Exotic animal integument

Question 1

What are the natural colours of small mammals

Answer 1

Question 2

What can whiskers be described as?

Answer 2

sensitive vibrissae

Question 3

Describe the integument of ferrets

Answer 3

Fur = soft, short under coat and long, course guard hairs
Skin is thick with sebaceous glands
No sweat glands, thick coat - prone to overheating
Seasonal moults - coat thins and lightens in spring

Question 4

Describe the fur of rabbits

Answer 4

long and short guard hairs
undercoat
feet covered in thick fur

Question 5

Describe the moulting pattern of rabbits

Answer 5

seasonal - spring and autumn

Question 6

What is the function of large ears in a rabbit?

Answer 6

thermoregulation

Question 7

where do rabbits have scent glands?

Answer 7

submental, anal and inguinal

Question 8

What is a dewlap and what animals have it?

Answer 8

Mature female rabbits

Question 9

What are some rabbit breed problems?

Answer 9

Rex - short guard hairs, hock sores, prone to pododermatitis
Angora - long undercoat -> matting
Giant breeds - skin fold dermatitis, pododermatitis
Lops - deformed ear canal, ear infections

Question 10

Describe guinea pig integument

Answer 10

Lots of coat variations
Thick foot pads - prone to urine scald/bumblefoot
Hairless being ears
Sebaceous gland 1cm dorsal to anus (often matted and sticky in entire males)

Question 11

Describe chinchilla integument

Answer 11

Very dense, soft coat
Need regular dust baths
‘fur slip’ - defence when handled roughly
Ears - large and bald

Question 12

Describe hamster integument

Answer 12

Skin loose and stretches
large flank +/- ventral scent glands
glands more prominent in mature males

Question 13

Describe rat integument

Answer 13

Zymbal’s gland at base of ear
Tail = hairless, important for thermoregulation (care for tail slip)
extensive mammary tissue

Question 14

Describe gerbil integument

Answer 14

Tail-slip
Ventral scent gland

Question 15

Describe sugar glider integument

Answer 15

pouch with 4 teats
cloaca
patagium stretching between front and hind legs
scent glands - forehead (males), throat and paracloacal
tail-slip

Question 16

Describe african pygmy hedgehog integument

Answer 16

spines = modified hair
hair and sebaceous glands absent in spiny skin
many sweat and sebaceous glands in haired skin and feet

Question 17

What are the functions of reptile skin?

Answer 17

display
protection
camouflage
thermoregulation
fluid homeostasis

Question 18

Describe the structure of the reptile epidermis

Answer 18

Question 19

What types of keratin are found in reptiles?

Answer 19

Alpha-keratin - flexible, delicate, found between scales and scutes, often sites of infections and mites
Beta-keratin - unique to reptiles, hard, form scutes, horns and scales

Question 20

What is the chelonian shell made from?

Answer 20

Question 21

What gives reptile skin its colour and what influences it?

Answer 21

Chromatophores - pigment containing cells that lie between dermis and epidermis
Influenced by autonomic NS, hormones, light and temp

Question 22

What is reptile skin colour used for?

Answer 22

camouflage
display
thermoregulation

Question 24

What is the parietal eye in reptiles?

Answer 24

connected to pineal gland
responds to light
helps with thermoregulation and hormone production

Question 25

What are spectacles in reptiles?

Answer 25

clear scales over eyes of snakes and geckos

Question 26

What are heat-sensory pits?

Answer 26

detect warm prey in boas, pythons and vipers

Question 27

What are crests, frills, horns, gular pouches and spines used for in reptiles?

Answer 27

display and/or defence

Question 28

What are cloacal spurs in reptiles?

Answer 28

retained pelvic vestiges used in courtship

Question 29

what is a rattle in reptiles?

Answer 29

loosely fitting keratin used to warn predators

Question 30

what adhesive toe pads in reptiles?

Answer 30

rows of tiny overlapping scales (lamellae) which are covered in tiny branching hairs

Question 31

What gives the chelonian shell additional strength?

Answer 31

scutes and osteoderms do not overlap exactly

Question 32

How do chelonian scutes grow?

Answer 32

addition of new keratin layers to base

Question 33

What is ecdysis?

Answer 33

reptiles - shedding of skin under influence of thyroid gland

Question 34

What are the stages of ecdysis?

Answer 34

- cells of stratum intermediate layer replicate to form a new (3-layer) epidermis - lymph and enzymes diffuse between old and new epidermis to form a cleavage zone - old skin is shed - new skin hardens

Question 35

What is dysecdysis?

Answer 35

problems shedding

Question 36

what are some clinical implications of shedding in reptiles?

Answer 36

During shedding the skin becomes more permeable and vulnerable to parasites and infection Enhances absorption of topical medications -> toxicity

Question 37

What husbandry requirements do shedding reptiles require?

Answer 37

areas of increased humidity rough object to rub on to initiate final shedding

Question 38

what is the function of amphibian skin

Answer 38

protection sensory organ thermoregulation fluid balance

Question 39

Describe the epidermis of amphibians

Answer 39

thinner, easily damaged Stratum corneum may be only 1 cell thick

Question 40

Describe the amphibian dermis

Answer 40

outer stratum spongiosum and inner stratum compactum contains nerves, vessels, smooth muscles, chromatophores and specialised glands Stratum corneum can be tightly adhered (salamanders) or loosely adhered (frogs and toads) to underlying connective tissue

Question 41

What are some amphibian skin adaptations?

Answer 41

area of increased vascularity on ventral pelvis to enable water absorption ('drinking/pelvic patch') Epidermal glands may produce mucous/waxy substances that enhance cutaneous respiration and reduce evaporative water loss Glands may produce toxins to act against predators and infection

Question 42

Why do captive amphibians contain little, if any toxin?

Answer 42

toxins are metabolised from their wild prey

Question 43

How can amphibian skin permeability be used in practice?

Answer 43

used to administer topical medications soaking in shallow water aids rehydration

Question 44

What is special about fish epidermal cells?

Answer 44

capable of cell division at all levels will migrate to cover any defect and help restore waterproof integrity during wound healing

Question 45

What cells are present in fish epidermis?

Answer 45

mucus-producing goblet cells some have club cells which secrete alarm substances

Question 46

describe the anatomy of fish scales and the implication of this

Answer 46

scales are embedded in dermis and covered by layer of epidermis - loss of scales always damages skin leading to osmotic balance issues

Question 47

Label the fish skin

Answer 47