QUIZ #11 TAXONOMY

ANAPSIDA

NO TEMPORAL OPENINGS (SUBCLASS)

TESTUDINES

TURTLES AND TORTOISES (ORDER)

DIAPSIDA

SKULL WITH 2 TEMPORAL OPENINGS (SUBCLASS)

SQUAMATA

LIZARDS AND SNAKES (ORDER)

LACERTILIA 

LIZARDS (SUBORDER)

AMPHISBAENIA

WORM/LEGLESS LIZARDS (SUBORDER)

SERPENTES

SNAKES (SUBORDER)

SPHENODONTA 

TUATARA (ORDER)

ICHTHYOSAURIA

DOLPHIN-SHAPED MARINE REPTILES OF THE MESOSOZOIC (SUPERORDER)

SAUROPTERYGIA

MESOZOIC MARINE REPTILES (SUPERORDER)

ARCHOSAURIA

ADV TERRESTRIAL DIAPSIDS (SUPERORDER)

PLESIOSAURIA

LONG NECKED, PADDLE LIMBED (ORDER)

CROCODILIA

ALLIGATORS AND CROCODILES (ORDER)

PTEROSAURIA

FLYING ARCHOSAURS OF THE MESOZOIC (ORDER)

SAURISCHIA 

LIZARD HIPPED DINOSAURS; ORDER

SAUROPODS = GIANT QUADRAPEDAL HERBIVORES

THEROPODS = AGILE; BIPEDAL CARNIVORES 

SAUROPODOMORPHA

GIAN QUADRIPED HERBIVORE DINOS (ORDER)

THEROPODA (SUBORDER)

BIPEDAL CARNIVORE DINOS (SUBORDER)

ORNITHISCHIA

BIRD HIPPED DINOS = BIPEDAL AND QUADRAPEDAL HERBIVORES (SUBORDER)

ORNITHISCHIA 

BIRD HIPPED DINOS = BIPEDAL AND QUADRAPEDAL HERBIVORES (ORDER)

SYNAPSIDA (SKULL WITH 1 TEMPORAL OPENING)

SKULL WITH 1 TEMPORAL OPENING (SUBCLASS)

THERAPSIDA

MAMMAL-LIKE (ORDER)

TURTLE SPECIFICS

• Shell = fused skeletal bones (ribs + vertebrae)

• Covered by keratinized scutes (NOT scales, NOT skin)

• Plastron = flat bottom plate

• Color from pigment combinations

CRITICAL REPTILE CHARACTERS

✓ Ectodermal scales (NOT like fish scales)
✓ Amnion = membrane protecting embryo; fully terrestrial eggs
✓ Lungs in adults and young
✓ Direct development (NO larvae)
✓ 3-chambered heart (2 atria, 1 partially divided ventricle)

• Exception: Crocodilians have 4-chambered heart
  ✓ Cloaca = posterior chamber for digestive/excretory/reproductive
  ✓ Robust musculoskeletal system
  ✓ Advanced kidneys (better than amphibians)
  ✓ Dioecious (mostly); some parthenogenic

BIRD BASICS

• Feathers (evolved from reptile scales)

• Hollow, pneumatized bones (air-filled)

• Wings (modified forelimbs)

• 4-chambered heart (like crocodilians)

• Amnion present

• NO larvae (direct development)

• Uric acid as nitrogen waste

• Cloaca present

• Best vision on Earth

• Dioecious with parental care

Bird Reproduction: Altricial

born helpless (tree-nesters, like Blue Jay)

Bird Reproduction: Precocial

born independent (ground-nesters, like quail)

Flight Evolution Hypotheses:

1. Cursorial (ground-up): dinosaurs with feathers on forelimbs gradually used them for flight

2. Arboreal (trees-down): dinosaurs gliding down from trees

THERMOREGULATION TERMS

• Ectothermy: external heat sources (most reptiles)

• Endothermy: internal metabolic heat (some reptiles, birds, mammals)

• Homeothermy: stable internal temp regardless of environment (birds & mammals only)

REPRODUCTION TERMS

• Oviparous: eggs hatch AFTER laying

• Ovoviviparous: eggs hatch INSIDE body

• Viviparous: live birth (development inside body)

BIRDS VS. REPTILES - SHARED TRAITS

• Amniotic eggs

• Keratin scales

• Similar skull joints

• Single occipital condyle

• Nucleated RBCs

• Same ear structure

EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS

• Birds evolved from theropod dinosaurs (Suborder Theropoda)

• Birds are most closely related to crocodiles (both Archosauria)

• Therapsids → mammals (NOT reptiles)

• First reptiles evolved ~320 million years ago (Carboniferous)