How many species of reptiles are there?

As of 2015, three are over 10,000 reptile species in the world. This number is steadily increasing as scientists identify, describe and document more species. A reptile is an animal that has a backbone, breathes with lungs and is covered in scales. Most reptiles lay eggs and are cold-blooded.

Reptiles are classified into four orders: Crocodilia, Squamata, Testudines and Sphenodontia. These groups include snakes and lizards, which is the largest order of reptiles, accounting for more than a whopping 50 percent of the entire class. Sphenodontia is the smallest order of reptiles; it includes just two very rare reptile species.