Herptiles and Insects Flashcards
Nearly _____ of the more than 5,700 known amphibian species are now threatened with extinction
1/3
Reptiles include
Turtles/tortoises
lizards
snakes
crocodiles and alligators
Amphibians include
Newts salamanders frogs toads caecilians
Reptiles
phylum - chordata class - retile scales, plates, shells appendages have nails ectothermic have lungs lay eggs/hard shell miniature adults
Amphibians
Phylum - chordata class - amphibia moist, smooth skin no nails Ectothermic lungs/gills and breathe through their skin lay eggs/soft gel-like metamorphosis
Why are population assessments difficult for herptiles
secretive, many are small, many are nocturnal, many have cryptic coloration
many are very wary of predators
Six major threats
habitat loss, disease and parasites, pollution, Invasive species, global climate change, unsustainable use
Disease and parasitism
Boreal Toad: high elevations in CO under review federally listed for CO decline linked to chytrid fungus fungus interferes with normal respiration through skin >80% decline
Pollution
Metals, pesticides, acids, rain, estrogenic chemicals
Deformities during development
sexual development affected by pesticides
Climate change
interaction with chytrid fungus
sex is temp-dependent in many herps
Invasive species
bull frog is non-native in western US and is eating many native frog and fish species
Unsustainable use
over-collection for food, pet trade, ornamentation, biological supply
Insect importance to ecosystem components
trophic links (sole food source of many herbs, bats, birds, mammals)
Pollinators
waste disposers
Insect biodiversity
insects represent 90% of individual multicellular life forms on earth and majority of species known
not even half of insect species have been discovered
Conservation issues for insects
climate change habitat invasive species over-collection disease synergy between factors
