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Exotics & Lab Animal Medicine > Reptile Biology, Anatomy, & Husbandry > Flashcards

Reptile Biology, Anatomy, & Husbandry Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 divisions of reptilia?

A
  1. Testudines (Chelonians) - turtles
  2. Squamata - lizards, snakes
  3. Crocodilia - crocodiles, alligators
  4. Rhynochocephalia - unique lizard species

(Reptilia is the largest and oldest group of vertebrates)

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2
Q

What are 4 causes of variable metabolic rates in reptiles?

A
  1. ambient temperature
  2. diet
  3. size
  4. species

(overall SLOW)

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3
Q

What does the lower aerobic capacity of reptiles cause?

A

switching rapidly to anaerobic metabolism causes quick drainage of energy reserves —> easily fatigued and cannot withstand long-term activity

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4
Q

How do reptiles thermoregulate? How are they able to increase and decrease their internal temperatures?

A

ectothermic - derive heat from the environment

  • INCREASE = basking, color change, cardiovascular shunting, coiling
  • DECREASE = seek shade, soak in water, gular fluttering, panting
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5
Q

What is the difference between heliothermic and thigmothermic?

A

gaining heat from the sun

deriving warmth from objects in its environment

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6
Q

What are the major pro and con to ectothermy?

A

PRO = don’t need huge food sources for energy

CON = activity depends on temperature

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7
Q

What is the preferred optimal temperature zone?

A

range of temperature reptiles require to be able to thermoregulate —> varies across all species

  • out of zone = disease
  • should allow a gradient enclosures so pet can warm up AND cool down
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8
Q

What are the 2 parts of turtle shells?

A
  1. carapace = top, dome-shaped
  2. plastron = bottom, flat; males’ are concave to facilitate mating
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9
Q

What makes up a turtle’s shell? What is it covered by?

A

dermal bone

keratinized epidermal scales = scutes (innervated and vascularized!)

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10
Q

How are the scutes of turtles named?

A
  • outermost = marginal
  • at the neck = nuchal
  • midline = vertebral
  • between M and O = costal
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11
Q

How does the external anatomy of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine chelonians differ?

A

higher carapace with short legs

shorter carapace with webbed toes

elongated limbs for swimming

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12
Q

What sexual dimorphism is common in lizards?

A

males tend to have longer casts/veils

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13
Q

What are the 2 major functions of lizard tails?

A
  1. prehensile
  2. adipose storage

some species can drop for defense!

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14
Q

What are 2 common adaptations of lizard distal limbs?

A
  1. adhesive lamella - common in geckos that walk vertically to climb smooth surfaces
  2. zygodactyl - climbing, traversing uneven terrain (chameleons!)
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15
Q

What scale is found on the abdomen of snakes?

A

gastropeges - single scale spans the entire ventrum and aids in locomotion

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16
Q

What is the integument of reptiles like? What 3 adaptations can be found within it?

A

heavily keratinized scales (epithelium)

  1. glands - scent glands found on inner thigh, salt glands near nares, musk gland at cloaca
  2. chromatophores - camouflage, temperament (chameleons)
  3. osteoderms - bony plates
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17
Q

What is ecdysis?

A

shedding of old layers of scales when lymph separates it from the newly growing layers and activates enzymes

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18
Q

What controls ecdysis? How does it compare in snakes?

A

thyroid hormones

snakes shed scales all at once, while other reptiles tend to do little by little

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19
Q

What is a spectacle/speculum? In what species is it seen?

A

epithelial covering over the eye that becomes opaque upon ecdysis

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20
Q

How has the skull of snakes adapted?

A
  • lack mandibular symphysis
  • quadrate bone and palatomaxillary arch are looser

allows to have a small mouth able to eat large prey —> able walks food into esophagus, yawning pushes further

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21
Q

What are vestigial spurs?

A

external protrusions found around the cloaca of primitive snakes (boas, pythons) —> remnants of femur

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22
Q

How does the heart of chelonians, snakes, lizards, and crocodilia compare?

A

C, S, L = 3 chambers, 2 atria + 1 ventricle

CR = 4 chambers with foramen between R and L aorta

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23
Q

What is unique about the cardiovascular system of reptiles? What advantage does this have?

A

cardiac shunt (R to L)

during periods of oxygen starvation, blood is able to bypass the lungs (pulmonary artery constricts) and perfuse vital organs —> snake swallowing, turtle diving

  • pneumonia = increased lung resistance, blood not reaching where it needs to be
24
Q

What landmark must be avoided when performing celiotomies on reptiles?

A

ventral abdominal vein rund directly on midline and forks caudally

celiotomy approach is slightly off midline

25
Q

How are injections of medications given to reptiles? Why?

A

must AVOID injecting any drugs in the caudal portion of the body

renal portal system sends blood from hindlimbs and tail directly to kidneys, liver, or heart before reaching systemic circulation (allows for nephrotoxic drugs to go directly to kidneys without being metabolized)

26
Q

Reptile blood cells:

A
27
Q

How does the lymphatic systems of reptiles compare to other animals?

A

better developed lymphatic system compared to venous system —> lack lymph nodes, but have a vast plexiform lymphatic network

  • lymph contamination common in blood draws, especially in turtles!
28
Q

What are the 4 functions of the reptile respiratory system?

A
  1. gas exchange
  2. vocalization
  3. buoyancy
  4. display
29
Q

How do reptiles prefer to breathe? Where is the glottis found?

