Reptiles Flashcards
Extirpated
ceases to exist in chosen area
Reptiles Ranked by Species Richness (least to greatest)
Tuataras
Crocodilians
Turtles
Squamates
oviparous
egg layers
viviparous
live bearers
parthenogenesis
asexual females
Major Reptile Groups
testudines
crocodylia
sphenodontida
squamata
where is the order testudines?
cosmopolitan; terrestrial, fresh & marine waters
where if the order crocodylia
tropics and subtropics globa
where is the order sphenodontida?
small islands around New Zeland
where is the order squamata?
cosmopolitan
osteoderms
bony plates on back and tail
carapace
upper turtle shell
plastron
lower turtle shell
tomium
turtle beak (no teeth)
terrestrial turtle
tortoise
semiaquatic turtle
terrapin
cryptodires (turtles)
hidden-neck
pleurodires (turtles)
side-neck
Lepidosaurs (reptile suborder)
tuataras & squamates
ecdysis
shedding
Acrodont
teeth attached on top
Pleurodont
teeth attached on side
Thecodont
teeth attached inside (crocs)
tympanum
eardrum
relicts
living fossils
caudal autotomy
voluntarily amputating the tail
difference between snakes & lizzards
snakes are missing ear openings
weer fishing (gators)
creating a dam with body. animals have to pass snout
families and species of crocs in FL:
2 families, 2 species
families and species of chelonians in FL:
29
families and species of squamates (lizards):
17
families and species of squamates (snakes):
48
family alligatoridae
wide snouts with separated nostrils. overbite
American Alligator
habitats: mostly fresh water
range: statewide
other: males can grow to 14 ft. mainly nocturnal. vocal. create wallows during low water. threatened in ’70s
family crocodylidae
narrow snout. interlocking jaw. nostrils are together
American Crocodile
Habitat: fresh water & estuaries
range: southern FL coasts
other: males can grow to 15 ft.
nocturnal. federally threatened
family rhineuridae
worm lizards: look like pink worms
Florida Worm Lizard
range: almost endemic, central/north peninsula
other: completely fossorial. not well known
family anguidae
glass lizards: pleat/groove runs length of body. legless
Eastern Glass Lizard
habitat: open and grassy areas
range: entire state
other: burrow in grasses and sandy soils
family gekkonidae
geckos: lack eyelids
dorsoventrally flattened
toes with lamellae (1 native but 12 introduced)
FL reef gecko
tiny and brown. yellow and brown stripes on head
smallest native lizard
lay single eggs year round
family phrynosomatidae
spiny lizards (FL scrub and eastern fence)
keeled pointed scales
blocky heads
males have blue bellies
eastern fence lizard
gray with chevrons
FL scrub lizard
broad brown lateral band
endemic
family dactyloidae (polychroditae)
anoles (1 native, 10 introduced)
granular scales
dewlap
can change color
green anole
range:entire state
ability to change from green to brown
family scincidae
skinks (7 species)
most species rich lizard
smooth scales w/ osteoderms underneath
caudal autonomy
ability to drop tail
dewlap
throat pouch
mole skink
brown/beige bodies and colored tails
range: most of state
pocket gopher mounds
FL sand skink
dark flecks and eye stripe
endemic
Habitat: scrub
“sandswimmer”
southeastern 5-lined skink
5 thin stripes (not male… males have a red head during breeding)
broad-headed skink
jowls are bright orange/red when breeding
central FL
mother broods eggs
little brown skink
dark dorsolateral stripes and yellow belly
terrestrial.. moves like a serpent
mother does NOT brood eggs
family teiidae
whiptails
six-lined racerunner
six-lined racerunner
brown/black with 6 stripes
white belly females and juvys
bluish belly males
“sandstreak” very fast
family chelydridae
snapping turtles
reduced plastron
strong claws
4 species
snapping turtle
long neck, relatively wide snout
alligators snapping turtle
north FL
largest freshwater turtle in NA
worm-like lure in mouth
family emydidae
basking/pond turtles
