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.)