zoology reptiles exam

7 characteristics of reptiles

vertebrates, terrestrial (breathe through lungs), limbs, skin covered by scutes, poikilothermic and ectothermic, 3 or 4 chambered heart, oviparous

how many chambers does a reptile heart have

3 chambers, but crocodiles are the exception with 4 chambers

are reptiles oviparous, ovoviviparous, or viviparous?

oviparous and can also be ovoviviparous

what is mesothermic

intermediate between endo and ectothermic

4 orders of reptiles

snakes, turtles, lizards, crocs/alligators

colorado state reptile

western painted turtle

tuatara

last surviving member of an ancient group called rhynchoephalia, kinda lizards, can be found in new zealand

how to geckos walk on walls

they have setae, which are microscopic hair like structures that hold the gecko onto the wall

venom

a toxin that is injected

toxins

poisonous substance produced by a living organism

poisons

a toxin passively delivered by being ingested or inhaled or absorbed

4 types of toxins

necrotoxins and cytotoxins: kill cells

neurotoxins: disrupt the nervous system

myotoxins: disrupt the muscles

hemotoxins: disrupt the flow of blood

which types of venom do rattlesnakes have

hemo and neuro toxins

which kind of venom do cobras have

neurotoxins

which kind of venom to cottonmouths have

hemotoxins

what is ecdysis

when snakes shed their skin

similarities and differences between alligators and crocs

crocs are more agressive, both are predators, crocs are bigger, alligators are restricted to freshwater, crocs are found in fresh and salt water, alligators have a broader snout than crocs.

what are the jaw muscles of alligators and crocs

they’re diapsids

what is fenestrae

a hole in the skull that provides attatchment for jaw muscles.

what are the jaw muscles of dinosaurs

they’re diapsids

describe the evolution of dinosaurs from reptiles to birds

gradual changes like feathers, shrinking body size, development of an agile beak

what are the geologic time zones for dinosaurs

triassic, jurassic, cretaceous

what happened to the size of dinosaurs as they evolved

they got bigger

describe archosaur evolution into 2 groups: crocs and dinosaurs

crocs evolved into modern crocs and dinosaurs include dinos, birds and pterosaurs

ornithschians

walks on four legs, plant eater

saurischians

walks on 2 legs, carnivore