Vertebrate Zoology Lab Practical 3

Incisors

Type of teeth used for grasping and picking; varies in size and shape depending on dietary function.

Canines

Teeth used for stabbing and holding prey; differs in size depending on whether the animal is omnivorous, herbivorous, or carnivorous.

Premolars & Molars

Teeth used for grinding and shearing, with specific cusps and occluding surfaces for effective chewing.

Hypsodont

High-crowned teeth that provide extra material for wear, commonly found in herbivorous animals.

Brachydont

Low-crowned teeth typically found in humans, designed for different dietary habits.

Carnassial

Enlarged, blade-like teeth in carnivores, specialized for slicing and chopping food. Associated with carnivores

Diastema

The gap or space in the dental arch, commonly found between incisor and canine teeth in some herbivores.

Dental Formula

A notation that indicates the number and types of teeth in a species' mouth.

Eutherians

I 3/3 C 1/1 P 4/4 M 3/3, totaling 44 teeth.

Marsupials

I 5/4 C 1/1 P 3/3 M 4/4, totaling 50 teeth.

Lophodont teeth

Teeth with elongated ridges (lophs) designed to provide maximum grinding surface for chewing.

Bunodont teeth

Teeth with low, rounded cusps typical in omnivores, allowing for a varied diet.

Loxodont teeth

extremely elongate lophs

lophs

ridges on the teeth

Didelphimorphia

marsupials

Soricomorpha

shrews and moles; insectivores

Chiroptera

bats

Lagomorpha

Hares, rabbits, and pikas; short tails, long ears, two front incisors

Rodentia

Rodents

Carnivora

Carnivores

Artiodactyla

Even-toed ungulates; frequently hooved, placental mammals

Didelphidae

“New World” opossums

Sorcidae

‘true’ shrews

Talpidae

Moles, desmans, and shrew-moles

Vespertilionidae

Vesper bats

Leporidae

Rabbits and hares

Castoridae

both extinct and extant beavers

Cricetidae

One of the largest families within Mammalia and Rodentia; broad diversity

Dipodidae

jerboas (kangaroo-like mice)

Muridae

“Old World” rodents; a large, diverse family of small rodents

Sciuridae

squirrels and chipmunks

Canidae

Canines/dog-like mammals

Procyonidae

Climbing carnivores; i.e. raccoons

Ursidae

Bears

Mustelidae

Small to mid-sized carnivores with elongated bodies; i.e. otters or badgers

Felidae

Felines

Cervidae

hoofed ruminates; deer

Hominidae

Great apes

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Short-tailed shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Masked shrew

Sorex cinereus

Star-nosed mole

Condylura cristata

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Hairy-tailed mole

Parascalops breweri

Big brown bat

Eptesicus fuscus

Little brown myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Indiana Bat

Myotis sodalis

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Beaver

Castor canadensis

Prairie and Meadow Voles

Microtus

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

White-footed and Deer Mice

Peromyscus

Meadow Jumping Mouse

Zapus hudsonius

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Norway Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Groundhog

Marmota monax

Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

13-lined Ground Squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Coyote

Canis latrans

Gray Fox

Urocyan cinereoargenteus

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Domestic Dog

Canis lupis familiaris

Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Black Bear

Ursus americanus

River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Least Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Mink

Mustela vison

Badger

Taxidea taxus

Domestic Cat

Felis catus

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Modern Humans

Homo sapiens

Chelydridae

Snapping turtles

Emydidae

Basking turtles

Kinosternidae

Mud and musk turtles

Trionychidae

Softshell turtles

Plasteron

the lower part of a turtle’s shell; consists of fused clavicle and ribs

Carapace

The upper part of a turtle’s shell; consists of fused ribs and vertebrae

Common Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Spotted Turtle

Clemmys guttata

Midland Painted turtle

Chrysemys picta

Eastern Box Turtle

Terrapene Carolina

Common Musk Turtle

Sternotherus odoratum

Spiny Softshell Tortoise

Apalone spinifera

Blanding’s Turtle

Emydoidea blandingii

Colubridae

harmless, egg-laying snakes

Dipsadidae

rear-fanged snakes

Crotalidae

Pitvipers

smooth scales

smooth scales, shiny and reflective

keeled scales

dull and rough texture

nonvenomous snakes

rounded or oval head, round pupils and no facial pits, divided anal scales

venomous snakes

triangular head, almost always have a rattle, singular anal scale, facial pits

Black Racer

Coluber constrictor

Gray Rat Snake

Pantherophis spiloides