Reptiles Flashcards
Order Tuatara
Reptile only in NZ
Order Crocodile
2 aus species
Order Turtles
22 species, no tortoise in australia
Family Chelidae
Turtle family, Gondwanan, side necked turtles, freshwater
Family Carettochelydidae
Freshwater turtle, pitted shell
Family Cheloniidae
Marine, eg green turtle
Family Dermochelyidae
Marine, eg leatherback
Order Squamates
Lizards and snakes
Family Gekkonidae
Lizard family, geckos, vocal, sticky feet, tail autonomy, one or two clutch size
Family Pygopodidae
Legless lizards, tail autonomy, insectivores, one skink predator has jaw hinge like snakes, flap leg remnants, vocal, ears, fleshy tongue to lick fixed spectacle, clutch size of two, specialised gecko
Family Scincidae
Tail autonomy, most diverse, evolution leading to permanent spectacle in small dry w large eyes so probably water loss, inc blue tongue
Stumpy tail
forms monogamous bonds
Pygmy blue
Only australian reptile extinct, rediscovered ‘92
Genus Egernia
Skink genus, social, share burrows
Sand swimming skinks
Genus lerista, within, shows evolutionary limb reduction
Genus Ctenotus
Skink, in arid australia, high diversity
Family Agamidae
Dragons, 30mya arrival, fast moving, sun loving, sit and wait, visual displays, eg frill neck, bearded, thorny devil
Family Varanidae
Goannas, 30 mya arrival, 1 genus, energetic predator, ancient giant butcher, forked tongue like snakes so possible descent
Family typhlopidae
bling snakes, feed on eggs and larvae of termites, only invert feeding aus snake, reduced eyes, smooth scales, probably primitive snake,
Family Pythonidae
30 mya arrival, heat sensitive pits except reptile feeding, brood eggs by shivering
Family Acrochordidae
File snakes, rough skin used to grip fish, aquatic, slow metabolism, northern distribution
Family Colourbridae
Non monophyletic snake group, thousands of years ago arrival, eg green tree snake
Family Elapidae
30 mya arrival, snakes, front fanged and venomous, inc tiger, death adder, etc
Family Laticaudidae
Sea kraits, partially terrestrial, lay eggs on land, evolved from elapids, paddle shaped tail
Family Hydrophiidae
Sea Snakes, fully aquatic, evolved from elapids, paddle shaped tails, evolved from tiger snake group, live bearers
Venom Clade
Snakes and goannas
Viviparity
response to temperature, evolved many times independently
