Quiz 6 (Reptiles) Flashcards
Order Chelonia
Turtles
Order Crocodilia(n)
Crocodiles and Alligators
Order Squamata
Snakes and Lizards
Order Tuatara
Species Tuatara
Herpetology
Study of Reptiles
Skin Characteristics of Reptiles
- dry and scaled
- made of keratin
- molts (ecdysis)
Cycloid Scales
rounded and flat
Keeled Scales
rough and diamond shape
Granular Scales
rounded, raised bumps
Reproduction (Snakes)
internal copulatory organ (penis)
internal fertilization
Reptile Reproduction
Amniotic egg - internal fluid sac (placenta)
Body Temp of Reptiles
- Ectothermic-body heat comes from external source
- Poikilothermic-body temp matches environment temp
Behavioral Thermoregulation
they move in our out of the sun at will to heat up or cool off
Reptile Teeth
Homodont (same teeth) all serve same purpose of restricting prey
Order Chelonia (Turtles) Characteristics
fresh water, marine, and terrestrial
body enclosed in shell (made of bone
herbivores and omnivores
no teeth
Order Crocodilian (Crocs and Alligators)
4 Chambered Heart
body adapted to aquatic life
inertial feeding - toss food in air then catch it
Inertial Feeding
toss food in air then catch it
Order Tuatara
- Tuatara Species
- primitive skull structure, lots of openings
- looks closer to dinosaur than reptile
- no copulatory organ
- lives in New Zealand
Squamata Characteristics Part 1 (Lizards)
- eyelid
- 4 limbs
- similar scales (back and belly)
- shed skin right side out
Squamata Characteristics Part 2 (Snakes)
- no eyelids or limbs
- large ventral scutes (belly scales)
- shed skin inside out (like pulling off a sock)
- Jacobson’s Organ (cells inside the back of the mouth that transfers from tongue into smell
Types of Snakes:
Constrictors
- non venomous no large fangs
- constrict prey before eating
- backward facing teeth
Types of Snakes:
Colubrids
- elongated grooved fangs in back of jaw and they are slightly venomous
- have to chew and get prey in back of mouth to poison
Types of Snakes:
Elapids
- venomous
- fixed/un-hinged fangs in front of mouth
Types of Snakes:
Vipers
- venomous
- hinged fangs that can flip from roof of mouth
- large pit between eye and nostril (infrared sensor)
- vertical pupil (cat eye)
