BIO 102: GENERAL BIOLOGY II - REPTILES

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the general characteristics, biology, and ecological adaptations of reptiles as discussed in BIO 102.

Reptiles

Cold-blooded animals belonging to the class Reptilia characterized by scales, the ability to lay eggs, and air-breathing lungs.

Tetrapod vertebrates

Animals that have back-bones and mostly four legs, with snakes being a notable exception among reptiles.

Class Reptilia

A group of air-breathing vertebrates characterized by internal fertilization, amniotic development, and epidermal scales.

Snakes

Legless reptiles with more than $3,000$ species that live everywhere except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand.

Crocodilians

Large predatory reptiles including alligators, crocodiles, caiman, and gharials.

Chamaeleo calyptratus

The scientific name for the veiled chameleon, which lives up to $8$ years and can grow up to $24$ inches.

Tortoises

Land-dwelling reptiles with round, stumpy legs that typically look like tiny elephant feet.

Turtles

Reptiles that spend much of their time in water, characterized by webbed feet or, in the case of sea turtles, true flippers.

Lizards

A group with over $6,000$ species worldwide that shed their skin in large chunks rather than all at once like snakes.

Adder

The only venomous snake native to Britain.

Ectothermic

A characteristic of cold-blooded animals that rely on external sources of heat to maintain body temperature rather than internal metabolic processes.

Three-chambered heart

The circulatory organ found in most reptiles, consisting of $2$ atria and $1$ ventricle.

Oviparous

The reproductive strategy of laying hard-shelled eggs outside the body, which is how most reptiles reproduce.

Pit organs

Specialized heat-sensing organs found in snakes and pit vipers.

Uricotelic

Organisms that excrete uric acid as the main nitrogenous waste product during protein metabolism.

Ecological adaptations

The process by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment through changes in physiology, behavior, or morphology.

Brumation

A dormant state similar to hibernation that some reptiles enter to conserve energy.

Salt glands

Specialized glands in some reptiles that excrete excess salt, allowing them to inhabit salty environments.

Temperature-dependent sex determination

A process where the soil temperature around the nest determines the ratio of male to female offspring.

Keratinized scales

Dry skin structures in reptiles that prevent water loss and provide physical protection.

Cloaca

A multipurpose opening and internal organ used by reptiles for gas exchange, excretion, and reproduction.

Monitor lizard

A large type of lizard known to prey on animals as big as deer.