Question

Which reptiles related to Mesozoic reptiles survive today?

Answer 1

Crocodiles, lizards and snakes.

Explanation:

Mesozoic Era is divided in three periods: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Though huge number of reptiles ruled the earth during Mesozoic, most became extinct by the end of the era about 65 million years ago.

Reptiles first appeared as lizard like organisms in late Carboniferous period of Palaeozoic era. First such reptiles are named as Cotylosaurs.

Reptiles living on earth now are divided in three distict groups: turtles/tortoises, lizards/snakes, and crocodiles/alligators: these are the reptiles which could avoid mass extinction and survived.

Ancestral fossil of turtles/tortoises dates back from Permian period of Palaeozoic. Thus this is the oldest group of living reptilians.

Lizards and snakes are descendent of Mesozoic reptilian group, Lepidosauria. Lizards appeared first and from their subterranean extinct relatives snakes evolved later. Snakes appeared in Cretaceous period.

Crocodiles are descendent of Phytosaur:- a type of Archosaur which lived during Triassic period of Mesozoic. Phytosaur had nostrils on top of head unlike nostrils of crocodile where these are present at the tip of snout.

(Archosaur also gave rise to evolutionary lines of
1. Pterosaurs: extinct flying reptiles and
2. Dinosaurs: gigantic terrestrial reptiles. )

Another group of vertebrates evolved from Mesozoic reptilian lineage: and these are the birds. In fact, birds are often called 'glorified reptile'.