Animals in Lair Flashcards
Boelen’s Python
- mountains of new guinea
- found on forest floor
- climb trees
- over 8 ft long
- eat small mammals and ground birds
- egg laid w 9-14 eggs in clutch
Magnificent Tree Frog
- western Australia
- 4.1-4.2 inches
- bright green to olive green
- white dots on back and underside of feet
- legs bright yellow
- large poison gland whole top of head/droops down to their eyes
- poison doesn’t affect humans
- poison prevents bird eating them
- nocturnal
- eat insects
- lifespan 20 years
Iranian Harlequin Newt
•live in water and mountains of Iran •3 1/2-5 1/2 long •6-8 years in captivity •eat worms -eat flies -eat crickets CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Poison Dart Frog
•central and south america
•humid, tropical and tropical rainforests
• 1/2-2 1/2 in long
-10+ years captivity
-brightly colored=warn predators not good to eat
-eggs laid in moist places
-egg hatches=adult piggybacks tadpoles one by one into water
-tadpoles stay until frogs
-fed unfertilized eggs from mom
-eat spiders small insects
-capture food by long sticky tongue
Western Toad
•western North America
•southern Alaska-
•Northern Baja CA in forests and meadows open water for breeding
•gray to green colored
-light colored stripe down middle of back
-walk
-17,000 eggs laid in strings for vege. in open water
-metamorphosis done 3 months
-tadpoles preyed by fish, reptiles, and birds
BUT produce skin toxins and avoided by predators
Live 9-11 years
European Nose-Horned Viper
- rocky,dry habits in Austria, Italy, the Balkan region, and Turkey
- single horn(9-17 scales in 2 transverse rows on snout)
- horn soft and flexible
- grey to yellowish brown
- females less pattern
- males have dark blotch or V on the back of head
- ovoviviparous
- 4 to 15 young born
- eats small mammals and birds- other snakes
- threatened
- venom neurotoxic and hemotoxic
Temple Vipers
native to southeast Asia sexually dimorphic females over 36 inches long males not longer than 30 inches large triangular head thin body wide amount of colors and patterns arboreal tail can grasp to help w climbing nocturnal motionless for long times waiting for prey when prey comes strike quickly eat rodents, birds, and lizards venomous
Green Tree Python
live in rain forests, bushes, shrubs, and trees
Indonesia, New Guinea, and northeastern Australia
threatened by skin trade and habitat destruction
loop coil or two over the branches in saddle position and place head in the middle
prey caught by holding onto branch with grasping tail and striking out from S-shaped position
constricts prey
eat small mammals-rodents, and reptiles
zoo eat small rats and baby chicks
Giant Day Gecko
live in madagascar life span 10-20 years bright green with red and orange spots 9-12 inches long tail can break off to escape predators tail regrows but doesn't look same eat insects, fruit, and flower nectar
Chinese Giant Salamander
live in streams and lakes in China life span of 50+ years largest amphibian length 4 feet weight 55-66 pounds rarely swim-like to walk at bottom of stream eat fish, worms, frogs, toads, small mammals critically endangered
Mossy Leaf Tailed Gecko
live in forests of Madagascar
camouflage to resemble tree bark
6-8 inches long
eat insects, snails, slugs, and spiders
Black Tailed Horned Viper
live on grounds of southern mexico 15-20 inches long deep pit between eye and nose pits open to pair of sensitive organs= help snake judge the size of the small warm-blooded prey to eat venomous
Rowleys Palm Viper
live in trees of the forests of southern Mexico grasping/prehensile tail 8-11 1/2 inches long eat arboreal frogs and small mammals one of the rarest snakes in the world
Armenian Viper
Armenia, Turkey, Iran- dry, sparsely vegetated rocky slopes at high elevations
dark grey, grey-brown, black
blotches on back yellow, yellow-orange, brown-orange, red
back of head has two teardrops shaped black spots
31 to 39 inches long
