Herpetology Exam 1

define parthenogenesis

"virgin birth" seen in female whiptails which can reproduce without a male partner, closest to cloning

describe the taxonomical classification for amphibians

1) Domain Eurkarya 2) Kingdom Animalia 3) Phylum Chordata 4) Class Amphibia

describe the tetrapod phylogeny

1) Rhipidistian (fish) 2) labyrinthodonts (amphibians) - batrachomorphs and reptilomorphs 3) batrachomorphs - acanthostega, termnospondyls and lissamphibia 4) reptilomorphs - reptiles 5) reptiles anthracosaurs

define the "coal age"

1) age where plants were fossilized for coal and amphibians flourished in canada 2) occured in the devonian, carboniferous and permain period

name families for order crocodilia

1) alligatoridae 2) crocodylidae 3) gavialidae

define ostracoderms

1) also called craniates 2) appeared in cambrian/devonian era 3) extinct 4) predecessors to agnathans and gnathans 5) distinct head region

describe and draw the parts of an amniotic egg

1) amnion - keeps embryo in amniotic fluid 2) allantois - storage for waste 3) chorion - extra protection encasing the embryo and contents 4) yolk sac - embryonic nutrition

name two reptilian features

1) amniotic egg 2) carotenized scales

Describe the characteristics of order Chelonia

1) anapsid skull 2) bony shell (carapace & plastron)

define placoderm

1) ancestors to modern jaws 2) divides into chondrichthyes and osteichthyes 3) true jawed fish

characteristics for family sirenidae

1) aquatic 2) external gills 3) slender bodies 4) eel like 5) lack rear legs 6) includes the greater siren and lesser siren 7) paedomorphic

characteristics for family cryptobranchidae

1) aquatic 2) flattened body 3) folded skin 4) large 5) sensitive to sediments 6) consume crayfish, snails, minnows and insects 7) specialists

characteristics for family proteidae

1) aquatic 2) paedomorphic 3) large external gills 4) caudal fin 5) four legs

describe feathered dinosaurs

1) archaeopteryx - was link between reptiles and birds, had flight feathers 2) dromaeosaurs - have colored feathers 3) protarchaeopteryx 4) caudipteryx 5) microraptor 6) oviraptorosaur - chicken from hell

name all families in the order anura

1) ascaphidae 2) paleobatidae 3) leptodactylidae 4) bufonidae 5) hylidae 6) microhylidae 7) dendrobatidae 8) ranidae

name the six prominent eco-regions of south carolina

1) blue ridge 2) outer coastal plain 3) coastal zone 4) sandhills 5) inner coastal plain 6) piedmont

define osteichthyes

1) bony fish 2) divides into actinopterygii and sarcopterygii

characteristics for order apoda

1) caecilians 2) legless 3) wormlike 4) skin that are calcite to prevent dessication 5) can reproduce all three way ( ovipary, ovovipary, vivipary)

name the two key features of reptiles

1) carotenized skin that can be scales or scutes 2) amniotic egg

define chondrichthyes

1) cartilage fish 2) includes elasmobranchs and holocephalans

name the three major amphibian orders

1) caudata (urodela) - salamanders 2) anura (salientia ) - frogs and toads 3) apoda (gymnophiona) - caecilians

define actinistia

1) ceolocanths 2) extant

name all families under order Squamates

1) chamaeleonidae 2) iguanidae - subfamily iguaninae, phrynosomatinae and polychrotinae 3) gekkonidae 4) teiidae 5) scincidae 6) anguidae 7) varanidae 8) helodermatidae 9) boidae 10) viperidae 11) elapidae 12) colubridae

name all families in clade Chelonia

1) chelydridae 2) cheloniidae 3) dermochelyidae 3) emydidae 4) testudinidae 5) trionychidae 6) kinosternidae

Describe the two clades in order Chelonia

1) clade Pleurodira - side necked, tropical 2) clade Cryptodira - inside necked, s shape, hinged, more modern

name three groups of agnathans

1) conodonts 2) ostracoderms 3) cyclostomes

name the three most common venomous snakes in south carolina

1) cottonmouth/ water moccasins 2) rattlesnake 3) copperhead

define invertebrate chordates

1) developed pharyngeal slits, cartilage and bone to become vertebrates 2) filter feeders

characteristics of family teiidae

1) diverse group 2) includes racerunners, whiptails, long tails 3) large back legs 4) tails can detach

