Section 3 Modern Reptiles Chapter 41 Reptiles Section 3 Modern Reptiles
Characteristics Amniotic egg, internal fertilization of eggs, dry scaly skin, respiration through lungs, ectothermic metabolism
Order Chelonia 250 species of turtles & tortoises Tortoise- terrestrial (cannot swim) Turtle- aquatic (can swim) Shell- evolutionary successful Carapace- top (dorsal) shell Plastron- bottom (ventral) shell
Order Chelonia No teeth- sharp beaks Ribs are fused to shell (carapace) Some are permanently aquatic, terrestrial, or both Depends on shell & limbs Marine turtles- flippers, land tortoises- elephant like feet, aquatic turtles- web feet
Marine turtle- green sea turtle
Land tortoise- Galapagos
Aquatic turtle- Map turtle
Semi-terrestrial- eastern box
Reproduction- turtles Lay eggs All females lay eggs on land Marine turtles travel long distances and lay eggs on beach where they hatched How do you think they find their way back?
Arribada
Order Crocodilia Crocodiles & alligators Carnivorous- fish, turtles, land animals Ambush predators Difference between alligators & crocodiles?
Crocodile
Alligator
Order Squamata Lizards & snakes
Lizards Common: iguanas, chameleons, geckos Diet: insects, small animals Komodo dragon eats goats & deer Venomous lizards: Gila monster & beaded lizard
Lizards Escape predators- agility, speed, & camouflage Autotomy- ability to detach tail The dropped tail still moves to attract predators to the tail and the lizard will escape
Komodo Dragon
Iguana
Leopard Gecko
Anole
Snakes Lack of legs, shed to grow What was the selective pressure that caused snakes to evolve legless? **Snakes lived in thick vegetation and needed to move faster Made of bones and over 400 ribs & many muscles
Black Racer
Common Garter
Water Moccasin
Capturing & Consuming Prey Two killing methods: constriction or injection of venom Constrictors- wrap their bodies around prey Boas, pythons, anacondas
Anaconda
Capturing & Consuming Prey Toxic venom- snake will fangs in back of mouth Cobras, kraits, coral snakes Elapid- snakes inject poisons through two small, fixed fangs in the front of the mouth
King Cobra
Capturing & Consuming Prey Vipers- inject venom through large, mobile fangs in the front of the mouth Examples: rattlesnakes, copperheads, & water moccasins Swallow prey whole, lower jaw
Timber rattlesnake
Order Rhynchocephalia New Zealand “spiny crest” 2 feet Hide in burrow during day, feed on insects Humans introduced predators and tuataras are disappearing
REVIEW!!! Compare the characteristics of aquatic turtles to the characteristics of land tortoises. Describe two methods snakes use for killing prey.