Reptiles

Question 1

There are 4 classes in the reptile clade. What are they?

Answer 1

Class Reptilia - snakes, lizards and tuataras
Class Chelonia - turtles and tortoises
Class Eusuchia - crocodiles and alligators
Class Aves - birds

Question 2

What is the largest tortoise or land turtle?

Answer 2

Galapagos giant tortoise (or Madagascar?)

Question 3

What is the largest living turtle?

Answer 3

Leatherback turtle

Question 4

What kinds of environments are the members of class chelonia adapted to?

Answer 4

Turtles are adapted to marin, freshwater and terrestrial habitats

Question 5

What are the pieces of a turtle shell?

Answer 5

Dorsal carapace and Ventral plastron

• skeleton fused with inner shell
• pieces connected with a bridge

Question 6

What are Scutes?

Answer 6

scales with keratin underlain with bone

- reinforced scales

Question 7

How many bones compose the carapace of the shell? What is it derived from?

Answer 7

59-61 bones

likely derived from and fused with ribs and vertebrae

Question 8

What is the Plastron derived from?

Answer 8

bones of the shoulder girdle and abdominal ribs

- some species have a hinged or movable plastron

Question 9

What do turtles and tortoises have in place of teeth?

Answer 9

horny ridges

Question 10

What is the reproductive method of class chelonia?

Answer 10

Oviparous - egg laying

- internal fertilization

Question 11

What kind of environment do turtles lay their eggs?

Answer 11

terrestrial

Question 12

How do you tell lizards from amphibians?

Answer 12

all lizards have scales and most have claws

- Geckos have adhesive toe pads

Question 13

How do you differentiate legless lizards from snakes?

Answer 13

Lizards have moveable eyelids and external ear openings

Question 14

What are 2 kinds of legless lizards?

Answer 14

Glass lizards

Amphisbaenians - worm lizards

Question 15

What are Amphisbaenians?

Answer 15

Legless worm lizards

Question 16

What are the reproductive modes of Class Reptilia?

Answer 16

Most are oviparous

• some are ovoviviparous
• viviparous

Question 17

What is parthenogenesis with respect to parthenogenic lizards? What is the advantage?

Answer 17

Asexual reproduction (no egg fertilization) 
- advantage for colonization

Question 18

What is caudal autonomy?

Answer 18

ability to drop tail to distract a predator

Question 19

What are 2 typical threats to BC reptiles?

Answer 19

Habitat Loss and Road Kill

Question 20

All lizards are terrestrial except?

Answer 20

Marine iguana endemic to the galapagos

Question 21

What do marine iguanas eat?

Answer 21

only herbivorous lizard that eats green algae

Question 22

How does an ectomorph reptile such as the marine iguana maintain body temperatures while diving?

Answer 22

Bask in sun and restrict peripheral circulation in the cold ocean

Question 23

What is in the order Squamata?

Answer 23

Suborder serpentes (ophidia)(snakes)

Question 24

What are 6 characteristics of snakes?

Answer 24

Legless
Scales, dry skin
No movable eyelids
No external ears - deaf
Highly sensitive to tactile and chemical receptors
Highly kinetic skull

Question 25

What are 6 features that make the rattlesnake a highly evolved predator?

Answer 25

Venom fangs (hollow, immobilize prey) Pit organs detect infrared (heat sensing) Eyes for daytime vision Rattle for warning Cryptic (camoflage) and aposematic (recognizable warning to predators) colouration Body that detects vibrations

Question 26

What is the function of the Jacobson's organ?

Answer 26

Detects large molecules like pheromones

Question 27

What 4 organs are part of the pheromone/molecule sensing of a snake?

Answer 27

Brain, nerves, jacobson's organ, forked tongue

Question 28

What role does the forked tongue play in sensing with the Jacobson's organ?

Answer 28

Forked tongue flickers and collects molecules, forked tongue fits into place with the jacobson's organ and transfers molecules

Question 29

How do snakes eat prey much larger than it appears their mouths/bodies can fit if they don't chew?

Answer 29

Slow intake of prey possible because of mandibular liberation

Question 30

What is mandibular liberation?

Answer 30

mandibles of lower jaw expand to accomodate large prey they bottom jaw is not fused and each side can move independently connected with ligaments quadrate and mandibular joint also play a role

Question 31

What kind of fertilization do snakes have?

Answer 31

internal - adapted to terrestrial life

Question 32

What is a hemipenis in snakes?

Answer 32

2 that are remnants of a bilateral body plan

Question 33

Which 4 BC snakes are oviparous?

Answer 33

great basin gopher snake night snake western yellow-bellied racer sharp-tailed snake (endemic)

Question 34

Are there any BC snakes that are viviparous?