name the system of taxonomy for herps

1) domain 2) kingdom 3) phylum 4) class 5) order 6) family 7) genus 8) species

describe the taxonomical classification of reptiles

1) domain Eukarya 2) kingdom Animalia 3) phylum Chordata 4) class reptilia

name two similarities between amphibians and reptiles

1) ectothermic thermoregulation (cold blooded) 2) small body size (saves energy)

characteristics for family amphiumidae

1) eel like 2) paedomorphic 3) aquatic 4) adults lack external gills 5) have four limbs but are really tiny 6) some snakes will prey on them

explain the life general life cycle of amphibians

1) egg cycle 2) larva 3) metamorphosis 4) adult

explain the life cycle of the family salamandridae or newts

1) eggs/larve are aquatic 2) juvenile eft stage that is terrestrial 3) adult which is aquatic

define conodonts

1) emphasized by their teeth formation which is cone shaped 2) extinct 3) appeared in cambrian/triassic transition

Name all the ways that herps lose water

1) evaporation - via skin 2) excretion - urine 3) salt glands - via pass of salt 4) digestive tract - depends on composition inside

define rhipidistian

1) extinct 2) labyrinthodont teeth 3) predecessor to amphibians

define dipnoans

1) fish that contain lungs and can move from location to location 2) extant

what is the purpose or function of pharyngeal gill slits

1) form jaw, ear or hyloid bones 2) form cartilage and nerve tissue

characteristics of order crocodilia

1) four chambered heart 2) crop 3) gizzard 4) osteoderms 5) dorsal nostril w/ valves 6) powerful jaws

name the typical features seen in the order caudata

1) four legs 2) long tail 3) costal grooves 4) reduced skulls 5) larvae with external gills

characteristics for family crocodylidae

1) fourth tooth protrudes 2) tropical

describe the amphibian skin

1) glandular 2) lack scales

name the three major threats to all herps

1) habitat loss/ degradation 2) pollution (toxins, runoff, meds/chemicals) 3) invasive species - out competes natives

name 5 ways pit vipers differ from other snakes

1) head - wider and triangular in shape 2) scales - keeled with a line in the middle 3) girth - wider and shorter 4) pupils - veritcal pupil like that of a cat 5) ventral scales - horizontal and single down to the tail

name the three invertebrate chordates

1) hemichordata - marine species 2) urochordata - sponges with organs and CNS 3) cephalochordata - amphioxis and extant chordates

characteristics of order squamates

1) hemipenes 2) flexible skull 3) includes snakes and lizards

name four different types of venom and briefly describe what they destroy

1) hemotoxins - seen in pit vipers, affect the blood cells and tissue 2) cytotoxins - mild, seen in hognose snakes 3) myotoxins - seen in lanceheads, affect muscles 4) neurotoxins - affect the nervous system, seen in black mambas

characteristics of family colubridae

1) highly diverse 2) "catch all group" 3) includes water snakes, racers, rat snakes and king snakes 4) constrictors

characteristics for family iguanidae/ subfamily polychrotinae

1) includes anoles 2) change color 3) dulap

characteristics of family boidae

1) includes boas and pythons 2) very diverse 3) infrared pits 4) remnants of pelvis 5) boas still have two lungs

characteristics of family chamaeleonidae

1) includes chameleons 2) have horns/crests 3) have chromatophores 4) have zygodactylus feet 5) prehensile tails 6) turret eyes 7) elongated tongues 8) tropical

characteristics of family gekkonidae

1) includes geckos 2) large head 3) cat eye 4) setae on feet - uses hydrogen bonds

family gavialidae includes

1) includes gharials/ gavials 2) tropical

characteristics of family anguidae

1) includes glass lizards 2) legless 3) fossorial - burrow

characteristics of family iguanidae/ subfamily iguaninae

1) includes iguanas 2) herbivores 3) mostly terrestrial except marine iguana 4) marine iguana possess salt gland

characteristics of family scincidae

1) includes skinks 2) smooth scales 3) small heads 4) elongated bodies 5) small legs 6) snake like body

characteristics of family chelydridae

1) includes snapping turtles 2) freshwater 3) head, tail and limbs do not retract well 4) shells do not hinge 5) strong jaws 6) long tail 7) predators/ scavengers

characteristics of family iguanidae/ subfamily phrynosomatidae

1) includes spiny lizards 2) textured scales 3) normally dry conditions

describe subclass Lepidosauria

1) includes tuataras, lizards and snakes 2) divided into order Rhynchocephalia and order Squamates 3) diapsids

name the 6 major events in vertebrate evolution

1) invertebrate chordate 2) craniates /vertebrates 3) agnathans 4) gnathostomes 5) tetrapods 6) amniotes