give birth to live young
eat small rodents, grasshoppers, lizards, and ground nesting birds
venomous
Bushmaster
heavily forested jungles of south america and central america largest venomous snake in the New World over 6 ft long long folding fangs that penetrate deeply eat rodents grab and hold onto prey and inject prey w venom lay 8-15 eggs guard nest until the eggs hatch
Mangshan Pit Viper
live in mountains of China weigh 6-11 pounds 7 feet long last 4 inches of tail white=lure female lays 20-27 eggs guards nest until eggs hatch younger lighter green in color hiss when agitated eat insects, mammals, and frogs endangered venomous
Shingleback Skink
native to arid and semiarid of Australia bodies heavily armored tongues bright blue short, wide, stumpy tails tails have fat reserves= used in winter tail looks like head omnivores eat snails and plants spend a lot of time looking through plants for food birth broods to one to four large offspring young consume afterbirth stay with parents for months after leaving-stay nearby and form colonies of related skinks
Rough Scaled Phython
arboreal Australia rocky valleys where they climb on low trees and shrubs grow over 6 ft long forward directed eyes=binocular vision change from darker brown and cream in day pale ghost like brown scales rough-keel/ridge running
Cantil
forests and savannas of Mexico and Central America
like bordering rivers and streams
heavily bodied
2 ft in length
hinged, hollow fangs grow over one cm in length
young green or yellow tail tips used to lure prey
birth to live young
West African Green Mamba
trees in forests of west Africa 5 1/2 - 6 ft long eat birds, bird eggs, and small mammals 6-17 eggs laid in hollow tree on decaying vegetation shy and non-aggressive venomous
Fiji Island Banded Iguana
trees in Fiji and Tonga islands 24 inches long skin sensitive to light change skin color to match the background eat leaves, fruit, and shrubs critically endangered
Gaboon Viper
African Rainforest
3-6 ft long
10-15 years wild
body patterend shades of black, brown, tan, purple, white, and pink
camo on the floor
hunt by ambush
eat rats, mice, swuirrels, birds, larger mammals
give live birth
50 babies every 3 years
fangs folding
bite one of the deadly in the world
inject huge amounts of venom to kill small prey
larger prey run die later and tracked down by scent
Matamata Turtle
muddy, stagnant, shallow pools streams of Amazon river in south america ambush prey 27 lbs shells 18 in long long flat necks broad, triangular head covered w ridges, warts, flaps of skin mouth wide to swallow food whole eat fish, freshwater invertebrates, small mammals, birds in water
Lance-headed Rattlesnake
grasslands, forests, and rocky outcrops in south central mexico
share burrows w gopher tortosies
1 1/2 - 6 ft long
eat amphibians, reptiles, insects, small mammmals
Mexican Beaded Lizard
mexico and Guatemala 2-3 ft long black w yellow bands and beaded scales dont have fangs teeth and chew venom into victim tails store fat go long periods without eating eat birds, eggs, small rodents, and rabbits
Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake
coastal plains of western Mexico 1 of largest rattlesnake thick body 5-6 ft long less-aggressive highly toxic venom eat rodents
Fly River Turtle
rivers and lakes in New Guinea and northern Australia
21 inches long
40-50 lbs
inhale air at the surface of the water
underwater get oxygen from water
deposit eggs in dug out nests in sand on the shore
eat vegetation, fruit, insects, shrimp, small fish
Roti Island Snake-Necked turtle
fresh water Indonesia
eats worms
long necks keep eyes and nose above water
have to fold neck sideways in shell
Australian Lungfish
freshwater rivers Australia 3- 4 1/2 ft long living fossil existed over 100 million years ago long lived lung and gills breathe air and get oxygen from water lay eggs no parental care eat fish, shrimp, worms, and plant
Rainbow Fish