Answer 34

No | - boa constrictors and green anacondas do though but not local species

Question 35

What are 2 BC snakes that are ovoviviparous?

Answer 35

all 3 species of garter snakes | rubber boa

Question 36

What are 3 characteristics of Tuataras and where are they found?

Answer 36

Between bird and reptile clade Superficially look like lizards Third eye on top of head that likely only sees light and dark (no shapes) and is covered/protected by scales

Question 37

What is Class Eusuchia?

Answer 37

Crocodiles and alligators | formerly Crocodylia

Question 38

How do you tell Crocodiles and Alligators apart?

Answer 38

Head shape of alligator is broad and crocodile comes to a knobby point The 4th tooth of the lower jaw of a crocodile sticks out and upwards

Question 39

Do reptiles exhibit parental care?

Answer 39

Most don't but crocodillians do

Question 40

Reptiles, turtles, crocs and birds have epidermal scales composed of what material?

Answer 40

Keratin

Question 41

How do the scales of reptiles differ from fish?

Answer 41

Reptile scales are not separate | - continuous sheet

Question 42

What happens when reptiles grow and produce new skin?

Answer 42

They shed | - snakes shed in a continuous sheath

Question 43

What is different about the amniotic eggs of reptiles and birds?

Answer 43

they are surrounded by a leathery or calcarous shell

Question 44

What are 4 extraembryonic membranes?

Answer 44

Amnion Allantois Chorion Yolk sac

Question 45

What is the function of the amnion?

Answer 45

protects embryo within aquatic environment

Question 46

What is the function of the yolk sac?

Answer 46

provides nutrients

Question 47

What is the function of the allantois?

Answer 47

stores metabolic wastes | -fuses with chorion for gas exchange

Question 48

What is the function of the chorion?

Answer 48

functions in gas exchange between extraembryonic membranes and the rest of the amniotic egg

Question 49

What is the albumin?

Answer 49

egg white

Question 50

What are 3 reproductive characteristics of reptiles and turtles?

Answer 50

internal fertilization special insemination organs for males some females can store sperm

Question 51

What might be one reason for ovovivipary in cold climates?

Answer 51

eggs are retained for thermoregulation

Question 52

What is an advantage of having an amnoitic egg?

Answer 52

No longer bound to aquatic environment

Question 53

What adaptation to shelled eggs do hatching reptiles, snakes, lizards and even birds possess?

Answer 53

Egg tooth to aid in hatching

Question 54

Most animals have their sex determined genetically. What is different about crocodiles, tuataras, and many turtles and lizards in this respect?

Answer 54

environmental sex determination such as ambient temperature - protein or enzyme dependent on temp that is responsible for estrogen/testosterone production - food for thought:effects of climate change?

Question 55

What are 4 methods that aquatic turtles use to respire?

Answer 55

lungs (no gills) skin lining of the throat bursae (vascular sacs in cloaca)

Question 56

How is blood in reptiles oxygenated?

Answer 56

lungs (not gills)

Question 57

How many chambers are in the heart of a reptile or turtle?

Answer 57

3 | oxygenated and deoxygenated blood intermingle

Question 58

How many chambers are in the heart of crocodilians?

Answer 58

4 like birds and mammals separation of ventricles more efficient adaptation

Question 59

How many chambers are in the heart of fish?

Answer 59

2 | oxygenated blood doesn't get pumped through heart?

Question 60

What are 2 adaptations for water conservation?

Answer 60

kidneys excrete uric acid (as nitrogenous waste - less water than urea) glands that excrete salt near nose or eyes - crocodile tears!

Question 61

Describe uric acid

Answer 61

a semi-solid paste that is largely insoluble in water and results in little water loss

Question 62

Where do turtles crocodiles and marine birds excrete salt?

Answer 62

orbital glands near eyes

Question 63

Where do sea snakes excrete excess salt?

Answer 63

sublingual glands under tongue

Question 64

Where do lizards excrete excess salt?

Answer 64

nasal glands

Question 65

Define Ectothermic

Answer 65

use of environmental temperature to regulate body temperature

Question 66

Why are reptiles the best thermoregulators?

Answer 66

reptiles use environment and therefore don't need to eat as much for metabolism fish are limited by areas of low spatial thermal heterogeneity - geography limited, swim long distances to reach different temps Amphibians are limited by vulnerability to dessication - warm usually = dry and would suffocate Birds and mammals use behavioral thermoregulation to stay within an ambient temp range w/in which they can maintain body temp

Question 67

Where do alot of invasive reptiles originate?

Answer 67

as released pets