define gnathostomes

1) jawed fish 2) appeared in ordivician/siurian period 3) lead to predators 4) includes placoderms, chondrichthyes and osteichthyes

define agnathans

1) jawless fish 2) first known vertebrates due to skull and bony plates to protect brain 3) appeared in the cambrian era

name and describe the parts to the urinary system

1) kidney - excretory and osmoregulatory organ 2) ureter - tube carries urine from kidney to urinary bladder 3) urinary bladder - urine reservoir 4) urethra - carries urine from bladder to exterior

characteristics of order rhynchocephalia

1) lack hemipenes 2) primitive rigid skull 3) includes tuataras 4) have parietal eye 5) from new zealand 6) not actually a lizard

what are the three general features of amphibians

1) lack scales 2) thin glandular skin 3) an-amniotic eggs (makes them sensitive to desiccation and aquatic predators)

characteristics of family testudinidae

1) land tortoises 2) high domed carapace 3) "elephant" feet 4) huge in size 5) need conservation 6) keystone species 7) live in fire adapated habitats

characteristics for family dicamptodontidae

1) large bodied 2) live in moist coniferous forests 3) found all over U.S 4) have two distinct tooth points

name the characteristics seen in fish and frogs for life in the water

1) lateral line system 2) dermal bones or scales 3) dorsal or tail fin 4) notochord

name the characteristics needed for life on land

1) limbs and digits 2) vertebrate modifications - spinus process and zygophophyses

characteristics for family hylidae

1) live in temperate conditions 2) tree frogs 3) toe disks 4) arboreal 5) includes hyla, acris and pseudacris

define cyclostomes

1) living agnathans 2) hagfish - no scales and produce huge mucus for escape 3) lamprey - larvae known as ammocoete, contain all 4 chordate features, parasite that attach to fish

describe the differences between lizards and snakes

1) lizards - eyelids, legs, short body, long tail, have middle ear opening 2 lungs 2) snakes - no eyelids, no legs, long body, short tail, 1 lung, scales cover ear opening

define sarcopterygii

1) lobe finned fish 2) possess 2 basal bones 3) longer fin 4) extra bone for larger movement range 4) possessed lungs 5) divides into actinistia, dipnoans, and rhipidistian

explain the three theories why fish left the ocean

1) lobe finned fishes chased out of water by predators 2) shallow lakes were subject to drying out and therefore favored species that can withstand drought 3) dry land has more food, habitat and fewer predators

what is the purpose or function of the nerve cord

1) located on the dorsal side 2) forms the brain and CNS

characteristics for family ambystomatidae

1) mole salamanders 2) large head 3) some are neotenic

characteristics for family plethodontidae

1) most diverse 2) lungless 3) nasolabial groove 4) spermatophore 5) found in cold, fast flowing and high oxygenated streams

characteristics for family salamandridae

1) newts 2) eft stage 3) aquatic adults 4) rough glandular skin 5) old world salamanders

characteristic for family microhylidae

1) palatal folds 2) slender snout 3) lack toepads 4) teardrop shape 5) have skin flap that covers eyes when consuming ants

name two conservation groups that help in recovery herps

1) partners in amphibian and reptile conservation (PARC) 2) north american amphibian monitoring program (NAAMP) -citizen science project

characteristics of family viperidae

1) pit vipers 2) infrared pits 3) cat eye 4) triangular head 5) venomous - hemotoxin 6) hinged fangs 7) includes rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and copperheads

name the four chordate features

1) post anal tail 2) dorsal hollow nerve cord 3) notochord 4) pharyngeal gill slits

what is the purpose or function of the notochord

1) protein filaments 2) structure before bone development

describe the difference between protostomes and deuterostomes

1) protostomes - cells from the mouth region first, includes insects, segmented worm and mollusks 2) deuterostomes - cells form the anus first, includes echinoderms and chordates

describe the reptile phylogeny

1) reptilomorphs 2) anthracosaurs ( amphibians) 3) cotylosaurs (reptiles) - anapsids, diapsids and synapsids 4) lepidosaurs - rynchocephalia and squamates 5) archosaurs - crocodilians, pterosaurs and true dinosaurs 6) true dinosaurs - ornithischians and saurischians 7) birds thought to come from saurischians or archosaurs

what are the three order of living amphibians

1) salamanders (caudata) 2) frogs and toads 3) caecilians (apoda)

name all the families in the order caudata

1) sirenidae 2) cryptobranchidae 3) amphiumidae 4) plethodontidae 5) proteidae 6) salamandridae 7) ambystomatidae 8) dicamptodontidae