northern Australia new guinea in freshwater rivers,lakes and swamps less than 4 1/2 inches in length eat small crustaceans, eat larvae, algae peaceful undemanding vivid rainbow colors
Archer Fish
brackish waters in Australia, Polynesia, India, Philippines
over 4 in long
one species 16 inches
black spots
black vertical bands on silver body
prey on land insects by shooting them w jet of water from mouth
tongue on roof of mouth/forms tube, close gills, water forced out of tube
jet of water over 6 ft long
fish alter power of shot for prey
accurate at shooting
Mexican Giant Horned Lizard
live on rocky hillsides in Mexico
colors camouflage
6 to 8 in long
threatened= puff bodies up appear 2 be more horned and larger/more difficult to swallow
squirt a stream of blood from corners of eyes up to 5 ft
favorite food= harvester ant= strike ant w tongue, roll into saliva and swallow without being stung
Gray’s Monitor
rain forests of Philippine islands
5 ft long
adapted for arboreal lifestyle
each toe curved claw for ease in moving around trees
lay eggs in tree hollows NOT GROUND
eat snails, crabs, birds, eggs, and fruit
Madagascar Radiated Tortoise
Madagascar
15 in long
shell markings camouflage when in shade of scrub bushes
28 lbs
no teeth
horny beak with serrated edge on upper jaw to cut and shred vegetation they eat
eat grass, fruit, green vegetation, attracted to red fruits
Madagascar Spider Tortoise
Madagascar
shell markings camouflage when in shade of scrub bushes
6 in long
lay only one egg during breeding season
Meller’s Chameleon
arboreal
tropical grasslands and treetops of savannas of east Africa
18 in to 24 in long
15-20 in tongue reach
ambush prey- large insects and small lizards
length of tail= 1/3 of body length
small single horn from snout
eyes move by themselves/360 degree vision
color change to stress and communication
females lay eggs
live up to 12 yrs in wild
Burmses Star Tortoise
Burma
10-12 in long
yellow streaks on dark bg=camo in patchy forest shade
eat grass, mushrooms, flowers, forest plants, insects
lay eggs in forest leaf litter
one of rarest tortoises in the world
California Desert Tortoise
desert areas of southwest US northern mexico 10-15 in long 4-6 in high 15 lbs 80 or 100 years or more hard thick shell= protection and reduces water loss eat grasses, cactus, low growing desert vegetation slow moving 26 ft per min for short times endangered
Desert Iguana
southwestern US and mexico-desert
13-in long
eat flowers, leaves of desert plants, insects
Santa Catalina Side Blotched Lizard
live on Santa Catalina island 5-6 in long males bright throat colors eat insects, scorpions, spiders eaten BY snakes, birds, bigger lizards
Spiny Lizard
southwestern US and mexico 2-6 in long color change on temp cooler= colors dark dark= increase amount of heat from sun lighter colors reflect solar radiation eat insects, spiders, small lizards, plants
San Esteban Island Chuckwalla
island of San Esteban
30 in long
gray w tan to yellow patches, faces gray to black
disturbed= wedge into tight rock crevices, gulp air and inflate bodies
active in temps up to 102 F
eat vegetation, cactus, leaves, and fruit
ENDANGERED
Collared Lizard
deserts of Nevada, Utah, AZ, CA
12-14 in long
run on hind legs
fast sprinters
bands of black around neck and shoulders looks like collar
eat some fruit or vegetables, but like insects
Cape Rock Lizard
rocky canyons cape region of Baja, CA sur
17 3/4 in long
head bluish w red to orange around eyes
eat insects, small lizards, blossoms, leaves, seeds, and small fruit
able to drop tails when caught
California Kingsnake
CA and AZ 2 1/2 - 4 ft long eat rodents, reptiles, birds, amphibians powerful constrictors kill prey through suffocation hunt other snakes, rattlesnakes sometimes act like rattlesnakes in wild egg layers
southern pacific rattlesnake
prairies grasslands rocky outcroppings southwest California and Baja Griffith park 2 - 4 1/2 ft long eat lizards, frogs, small mammals and birds
San Diego Gopher Snake
