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Tetrapods > Reptile Adaptions > Flashcards

Reptile Adaptions Flashcards

1
Q

List the groups contained with the umbrella term reptile.

A

Chelonia, Squamata, Tuataras, Crocodillians

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2
Q

How is nitrogenous waste of reptiles excreted ?

A

Primarily as uric acid, enabling conservation of water

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3
Q

Describe reptile skin composition.

A

Covered in scales
Acts as barrier to water loss
Few cutaneous glands- no respiration through skin

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4
Q

How do all reptiles respire ?

A

All have lungs

Ventilation occurs via rib contraction and relaxation

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5
Q

Describe the adaption of the snakes lung

A

The left lung is reduced or absent

Adaption to long thin body

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6
Q

Turtles cannot use their ribs to ventilate their lungs

How do they breathe ?

A

The lungs are connected to the visceral muscles that contract
This forces viscera against the lungs to expel air
Other muscles pull the viscera back to expand the lungs

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7
Q

Give the adaption of aquatic turtles that enables them to extract oxygen from water

A

Adapted mucous membranes lining the mouth

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8
Q

How do sea snakes and soft shelled turtles respire under water ?

A

Via cutaneous respiration (through the skin)

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9
Q

Retiles are E3ctotherms or Endotherms ?

A

Ecotherms, require an external source of body warmth

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10
Q

How do reptiles regulate their metabolic heat ?

A

Basking
Food consumption
Catching prey

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11
Q

List the benefits of Ecothermy

A

Enables survival on low/ sporadic food input

Low metabolic rate can be related to longevity

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12
Q

List the disadvantages of Ecothermy

A

Slow reproduction (slow meta.)
Overharvesting can mean rapid extinction
Excluded from cold environments

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13
Q

List 2 species which have evolved for flight

A

Flying geckos- Webbed feet to increase surface area

Gliding lizards- flaps of skin extend into wings

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14
Q

Why did leglessness evolve ?

A

Enables movement thought small spaces
Burrowing
Enables coiling
Arboreal lifestyle (spreads weight evenly across branches)

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15
Q

Why is coiling a useful behaviour ?

A

Can be used as a means of defence, thermoregulation, prey constriction

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16
Q

List the methods of snake locomotion

A

Lateral undulation
Sidewinding
Concertina
Rectilinear

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17
Q

How does lateral undulation create movement ?

A

The snake moves left and right, as well as creating posterior moving waves which push against contact points (rocks, twigs)

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18
Q

What is the most common form of snake movement ?

A

Lateral undulation

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19
Q

Which snake locomotion technique doesn’t involve lateral movement ?

A

Rectilinear
The snake instead lifts its belly snakes forward before replacing them down
Used by large pythons and boas

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20
Q

Which snake movement is used in tunnels ?

A

Concertina, the latter half of the body grips the tunnel wall while the anterior stretches

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21
Q

List the 3 adaptions of sea snakes to their aquatic environment

A

Flattened paddle like tails
Nostrils with water excluding valves
Highly venomous, aposematic colourations

22
Q

How do geckos walk up walls ?

A

The tips of their setae release van der waals forces (electrical) which enable them to stick to the substrate

23
Q

Geckos leave behind a trail of hydrophobic phospholipids,

Why ?

A

Aid the gecko when walking on moist surfaces

Prevent erosion of setae

24
Q

All turtles are Oviparous, what does this mean ?

A

They lay eggs

25
Q

Describe the life cycle of turtle eggs

A

Mother excavates nest in sand
No parental care, F leaves
Clutch size from 10 to 100
Embryonic development 40-60 days

26
Q

Why do turtle eggs hatch simultaneously ?

A

To prevent a predator waiting by the nest and feeding on them one by one as they hatch

27
Q

Describe the life cycle of crocodile eggs

A

Female constructs nest of rotting vegetation- heat
Lay eggs above water, prevent drowning
Female guards eggs till hatch- 65 days

28
Q

What do crocodile offspring do when they are born ?

A

Make grunting noises, prompting the female to carry the young to the waters edge

29
Q

Crocodiles or turtles provide the most parental care ?

A

Crocodiles

Remain with offspring through development, place them in water and protect them from predation

30
Q

Most reptiles are carnivorous, state which ones are not.

A

Some tortoises and iguanas

31
Q

What is the point of a secondary pallet in a crocodile ?

A

It is a shelf in the roof of the crocodiles mouth which seperates the nasal and mouth passages
Enables prey to be caught without water entering the respiratory tract

32
Q

What are dermal pressure receptors ?

In which group of reptiles are they found ?

A

Crocodilians
Bundles of nerves which respond to disturbances in the water
Enables prey detection

33
Q

Dermal pressure receptors are similar to what in fish ?

A

Lateral line

34
Q

Compare where dermal pressure receptors are found on crocodiles, caimans and alligators

A

Crocodiles- every scale of body

Caiman and alligators- only on jaws

35
Q

List organisms which have a Vomeronasal ‘Jacobsons’ organ

A

Snakes (most pronounced)
Elephants
Turtles
Salamanders

36
Q

What is the function of the VJ organ in snakes ?

A

Short-ranging sensing
Snakes tongue collects odour particles and then transfers particles to olfactory chamber
the VJ organ processes these particles

37
Q

To snakes jaws ever de attach ?

A

Never, they are permanently hinged
However the jaw has elastic ligments that enables the mouth to spread
Important in food manipulation

38
Q

What is lizard size restricted by ?

A

The presence of a pectoral girdle

39
Q

Do snakes have a size restriction ?

A

No as have lost the pectoral girdle

40
Q

Snakes can detect minute changes in the infrared spectrum, True or False ?

A

True, Enables location of endothermic prey.

Detected via pit organs

41
Q

List the snakes which can detect prey via infrared spectrum

A

Pit vipers
Boas
Pythons

42
Q

Give the functions of venom

A

Dispatch of large prey
Deterrent
Aid digestion

43
Q

Where is venom produced and stored ?

A

Produced by oral glands

Stored in venom gland

44
Q

How does neurotoxic venom work ?

A

Causes death due to paralysis of respiratory muscle

45
Q

How does Haemolytic venom work ?

A

Breaks down blood cells

46
Q

Which species have venom ?

A

Advanced snakes, monitor lizards, iguanas

47
Q

What is Caudal autotomy ?

A

A means of predator avoidance

Organism sheds tail when grasped by predator, wriggles creating a distraction, enabling escape

48
Q

What is the disadvantage of caudal autotomy ?

A

Reduces escape performance
(speed and stability)
Diverts energy from reproduction into tail regrowth
Reduces male social status

49
Q

State the molecule that has a key role In reptilian camouflage

A

Melanin

50
Q

Give a species which uses mimicry camouflage

A

Non-venomous milk snakes

Mimic Venomous coral snake

51
Q

Colouration of reptiles is just to avoid predation

True of False ?

A

False, used in mate selection.

Chameleons, rapid colour changes to challenge other males and attract females

Tetrapods (9 decks)

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