class with their popularity!" Discord joked.
"Now, moving onto the characteristics of reptiles, what makes them reptiles." Fluttershy declared, "One; Reptiles' bodies are completely covered with scales."
"Scales...check!" Discord said, after writing down some notes in his notebook.
"Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones." Fluttershy stated the second characteristic.
"Vertebrates...have backbones...noted!" Discord signalled after getting his quit to automatically write down what Fluttershy was saying.
"They are cold-blooded, so their body temperature varies with that of the environment."
"Cold-blooded so their temperature change with the environment? That's totally different from warm-blooded! With cold and warm blooded being the opposite of each other, all I have to do is remember one and remind myself that the other is the opposite!" Discord announced.
"Back to the lecture about reptiles..." Fluttershy continued, "Reptiles produce shelled eggs or bear live young. In other words, some reptiles lay eggs, while others give birth."
"Reptiles giving birth?!" Discord asked in a shocked tone.
"Not much since majority lay eggs, leaving minority to give birth." Flutershy explained, "Reptiles that give birth to live young can be divided into two types: viviparous and ovoviviparous. If an animal is viviparous, they retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born. If an animal is ovoviviparous, they also develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the difference is that the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching."
"Very interesting...and also a lot to remember..." Discord commented before complaining while his quit resumed copying what Fluttershy said.
"All reptiles that lays eggs, fertilize eggs internally. That means the sperm from the male fertilising the egg within the female." Fluttershy explained.
"Anything else?" Discord questioned.
"All species of reptiles have at least one lung, and as long as they have lungs...or one, they breathe air like we do." Fluttershy added.
"We all certainly do breathe air...so do I...the Lord of Chaos..." Discord announced.
"That's all for this lecture, but the quick test to see if you can remember everything important that we covered this lecture, is coming." Fluttershy replied.
"Go on, fire away." Discord instructed, ready for the challenge.
"Question One: What is a main characteristic that makes an animal a reptile?"
"Scales, all reptiles' bodies are covered with scales."
"Question Two: A few examples of reptiles?"
"Lizards and snakes mostly, followed by crocodiles and alligators."
"Question Three: Do reptiles have bones?"
"Reptiles are vertebrates, meaning that they have backbones."
"Question Four: How do reptiles reproduce?"
"Most reptiles lay eggs, leaving a few of them to give birth. Those that give birth are either viviparous and ovoviviparous. That means they either retain their fertilized eggs in their reproductive system until the developing offspring are ready to be born, or they develop their fertilized eggs inside the reproductive tract, but the young hatch from their eggs inside the mother, then emerge into the world after this internal hatching."
"Question Five: What do reptiles breathe, and what helps them to do so?"
"Reptiles breathe air because they have lungs. All reptile species have at least one lung, and lungs help them breathe air."
"Well done Discord, another time you got full marks, A One." Fluttershy congratulated, "You're like my star student here!"
The compliment made Discord blush, "Well...thank you dear Fluttershy...it's the least I can do...."
"Then get ready for the next lecture, about amphibians!" Fluttershy responded.