southern CA baja, mexico 4 -5 ft long eat pocket gophers, birds, and eggs elevate and inflate body, flatten head into triangle, hiss loudly, and shake tail to mimic rattlesnake when threatened egg layers
Southwest Speckled Rattlesnake
live in rocks and sandy areas of southwest US
northwest Mexico
2 - 4 1/2 ft long
colors and patterns match coloring of rocky home
eat lizards and rodents
venomous
Baja CA Ratsnake
Baja, CA dry rocky 3 -4 ft long good climbers constrictors strike viciously if threatened eat small mammals, bats, and lizards egg layers
Sidewinder
live in desert areas of southwest US northwest mexico 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 ft long moving sideways across sands, traction eat desert rodents, lizards, birds well camo partially bury in sand when prey comes venomous
Mexican West Coast Rattlesnake
coastal plains of western mexico thick body 5 to 6 ft long less-aggressive large amounts of highly toxic venom eat rodents
Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake
Santa Catalina Island 2 1/2 ft long tail that has buttons button comes off each time it sheds true rattle doesn't form eat birds partially arboreal venomous endangered
Desert Hairy Scorpion
burrows sandy scrub US 6 in long 7-10 yrs wild eat large insects water from food tough outer covering, a cutile that forms rigid exoskeleton shed old exoskeleton and make new one to grow= molt molt 6-10 times in life
Sonoran Tarantula
nonturnal 3-4 in long matures 10-12 yrs old burrows in southwestern desrts burrows 1-2 in diameter strands of silk across opening, male taps on silk female responds male leaves after mating to not be eaten molt once a year brush hairs tipped w barbs into body of attacker
Rock Rattlesnake
dry rocky areas of southwest US northwest mexico no longer than 33 in good camo eat small rodents, lizards, centipedes, and birds venomous
Tiger Salamander
CA burrows- grasslands and open woodlands
7-8 in long
life span wild 12-15 yrs
eat insects, worms, snails, mice, other salamanders
live on land
good swimmers
Sonoran Giant Centipede
dry grasslands deserts of southwestern US and mexico 6 in long 3 year lifespan one pain of legs per segment two large claw near head venom glands at base of each claw immobilize prey w pinching claws and inject venom eat small insects and fruit
Sunburst Diving Bettle
black, yellow spots 1/2 in long swim, fly, live in ponds water dry fly to new pond socal, az, new mexico, tx, mexico wild eat invertebrates breathe oxygen before dive floats to surface, tip of abdomen above water air under black wing cover in bubble takes breathe as needed when underwater life span of 2 years
Gila Monster
southwest US and mexico 2 ft long lifespan 20 yrs in wild beaded scales w black, orange, pink, or yellow broken blotches bars and spots on body black face teeth venom chewed into victim tails store fat long periods of time without eating eat birds, eggs, small rodents, rabbits endangered
Sonoran Toad
desert scrub, grasslands, wet desert in southwest US and mexico
7 in long
eat insects, mice, other toads
attacked= releases toxins from glands in skin
toxins can kill a dog
Spotted Chuckwallla
Santa Catalina Island 16 in long vegetarian eat buds, leaves, flowers, and fruit disturbed= deep rock crevice refuge- inflate body w air and fully wedged in place
Red Diamond Rattlesnake
southwest CA and Baja 2 1/2 - 5 1/2 ft long reddish brown coon tail dense chaparral, foothills, cactus patches, boulders covered with brush eat rabbits, ground squirrels, and birds
Rosy Boa
CA, AZ, Baja 25 yrs in captivity 2-4 ft long eat rats, mice, birds, baby rabbits slowest-moving snake species in the world ambush or stalk prey prey secured with tiny rows of needle sharp teeth and suffocated through constriction bear live young
False Gharial
freshwater rivers and lakes in Malaysia and Indonesia
16 ft long
550 lbs
slender elongated snout without growth at end
eat fish, birds, and small mammals
endangered