11 native species
chicken turtle
olive carapace with net-like markings, yellow plastron
barbours map turtle
greenish/brown “sawback” carapace
range: specific panhandle rivers
extreme sexual dimorphism
threatened by pet trade
diamond backed terrapin
grey skin with black flecks
coastline of entire state
turtle soup, crab traps, and pet trade
eastern box turtle
highly domed shell, orange/yellow dashes
panhandle
most terrestrial FL emydid
males have a concave plastron
Florida box turtle
highly domed shell
thin yellow lines
south FL and keys / statewide
Suwannee cooter
dark carapace with a “C” on most scutes
west/central FL
peninsular cooter
dark carapace
peninsula
often killed on roads
Fl red-bellied cooter
reddish bar on costal scutes
mainly in peninsula
live close to alligators
family Kinosternidae
mud and musk turtles distinct head stripes muds: "K" on kinged plastron musks: reduced plastron 4 species aquatic "bottom walkers"
striped mud turtle
brown carapace w/ 3 light stripes
statewide but not in far west panhande
loggerhead musk turtle
brown carapace w/ dark flecks
not in southern half of peninsula
fully aquatic
family testudinidae
tortoises
terrestrial burrower
1 species
gopher tortoise
state-wide minus everglades
family trionychidae
soft shells
long necks and snorkel like snout
3 species in FL
Florida softshell
brown unmarked carapace
most heavily harvested species
spiny softshell
spiny tubercles in nuchal region
panhandle rivers
family cheloniidae
hard shelled sea turtles
flippers
4 species in FL
green sea turtle
named for green fat not outer appearance
loggerhead sea turtle
most abundant in FL
uses altering gate on land
family dermochelyidae
leatherback sea turtles
black/grey teardrop shaped shell
1 species in FL
leatherback sea turtle
black with white blotches
mouth and throat lines with spines
family colubridae
non-venomous
~20 species in FL
shakes tail
scarletsnake
red-black-cream bands
black racer / north American racer
white chin throat
coachwhip
scale pattern resembles braided bullwhip
eastern indigo snake
black/blue with reddish chin and grey belly
red cornsnake
reddish blotches outlined in black, “V” on head
eastern ratsnake / yellow ratsnake
dark yellow with 4 dark longitudinal stripes
gray ratsnake
grey/brown with blotches and weakly keeled scales
scarlet kingsnake
rounded red snout, alternating red-black-yellow bands (around entire body)
short-tailed snake
slender, grey body with dark brown blotches, short tail
pine snake
tan/grayish body, brown/gray blotches on sides
rough green snake
thin body, bright green back, yellow belly
FL crowned snake
thin reddish-tan with black head
endemic
rim rock crowned snake
pinkish tan with black cap on head/neck
endemic
family dipsadidae
previously in colubridae oviparous rear fanged produce mild venom that is not harmful to humans relatively small 5 species in FL
ring-necked snake
small, glossy black/gray with orange/yellow belly and orange/yellow collar
mud snake
glossy black with red/black checkerboard pattern on sides
eastern hognose
turned up snout
plays dead when harassed
pinewoods snake
“yellow-lipped snake” small/thin yellowish-brown body and darker head
family natricidae
previously in colubridae semi-aquatic, live-bearers mild venom- not harmful to humans strongly keeled scales ~20 species in FL
banded watersnake
variable pattern/color
FL green watersnake
olive green with small dark flecks/bars
brown water snake
brown body with alternating black blotches
*confused with cottonmouth
striped crayfish snake
dark brown with 3 faint stripes on back
black swamp snake
small shiny and black
Florida brown snake
very small, gray/reddish brown body. faint stripes and “collar”
eastern ribbon snake
very slender w/ long tail and 3 light stripes on back and sides
common gartersnake
greenish body with numerous dashes given a checkerboard look
