Exotics integument

Question 1

Discuss the integument of the ferret

Answer 1

• Natural colour= polecat
• Soft/ short undercoat and long guard hairs
• Skin is thick
• Have sebaceous glands which give the musky smell
• NO SWEAT GLANDS
• Seasonal moults

Question 2

Discuss the integument of the rabbit

Answer 2

-Long/ short guard hairs and an undercoat
-Natural colour= agouti
-Moult in spring/ autumn
-Mature females= dewlap
-Feet covered in thick fur HAVE NO FOOT PADS
-Large ears= thermoregulation
=Scent glands= submental, anal, inguinal
-Vibrissae

Question 3

Discuss the integument of the guinea pig

Answer 3

• Natural colour= agouti
• Thick foot pads which are prone to urine scald
• Vibrissae
• Sebaceous gland above anus

Question 4

Discuss the integument of the chinchilla

Answer 4

• Very dense, soft coat
• Need dust baths to maintain coat
• Natural colour= blue/grey
• ‘Fur slip’
• Footpads
• Vibrissae

Question 5

Discuss the integument of the hamster

Answer 5

• Vibrissae
• Skin is very loose and stretchy
• Large lateral scent glands, also have ventral glands
• Glands become more prominent in mature males

Question 6

Discuss the integument of the rat

Answer 6

• Wild colour= agouti
• Guard hairs/ undercoat
• Footpads
• Sweat glands ONLY on feet
• Zymbals gland= at base of ear
• Tail= important in thermoregulation
• Tail slip
• Vibrissae

Question 7

Discuss the integument of the gerbil

Answer 7

• Wild colour= agouti
• Guard hairs/ undercoat
• Tail slip
• Ventral scent gland

Question 8

Discuss the integument of the sugar glider

Answer 8

-Patagium stretches between front/ hind legs

Question 9

Where is the glandular tissue in some species of lizard?

Answer 9

• Femoral/ precloacal pores

Question 10

Describe the reptile epidermis

Answer 10

-3 layers
Stratum germinatum: divides, produces keratin
Intermediate layer: contains lipids
Stratum corneum: forms scales/ scutes

Question 11

What are the two forms of keratin in reptile integument?

Answer 11

-Alpha keratin
Flexible/ found between scales/ scutes/ often site of infection by mites
-Beta keratin
Unique to reptiles/ hard/ forms scutes, horns and scales.

Question 12

What are osteoderms and in which species do you find them?

Answer 12

Bony plates in the dermis, found in crocodile and tortoise

-Fused with ribcage in the tortoise

Question 13

What are chromatophores?

Answer 13

They lie between dermis and epidermis and are influenced by ANS/ light / temperature
-Used in camouflage, display, thermoregulation

Question 14

Which colours are carotenoid cells?

Answer 14

Yellow, red, orange

Question 15

What are iridophores?

Answer 15

• Reflect blue light giving skin a blue tinge.

- Contain semi-crystalline guanine

Question 16

What is the parietal eye?

Answer 16

-Found in many lizards are helps with regulating body temp

Question 17

What are spectacles?

Answer 17

Clear scales over eyes of snakes and some geckos

Question 18

What has spurs?

Answer 18

Boids

Question 19

What are gastropeges?

Answer 19

Row of ventral scales in snakes

Aid locomotion

Question 20

How do a gecko’s adhesive toe pads work?

Answer 20

Composed of lots of rows of tiny overlapping scales (lamellae) and each lamellae has branching hairs (setae)

Question 21

What is the names of the top and bottom shell of a chelonion?

Answer 21

Carapace (top)

Plastron (bottom)

Question 22

What gives the chelonions shell strength?

Answer 22

The osteoderms and scutes do not overlap directly-> they are staggered

Question 23

How do scutes grow?

Answer 23

By the addition of a new keratin layer to the base of each scute-> they grow in rings meaning that the centre of the scute is the oldest section

Question 24

What influences ecdysis?

Answer 24

Thyroid hormones

Question 25

What are the stages of ecdysis?

Answer 25

• Cell of the intermediate layer replicate= form a new three layer epidermis
• Lymph and enzymes duffuse between old and new layers forming a cleavage zone
• Old skin lost in shed and new skin hardens

Question 26

How is the chelonian shell formed?

Answer 26

From around 60 osteoderms that are fused with the ribs and spine
Covered by epidermal scutes or leathery skin

Question 27

What is the difference with amphibian skin?

Answer 27

• The epidermis is considerably thinner than in reptiles and mammals
• Stratum corneum may be only 1 celllayer thick

Question 28

What is the ‘drinking patch’ in amphibian skin?

Answer 28

-Anurans have an area of increased vascularity which is called the drinking patch-, it enables water absorptions

Question 29

What are the implications of amphibian skin permeability?

Answer 29

• Can use topical medicines
• Rehydrate by putting in tray of shallow water
• Fungal disease: Chytridiomycosis