amphibia/reptilia Flashcards
What secondary organ do amphibians use for respiration?
skin
What do amphibians rely on for reproduction?
water
What do amphibians use for respiration?
gills, lungs, and skin during different stages of their life
What bones are formed in frogs by the fusion of other bones to specialize in jumping?
radioulna and tibiofibula
What bone in frogs specialized for jumping is formed by the fusion of many vertebra?
urostyle
What do frogs use to grip their prey?
volmerine teeth
What do amphibians use to store lipids and as an energy source?
yellow-orange fat bodies
How can you tell if a frog is male?
a male frog will have testes that sit on top of the kidneys
How can you tell if a frog is female?
a female frog will have ovaries filled with eggs
What are some characteristics of reptiles?
dry skin covered in scales to prevent water loss and dehydration, which is shed periodically through a process called molting (ecdysis). they also produce amniotic eggs that have a thick, leathery shell to prevent water loss while still allowing gas exchange.
What class do frogs, salamanders, and caecilians belong to?
amphibia
What class do lizards, turtles, and snakes belong to?
reptilia
What order do turtles belong to?
testudines
Describe the shells of turtles.
they are fused to the backbones of turtles and covered in keratinized scales called scutes
What is the upper portion of the shell of a turtle called?
carapace
What is the lower portion of the shell of a turtle called?
plastron
What is the function of the urinary bladder in turtles?
allows for recirculation of urine throughout the body to conserve water
What order do lizards and snakes belong to?
squamata
What is the function of the vomeronasal organ and where is it found in snakes?
it is located on the roof of their mouth and is used to smell prey
What is the function of the pit receptors found in snakes?
they detect infrared radiation, allowing them to sense prey via body heat
Do snakes have eyelids?
No
How many functional lungs do snakes have?
they only have 1 functional lung, but they still possess a vestigial lung as well
How can you tell if a snake is male?
male snakes possess paired copulatory organs called hemipenes for grasping the female
How can you tell if a snake is female?
female snakes possess elongated ovaries that produce eggs
How do the scutes of turtles relate to their age?
in terrestrial turtles that do not shed their scutes, the turtle will have concentric growth rings, each ring representing one year’s growth. in marine turtles, the scutes are shed regularly therefore making the growth rings an unreliable method of determining age.
How many chambers do reptile hearts have?
3
What are some adaptations of reptiles that contribute to their success on land?
amniotic egg, keratinized scales/scutes, internal fertilization, direct development