adaptations to maintain water

1) skin glands or mucous glands 2) scales 3) water collecting posture 4) uric acid 5) wiping mucous 6) cocoon/burrow

characteristics of family kinosternidae

1) small 2) freshwater 3) bottom dwellers 4) includes mud and musk turtles 5) dull colored 6) live in stagnant water

characteristics for family leptodactylidae

1) small 2) slender snout 3) typically tropical 4) introduced/not native 5) includes greenhouse frog and coqui

characteristics of family trionchydae

1) soft shell turtles 2) reduced bony shells 3) fresh water 4) fast swimmers 5) "pancake" turtles 6) have menacing bite 7) small snorkel nose 8) diverse habitat

characteristics of family emydidae

1) solid plastron 2) very diverse in habitat and species 3) includes sliders, cooters and box turtles 4) not all have hinged plastron 5) known as the "catch all group"

characteristics for family paleobatidae

1) spadefoot toads 2) contain keratinized pads 3) glandular skin 4) cat pupil 5) live in isolated wetlands 6) known for explosive breeding and short larval period

describe the bird lineage theories

1) stem archosaur 2) ornithischian - most likely to have occured 3) therapod - most supportive theory and includes dromaeosaurs

characteristics of family helodermatidae

1) stout body 2) fatty, blunt tail 3) venomous 4) primitive

name the subfamilies and genus of the family plethodontidae

1) subfamily Hemidactylini - genus Eurycea, genus Pseuditriton, genus Hemidactylium 2) subfamily Plethodontinae - genus Aneides, genus Desmognathus, genus Plethodon 3) subfamily Bolitoglossini 4) subfamily Spelerpinae

characteristics for family ascaphidae

1) tailed frogs - extension of cloaca 2) only one species in NA

typical features of anura

1) tailless 2) contain urostyle 3) modified vertebrae/hip bones for jumping 4) elongated hindlimbs

characteristics of family elapidae

1) terrestrial 2) includes cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes and sea snakes 3) deadly and venomous - neurotoxin 4) rear fanged 5) poisonous eastern coral snake

name the three major reptile orders

1) testudines/ chelonia 2) rhychocephalia & squamates (subclass lepidosauria) 3) crocodilia

characteristics for family dendrobatidae

1) tropical 2) posion dart frogs 3) dermal scutes on feet 4) colorful

characteristics for family ranidae

1) true frogs 2) webbed feet 3) large back legs 4) aquatic 5) includes rana and lithobates 6) have tympanum which are larger in females

characteristics for family bufonidae

1) true toads 2) glandular skin 3) large paratoid gland 4) bidder's organ

name the 5 types of reptile classes

1) turtles 2) snakes 3) crocodilians 4) lizards 5) amphisbaena (worm lizards)

characteristics of family cheloniidae

1) use legs as paddles 2) marine 3) fuse bony shell 4) includes loggerheads and other sea turtles

characteristics of family dermochelyidae

1) use legs as paddles 2) marine 3) leather shell w/ osteoderms 4) includes spiny softshells

characteristics of family varanidae

1) variable in size 2) includes monitor lizards and komodo dragons 3) narrow heads

explain the difference between venom vs. poison

1) venom - have a delivery gland, injected 2) poison - lack delivery system, ingested or created through skin or bite

define urochordate

1)free swimming tadpole-like larval stage which then attach themselves to the ocean floor to then metamorphose into a sponge that is sessile 2) sponges have organs and nerves 3)also known as tunicates 4) always retain pharyngeal slits and dorsal nerve cord 5) in larvae stage the notocord and post anal tail develop but are lost in adulthood 5) hermaphroditic but can reproduce both ways

_____ of amphibians are in decline

1/3

amphibians have a ____ chambered heart

3 - chambered

define scute

a bony plate seen on turtles that make up their carapace

an increase in latitude = _______

a decrease in diversity

family alligatoridae includes what

alligators and caimans

what were the first tetrapods

amphibians

describe the anapsid lineage

appeared in late triassic period, includes chelonians, turtles, early split off from reptiles, thought to be their own group called "parareptilia" but not successfull

define chytrid

aquatic fungus that attaches to frogs and grows on skin that eventually kills them

describe anthracosaurs

belong to reptilomorphs, known as "coal lizards", labyrinthodont amphibians, gave rise to cotylosaurs, first tetrapod to colonize land, both terrestrial and aquatic, long eel-like body with deep skull

