Biology Module 16: Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals
Characteristics of Reptiles
1. Covered with tough, dry scales 2. Ectothermic-cannot keep themselves warm 3. Breathe with lungs throughout their lives 4. Three-chambered heart with a ventricle that is partially divided 5. Produce amniotic eggs covered with a leathery shell (most oviparous/some ovoviparous)
Characteristics of birds
1. Endothermic-internally warmed by a heat generating metabolic process. 2. Heart with 4 chambers 3. Toothless bill 4. Oviparious, lay amniotic eggs covered in lime-containing shell(makes eggs very hard) 5. Covered with feathers 6. Usually have skeletons with porous, lightweight bones
Characteristics of Mammals
1. Hair covering the skin 2. Reproduce with internal fertilization and usually viviparous(embryo develops internally) 3. Nourish their young with milk secreted from specialized glands 4. Four chambered heart 5. Endothermic-regulate their own body temperatures.
Is a bird ectothermic or endothermic?
A bird is endothermic. It internally warms itself.
Why is the structure of a birds bill important?
A birds bill determines which way it gathers food.
Neurotoxin
A poison that attacks the nervous system, causing blindness, paralysis, or suffocation
Hemotoxin red blood cells
A poison that attacks the red blood cells and blood vessels, destroying circulation
Amniotic egg
A shelled, water-retaining egg that allows reptile, bird, and certain mammal embryos to develop on land
A reptile that has no eyelids and is deaf?
A snake
Placenta
A structure that allows an embryo to be nourished with the mother's blood supply
You see an order of Crocodilia with its mouth closed and you cannot see teeth...is this an alligator or crocodile?
Alligator
Differences between Alligators and Crocodiles
Alligators have thick, blunt snouts. Crocodiles have thinner, pointed snouts. (you can still see a crocodiles teeth when its mouth is closed)
Endotherm
An organism that is internally warmed by a heat-generating metabolic process
What does the term Dinosaur mean?
Dinosaur means Terrible Lizard. So are considered to be in class Reptilia.
Contour feathers
Feathers with hooked and smooth barbules, allowing the barbules to interlock
Down feathers
Feathers with smooth barbules but no hooked barbules
A marsupial that is in the nonplacental order of mammals
Koala Bear
Gila Monster
Largest lizard in the United States.
Differences Between Lizards and Snakes
Lizards have two pair of limbs/ snakes have none. Lizards have ears and hear/ snakes are deaf. Lizards have same scale all over body/ snakes have specialized scales on their bellies for locomotion. Most lizards have eyelids and can close their eyes/ Snakes eyes are always open, no eyelids.
Odd Mammals
Mammals covered in hair but do not produce offspring internally. They lay eggs. Example the Duck Billed Platypus.
Nonplacental Mammals-Marsupialia
Mammals that have developing egg inside for only a few days, then immature baby crawls out of mother and moves into a pouch where development continues. Examples are Kangaroos, Koalas and Opossums.
A snake that is long fanged, poisonous and is common in the United States?
Rattlesnake
Why do reptiles lay on warm surfaces and sun themselves?
Reptiles are ectothermic and cannot keep themselves warm.
Why do scientists include humans in Kingdom Animalia?
Scientists are simply stating that human beings have features in common with other mammals in Kingdom Animalia. This does not change that we were created in the image of God. This is why we have our own genus and species, Homo sapiens.
poisonous snakes
Short fanged poisonous snakes-sea snake, coral snake and cobra. Black-necked cobra-from Africa, spit their venom. Long fanged poisonous snakes-vipers(Africa), water moccasins(southern swamps and lakes), copperheads(woods on East Coast), rattlesnakes(common in U.S.), western diamondback(TX to Eastern CA).
Mammary glands
Specialized organs in mammals that produce milk to nourish the young
Class Aves
The class to which birds belong
Class Mammalia
The class to which mammals belong
Class Reptilia
The class to which reptiles belong
Leatherback Sea Turtle
The largest member of order Testudines. Can weigh up to 1500 pounds.
Order Crocodilia
The order under Class Reptilia to which alligators and crocodiles belong.
Order Squamata
The order under Class Reptilia to which snakes and lizards belong
Order Rhynchocephalia
The order under Class Reptilia to which tuataras belong. Tuatara means spine bearer.
Order Testudines
The order under Class Reptilia to which turtles and tortoises belong.
Gestation
The period of time during which an embryo develops before being born
Komodo Dragon
The worlds largest lizard.
Penquins and Ostriches
These are birds that cannot fly
Where do fish and Amphibians lay their eggs?
They lay their eggs underwater.
What is the meaning of, "Red on black; poison lack; red on yellow kills a fellow"
This means is a red band on snake is touching a yellow band, then it is poisonous. A Scarlet King snake mimics a coral snake to make its predators think it is poisonous, but it isn't because the yellow never touches the red.
A snake that lives in southern swamps and lakes?
Water Moccasins
Many different orders of Mammals
*Egg-laying mammals- duck billed platypus *Nonplacental mammal-kangaroos, koalas, opossum *Flying mammals-bats *Carnivorous(meat eating)mammals-cats, dogs, lions, bears, wolves *Aquatic mammals-porpoises, whales, dolphins *Elephants(in their own order) *Hoofed mammals-horse, zebra *Rodent mammals-squirrels, rats, prairie dogs *Rodent like mammals-rabbits, hares *Insectivora mammals-moles, hedgehogs(burrow into the ground to find insects) *Primates- monkeys ,lemurs, apes, humans (called erect mammals because can walk on two legs.)