1. Snakes All are carnivores Control rodent population

2. Methods of capturing food venom

3. Methods of capturing food Constriction (most common)

4. Methods of capturing food Swallow alive

5. Ouch!

6. Venomous snakes in U.S. Rattlesnakes, cotton mouths ( water moccasins ), coral snakes, copperheads

7. coral snake – red next to yellow will kill a fellow king snake – red next to black is harmless to jack

8. Only venomous snake of this area Great basin rattlesnake

9. Rattlesnake structure

10. Scutes Modified ventral scales, provides traction

11. Eyes Nearsighted, fused transparent eye lid Brille

12. Molting – ecdysis

13. Rattle Rattles are not shed with skin Do not tell the age!

14. Nostrils Mainly for breathing

15. Pits Heat sensors

16. Tongue Forked, collects chemicals from environment

17. Jacobson’s organ Senses the chemicals collected by the tongue

18. Gullet Opening to the esophagus, leads to the stomach

19. Glottis Opening to the trachea, leads to the lungs

20. Solid teeth Curved backwards to grip the prey and force it in

21. Fangs Hollow, inject venom, shed and replaced periodically

22. Venom duct Carries venom to the fangs

23. Venom gland Modified salivary gland

24. Hemotoxin Acts on blood vessels causing internal bleeding

25. Neurotoxin Acts on nerves, can paralyze heart and breathing

26. Venom gland muscle Voluntary muscle, snake has to think to inject venom, 1 out of 3 bites to humans are dry bites

27. Rattlesnake strike Rarely more than ½ their body length, about the speed of a boxer’s jab

28. Adaptations for swallowing prey Unhinge their jaw in 3 places

29. Adaptations for swallowing prey Teeth curve backwards

30. Adaptations for swallowing prey Can move trachea to breathe

31. Adaptations for swallowing prey Elastic skin

32. Snake bite do’s Go to the doctor Stay calm Splint the bite area Remove rings

33. Snake bite don’ts Run Cut and suck Tourniquet

34. Flying snakes Flatten out their bodies and can glide over 300 feet

35. Lizards Versatile feeders – can be carnivores, herbivores, or omnivores

36. Gila monster Only venomous lizard in the U.S. (one of the 2 in the world) Venom glands are in lower jaw

37. Chameleon adaptations Can change color

38. Chameleon adaptations Grasping toes and tail

39. Chameleon adaptations Eyes work independently

40. Chameleon adaptations Sticky tongue can stretch the length of their bodies to capture food

41. Komodo dragon Largest living lizard, 10 ft. long, 300 lbs Bacteria on teeth cause blood poisoning in prey

42. Armadillo lizard

44. Frilled lizard

45. Desert horned lizard Shoots blood from its eye to escape predators

46. Turtles and tortoises Include the longest living animals on Earth, some may live up to 200 years

47. Carapace Top shell consisting of backbone and ribs

48. Plastron Bottom shell – modified sternum (breastbone)

49. Saltwater crocodile Largest living reptile, 27 feet long

50. Gharial Native to India