Wildlife Anatomy 6: Aquatic Animals

Lecture 6: Aquatic Animals

List the Aquatic Animals of Australia

- Amphibians (frogs)

- Crocodile

- Freshwater Turtle

- Sea Turtle

Describe Frog Handling

- Wear Powder free gloves

- If using bare hands, rinse them in fresh water with no soap/antiseptic (Frogs readily absorb toxins percitaneously)

Describe Anatomical Differences of Frogs in terms of:

1. Fused Bones

2. Digits

3. Skin

4. Cardiopulmonary System

5. Renal Portal System

6. Ureters

7. Fertilisation

8. Sexing

1. Fused Radius + Ulna & Tibia + Fibula

2. 4 of Forefeet, 5 on hind feet

3. Permeable, moist, thin, not tightly adhered to underlying structures

4. 3 chambered heart, short trachea

5. Present in Amphibians

6. Open into the cloaca, urea stored in urinary bladder

7. External

8. Males smaller than females. Males develop nuptial pads during breeding season (helps them hold females), male has longer toes

Describe Venipuncture Sites in Frogs

Midline Abdominal Vein

Describe Anatomical Differences of Crocodiles in terms of:

1. Palatal Valve

2. Septum Post Hepaticum

3. Bladder

4. Heart

5. Foramen of Panizza

1. Seals the pharyngeal cavity while under water to prevent aspiration. Consists of Velum palati (Ventral flap of soft palate) & Gular fold (ventral compartment)

2. Diaphragm-like muscle. Separates thoracic and abdominal cavities

3. No Bladder

4. 4 Chambered. Have 2 aortas with Foramen of Panizza Between Left and right aortic arches

5. Allows conservation of Oxygen & supplies oxygen to the body

Describe Venipuncture Sites in Crocodiles in terms of:

1. Lateral Occipital Sinus

2. Ventral Coccygeal Vein

1. On the lateral aspect of head/neck

2. Lateral aspect of the tail%

Describe Freshwater Turtle Handling

- Always Support form the bottom and top

- Be careful of the legs & sharp end when handling, should use 2 hands

- Don't turn upside down - no msuculae diaphram

Describe Anatomical differences of Freshwater Turtles in terms of:

1. Feet

2. Lungs

3. Diaphram

Same as Tortoises But:

1. Webbed feet with claws - adapted for swimming & maintaining the ability to move onto land for hiding, feeding, nesting ect.

2. Have lungs, but live in water, can drown if weak

Describe Venipuncture Sites in Freshwater Turtles in terms of:

1. Jugular Vein

2. Subcarapacial Sinus

3. Brachial Vein

1. Side of neck

2. Dorsal of neck under shell

3. Forelimbs

Describe Sea Turtle Handling

- Firmly grasp the carapace, just caudal to the head with one hand and along the posterior carapace dorsal to the hind flippers with the other hand

- Wrap fingers around the front flippers at the shoulder

Describe the Anatomical Differences of Sea Turtles in terms of:

1. Carapace

2. Plastron

3. Flippers

4. Oesophagus

5. Salt glands

6. Sexing

1. Dorsal Shell. vertebral + rib bones (Rib & pleural bone) sit on peripheral bone

2. Ventral Shell

3. 5 Digital bones

4. Large Papillae structures

5. Allows Turtles to drink saltwater

6. Males have longer tails (In Adults)

Describe Venipuncture Sites of Sea Turtles in terms of:

1. Dorsal Cervical Sinus

2. External Jugular Vein

1. On dorsal neck

2. Lateral side of neck