Reptile Lecture Test Review Flashcards
Ectothermic
No metabolic heat, relies on outside environment to regulate
Reptilia + Amphibia
Herpetology
Parthenogenesis
female asexual reproduction
Most reptiles have ( ) offspring
Precocial
Oviparous vs viviparous
egg vs live bearer
Ecithotrophic vivipartiy (ovoviviparity)
eggs retained in female until developed
Lizard hearing
typanum
Snake hearing
sense vibrations with jaw, quadrate bone
Orders
Testudines, crocodylia, sphenodontia, squamata
Crocodilian teeth
thecodont (fully rooted)
Osteoderms
bony plates on crocodilians
Cryptodira
hidden-neck (SO)
Pleurodira
side-neck (SO)
Crocodilia heart
four chambered
Lepidosaurs
tuataras and squamates together. no mandibular fenestra, teeth in sockets
Chelonia dentition
no teeth, tomium with rhamphotheca
Archosaurs
mandibular fenestra, “ruling reptiles”
ecdysis
shedding
acrodont and pleurodont
incomplete attachment of teeth to jaw
caudal autotomy
fracture planes in tail, ability to drop and grow back
tuatara
one species left (monotypic?), NZ
genitalia
hemipenes and hemiclitorises
alligators have an ( )
overbite
alligator nostrils are
separated
world record gator length
14 ft 9 in
don’t harass gators but especially dont do it _
dusk till dawn
crocodiles have
interlocking teeth
crocodiles have ( ) nostrils
close
scute seams follow bone sutures, T or F
F
Snapping turtle plastron
reduced with only bridge, skin showing
Leatherback shells have
7 ridges, throat spines (feed on jellyfish)
Spectacled caiman
invasive, u shaped bony protuberance between eyes, pet trade
3 of the 5 breeding invasive turtles in FL are found where?
Pond on FIU campus
Invasive breeding snake localized to rock pit, may be gone now
Javan file snake
FWC pet amnesty
days where you can return an invasive pet at no cost
number of breeding invasive lizards in FL
50
AST bite force
1150 lbs
Lingual luring
tongue appears like worm to prey, used by juvenile ASTs
AST diet
everything but a human toe, acorns
biggest AST threats
bushhooks, trotlines
AST population estimate
4334
AST nesting
exit water to lay in dry open area. unknown how hatchlings find their way back to water
AST growth
F stop growing at 35, M slows at 60 but doesn’t stop
AST sexual maturity
reached in 11-21 years
American Alligator range
Coastal plains in SE, not beyond fall line
AA floating
Buoyancy in head via sinuses
AA fishing
forms weir with body to trap fish at tail or force in front of mouth
AA temp regulation
basking
AA nesting
Eggs hatch in mid-june. other animals lay eggs in alligator nests, mounds of grass and vegetation to cover them. hatchlings vocalize in eggs alerting mother to open the nest
AA courtship
Courtship in apr-may, head touching “face off,” “orgies”
AA sex determination
Colder - F. Higher - M. Super high - 95% F.
Number of venomous snakes in FL
6 (7 w/ cottonmouth split, 5 NF)
Pitviper dentition
solenoglyph (rotating maxilla, erectile fangs)
Elapid dentition
proteroglyph (fixed maxilla and fangs)P
Pitviper venom
hemotoxic (destroy red blood cells, irregular clotting)
Elapid venom
neurotoxic (interferes with transmission of nerve signals)
Venom use
Subduing prey - not for defense
Venom mnemonic
Yellow Red STOP
Venomous snake victims
primarily male, primarily handling the snake, primarily pygmy or cottonmouth victims (copperhead range doesn’t match with NF)
Post-venomous bite procedure
Take off jewelry and tight clothing and immediately call 911. Keep the impacted extremity below the heart. Do not use any tools or tourniquets to try and remove the venom or block it off.
Dry bite
Bite from a venomous snake in which no venom was dispensed
AA water needs
Need water to survive. digging out peat to wet mud so as not to dry out, forming islands on prairie and in everglades when water is low
