Reptile and Amphibian Anatomy Flashcards
The vomeronasal organ allows animals to
follow scents
The vomeronasal organ is an accessory olfactory organ that receives particles from the tongues of snakes and some lizards. Ground movements, low-pitched sounds, and night vision are not regulated or related to the vomeronasal organ.
all adult amphibians are
carnivores
Reptiles can be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores. The theoretical hydrovore would exist on water only. There are no reptiles or amphibians that are hydrovores.
Ecdysis is under the control of the
thyroid gland
Spurs on pythons and boas are vestigial
pelvic limbs
Spurs are found on either side of the vent and are used in courtship behavior. Snakes lack pectoral limbs, shells, and wings.
The three sections of the reptilian spinal column are
presacral, sacral, and caudal.
Exuvia is a product of
shedding skin
Gas exchange in a herptilian lung occurs in the
faveoli.
Faveoli are similar to alveoli except they are fixed structures that don’t expand or contract as do alveoli. Herptilian lungs do not have alveoli. Air sacs are used for air storage, not gas exchange.
How many toes does a gecko have on each foot?
5
Which reptiles do not have external ear openings?
snakes
Snake and lizard skulls are made for ingestion of large prey because they lack
mandibular symphyses.
The reptilian heart is composed of
two atria and one ventricle.
The one ventricle acts as a four-chambered heart. The other three choices are not viable configurations.
The crocodilian heart is different from the mammalian heart in that it has
2 aortas.
Which reptiles have a tapetum?
crocodiles
Which reptiles have complete tracheal rings?
chelonians
What type of tooth, found in lizards, does not grow back if it is lost or broken?
acrodont
Which reptiles have no teeth?
chelonians
The keratinized beak of turtles and tortoises is called a/an
tomium
Some species of __ require a diapause during incubation for the embryos to develop normally and proceed to hatching.
turtles and tortoises
Some species of __ require a diapause during incubation for the embryos to develop normally and proceed to hatching.
turtles and tortoises
Blood levels of __ are higher than normal in reptiles during vitellogenesis.
calcium
The type of lung structure found in turtles, lizards, and crocodilians is
multicameral.
Multicameral means the lung is divided into many compartments and has intrapulmonary bronchi. Paucicameral lungs have characteristics of both unicameral and multicameral lungs. A unicameral lung is a simple saclike structure with features of both lung tissue and air sacs. There is no tricameral lung structure. It would be a three-chamber lung.
Which group of animals does not have true eyelids but instead has spectacles?
snakes
Blood is most frequently drawn from the __ of a snake.
ventral coccygeal vein
Crocodilians rely on the __ to determine the sex of the hatchling.
temperature
The bony plates found within the dermis of some lizards and crocodilians are called
osteoderms
The bony plates within the dermis of some lizards and crocodilians are called osteoderms. They provide protection. Instead of eyelids, snakes have modified scales that cover the eyes; these scales are called the spectacle, or brille
Snakes have modified scales called __ instead of eyelids that cover their eyes.
brilles
The largest white blood cell in reptilian blood is the
monocyte
In which animal could the jugular vein be an option for venipuncture?
tortoise
Heterophils in reptilian blood are analogous to __ in mammalian blood.
neutrophills
The pigment-containing cells that allow some herptiles to change their skin color are called
chromatophores.
Chlorocytes are “green cells.” Clorophores are cells that contain green. Chromatocytes are pigmented cells.
Most frogs and toads are
oviparous
When a herptile goes into brumation, its
activity level drops until the POTZ (preferred optimal temperature zone) is restored.
Which chamber of the cloaca is the most caudal?
proctodeum
The coprodeum receives the rectum. The urodeum is where the urogenital openings, urethra, and some male reproductive organs are found. There is no colodeum.
Which chamber of the cloaca is the most caudal?
proctodeum
The coprodeum receives the rectum. The urodeum is where the urogenital openings, urethra, and some male reproductive organs are found. There is no colodeum.
Ecdysis in snakes is preceded by
opacity of the brille and dulling of skin color.
Because amphibians and reptiles are generally not able to generate their own body heat, they are referred to as
ectothermic
Vitellogenin is produced by the reptilian
liver
In snakes the ureters empty into the
urodeum
Which amphibians are capable of prolapsing their stomachs to empty and clean them?
frogs and toads
The columella is the __ in amphibians and reptiles
middle ear bone
Dysecdysis is
abnormal skin shedding
Hemipenes are found in
snakes and lizards
The hemipenes are the sex organs of snakes and lizards. Crocodiles, alligators, turtles, and tortoises have a phallus. Frogs and toads don’t have a penis.
The iris of reptiles is made up of
skeletal muscle
Because of an absence of __ vocalization in herptiles is limited.
vocal cords
In male reptiles the ductus deferens leads from the testes to the
urodeum.
The amphibian heart is similar in structure to that of a/an
snake
A turtle suffering from squamous metaplasia has a diet deficient in
Vit A
Which animal can lose its tail through tail autonomy?
lizard