A

through nares with paired paramedian clefts in palate (issues with shedding can cause open mouth breathing)

behind the tongue

30
Q

How is the lower airway of Chelonians and Crocodilia unique? What is the lung parenchyma of reptiles like?

A

complete tracheal rings

simple, sac-like, with honeycomb network of faveoli (where gas exchange occurs) +/- aquatic species may be able to exchange gas through their integument

31
Q

What are 2 reasons that reptiles typically easily develop respiratory disease?

A
  1. most species lack a diaphragm = no ability to cough
  2. primitive bronchociliar transport system

will seek cool temperatures to conserve oxygen

32
Q

What controls reptile respiration? How should reptiles be stimulated to breath?

A

low blood oxygen —> increased temp/CO2 = increased tidal volume; decreased O2 = increased RR

DON’T place in oxygen tank, they will not be stimulated to breath —> provide heat (incubator, light source)

33
Q

Where are the lungs of Chelonians found? How do they breathe?

A

fused to the underside of the carapace and separated from ventral cavity by a thin non-muscular post-pulmonary septum —> chest does NOT expand

powerful trunk muscles attached to post-pulmonary septum

(VERY tolerant of hypoxia and can convert to anaerobic metabolism)

34
Q

What are the lungs of primitive snakes and lizards like? Glottis?

A
  • snakes = 2 lungs, right longer than left
  • lizards = caudal one third is non-respiratory and function as an air sac

very mobile, right at base of tongue

35
Q

How does the dentition of Chelonians and snakes compare?

A

CHELONIANS - lack teeth

SNAKES - 6 rows of teeth (4 upper, 2 lower) that curve backwards to prevent prey from escaping

36
Q

How is the dentition of venomous snakes different?

A

modified maxillary teeth (fangs) —> bite and chew to express venom

37
Q

How does the herbivorous digestive system compare to carnivores? Do reptiles have gallbladders?

A

prominent cecum

usually —> biliverdin is main bile pigment

38
Q

What is commonly seen in the caudal coelon or tail of reptiles?

A

fat pads

39
Q

Why should anorexic reptiles especially not be force fed?

A

temperature dysregulation due to diseased state can cause food to sit in static GIT and putrefy

40
Q

Where are the kidneys of reptiles found? How do they differ in Chelonians/lizards and snakes?

A

dorsocaudal coelon (nephromegaly = constipation!)

  • C/L = symmetrical
  • S = right cranial
41
Q

What to reptile kidneys lack?

A
  • loop of Henle = isosthenuric urine
  • renal pelvis and pyramids
42
Q

What species of reptiles can contain urinary bladders? How do species lacking it void urine?

A

Chelonians and some lizards

displace urine into colon, where water is absorbed

43
Q

How do the different species of reptiles excrete urine?

A
  • AQUATIC = ammonia, urea, uric acid
  • TERRESTRIAL = uric acid
44
Q

What disease process does dehydration commonly cause?

A

kidney damage —> uric acid buildup —> GOUT

45
Q

What is the normal genitalia of male reptiles like? How is it unique in lizards, snakes, chelonians, and crocodiles?

A

paired testicles

  • L/S = 2 extra-cloacal hemipenes just caudal to the cloaca, snakes also have sexual portion of kidneys
  • CH/CR = single intra-cloacal phallus
46
Q

What kinds of organs are the reptile hemipenes and phallus?

A

PURELY reproductive —> can be amputated

47
Q

What is the normal female reptile reproductive system like?

A
  • 2 ovaries
  • no true uterus
  • eggs develop in oviduct
48
Q

What are the 3 major reproductive strategies of female reptiles?

A
  1. oviparous - lay eggs
  2. ovoviviparous - produce eggs that hatch internally, birth live young
  3. viviparous - live young (vipers)
49
Q

What are the 3 portions of the reptile cloaca?

A
  1. coprodeum - GI empties
  2. urodeum - urinary, reproductive tracts empty
  3. proctodeum - common opening
50
Q

What is the goal of proper reptile housing?

A

mimic natural habitat of the species

  • arboreal species = vertical space
  • terrestrial species = horizontal space
  • heat and humidity to maintain POTZ
51
Q

What lighting should be provided for reptiles? What is required for vitamin D3 synthesis?

A

light and heat gradients —> bright AND shade

UV light and heat —> decreased = metabolic bone disease

52
Q

Why is the type of UV lamp important to understand?

A

not all are the same —> differenct distances, dispersal, and intensities

53
Q

What reptiles are herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores?

A
  • HERBIVORES = lizards, chelonians
  • OMNIVORES = lizards, chelonians
  • CARNIVORES = lizards, chelonians, ALL snakes

BEARDED DRAGONS —> juvenile = carnivorous, adult = omnivorous and if improperly transitioned, obesity and hepatic lipidosis is common

54
Q

What supplementation is important for proper reptile nutrition? What is the preferred method of feeding?

A

calcium, minerals, vitamins

gut load insects - insects can groom dust off themselves

55
Q

What is key to proper reptile nutrition?

A

VARIETY —> different types of insects, veggies, and fruits

56
Q

What is an important aspect to welfare of reptiles in captivity?

A

enrichment

  • pegboard allows snakes to climb and totally stretch out
  • outdoors = natural UV light!

Exotics & Lab Animal Medicine (20 decks)

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