what are eurapsids

branch under diapsids that are extinct dinosaurs with one high fenestra

describe theropods

carnivorous, most well known dinosaurs

describe the skull types

characterized by temporal fenestra 1) anapsids - turtles 2) diapsids - lizards and snakes, also includes euryapsids 3) synapsids - mammals and humans

define protochordates

chordates that don't have bones but still considered chordates

define pseudacris

chorus frogs and spring peepers

define zygapophyses

connections formed between each disc of the spine to support the vertebrae

what are herps

consists of amphibians and reptiles

define vasoconstriction

contraction of blood cells due to expansion of other muscle

what time periods was known as the "age of the dinosaurs"

cretaceous, jurassic and triassic

define acris

cricket frogs

describe tuataras

critically endangered, from New Zealand, two living species, have a photoreceptive eye

name the only poisonous snake in south carolina

eastern coral snake

define ovovipary

egg is retained in the female body, no placenta, no nutrition provided

define ovipary

egg laying where the embryo develops outside the body this is most common amphibians and reptiles

what is the major advantage to amniotic eggs?

evolutionary advantage to live on land, explore new territory and escape from potential predators that live in the sea

define salt gland seen in marine iguanas

excretes excess salt in order to live in marine environments

define vasodialation

expansion of blood cells due to constriction of surrounding smooth muscle

what are acanthostega

extinct, aquatic, important transitional form between fish and first tetrapods, appeared in devonian period

describe the great permian extinction

extinction of 95% of species except reptiles

define bidder's organ

found in male toads above the testes that is a dormant ovary

define "phryno"

frog bodied

what are batrachomorphs?

frogs. clade to modern amphibians

define herpeton

greek derived and means creep

what are termnospondyls

have back bone. appeared during the carboniferous period. found on every continent. more fish like and aquatic. extinct.

describe the diapsid lineage

includes lepidosaurs and archosaurs. lepidosaurs include rhynchocephalins (tuataras) and squamates, archosaurs includes crocodilians, pterosaurs and true dinosaurs

describe saurischians

includes sauropods and therapods, adjacent pubis and ischium

define elasmobranchs

includes sharks, skates and rays

define osteoderms

individual bony plates seen in alligators and sea turtles

define paedomorphosis

juvenile or keeping childlike state into adulthood

define vivipary

live baring young, secretion nutrition seen in sharks

name the two divisions/ clades for order Squamates

lizards and serpentes

which came first snakes or lizards?

lizards, thought that snakes derived from lizards

who were the predecessors to tetrapods

lobe finned fishes which had proper bone structure and lungs

describe sauropods

long necked, long tailed, herbivorous dinosaurs, big in size

define eutheria

long term pregnancy

define hemichordata

marine chordates that 1) can be echinoderm-like in their larval stage like sea stars 2) can be chordate-like in their adult stage which they retain a nerve cord and pharyngeal gill slits

define metatheria

marsupials or pouched mammals. the yolk sac attaches to the uteran wall

name two other general snakes that could be misidentified as a coral snake

milksnakes and kingsnakes

describe cotylosaurs

modern reptiles,no longer amphibians, stem lizards, appeared in the carboniferous/ permian period, terrestrial

define protheria

monotremes or egglaying mammals

describe archosaurs

more advanced reptiles with four chambered heart, crop and gizzard

describe true dinosaurs

ornithischians, parallel ischium and pubis bone, herbivorous, includes triceratops ( also includes saurischians)

define parietal eye

photo receptor that senses light seen in iguanas and tuataras

define holocephalans

rat fish that are tropical and have scales

define actinopterygii

ray finned fish that have one basal bone

describe pterosaurs

reptiles, winged lizard, flying reptiles with powered flight

define chromatophores

seen in chameleons that control color changes and are hormone related

______ and _____ have only two appendages

sirens and nectoris

describe the vertebrae invasion

started by the tetrapods and led to mammals, humans and dinosaurs

what are reptilomorphs

still amphibians. gave rise to modern reptiles and amniotes

describe mammalian lineage

synapsid reptiles that include pelycosaurs, dimetrodon, and therapsids. these reptiles gave rise to mammals

define spinus process

the formation of the spine

define amplexus

the mating position for amphibians

what is the purpose of function of the post anal tail

the reminent of a tail which is now our cox bone

where did lung-less salamanders originate from?

the southern appalachins

lissamphibia gave rise to what

the three modern amphibian orders and they lost fish-like scales, " smooth amphibians "

how do amphibians breathe

through cutaneous respiration

define cephalochordate

tiny filter feeding fish known as amphioxus that retain all 4 chordate features into adulthood

define hyla

treefrogs

define neotony

when metamorphosis is delayed if environment is unstable