ava Flashcards
Vertebrates
an animal of a large group distinguished by the possession of a backbone or spinal column, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fishes.
Tuataras (description)
are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. Although resembling most lizards, they are part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia. Their name derives from the Māori language, and means “peaks on the back”.
LIzards (description)
Lizards have jaws with teeth. They also have teeth on the roof of their mouth. Habitat: Lizards live in deserts, forests, prairies, marshes, and rocky areas. Most lizards live on the ground or in trees.
Snakes (description)
range in size from small (the size of a worm) to many feet in length. The skin of snakes is made up of scales that may be smooth or ridged. … Venomous snakes have grooved or hollow fangs that they use to inject venom into their prey.
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Tortoises (description)
is the third member of the Chelonian family – along with turtles and terrapins. Chelonians are also reptiles, which means they are cold-blooded and warm themselves by drawing heat from their environment. They have four legs and a shell that is joined down the sides.
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Amniotic Eggs
are a clade of tetrapod vertebrates comprising the reptiles, birds, and mammals. Amniotes lay their eggs on land or retain the fertilized egg within the mother, and are distinguished from the anamniotes, which typically lay their eggs in water
Reptiles
Reptiles are tetrapod animals in the class Reptilia, comprising today’s turtles, crocodilians, snakes, amphisbaenians, lizards, tuatara, and their extinct relatives. The study of these traditional reptile orders, historically combined with that of modern amphibians, is called herpetology.
Toads (description)
are amphibians. They differ from most frogs because they have dry skin, warts, crests behind the eyes, and parotoid glands. The parotoid glands produce a poisonous secretion that helps the toad defend itself from predators
Frogs (description)
are amphibians that are known for their jumping abilities, croaking sounds, bulging eyes and slimy skin. They live all over the world and are among the most diverse animals in the world, with more than 6,000 species. Frogs substantially outnumber the two other groups of amphibians — salamanders and caecilians.
Salamanders (description)
encompass approximately 500 species of amphibians. They typically have slender bodies, short legs, and long tails. Usually found in moist or arid habitats in the northern hemisphere, most salamanders are small, although there are two species that reach up to 5 feet in length
Caecilians (description)
are tropical amphibians that look like large worms or slick snakes. They have no arms or legs, and sometimes it’s hard to tell which end is the head and which is the tail! Their shiny skin is ringed with skin folds called annuli.
Metamorphosis
a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.
Tadpole
is the larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad. They are usually wholly aquatic, though some species have tadpoles that are terrestrial.
