1. Daniel B.
Reptiles
Jesse O.
Ian F.

2. General Characteristics
Dry skin with epidermal scales
Skull with one point of articulation with the vertebral column
Lungs for respiration
Metanephric kidneys
Internal fertilization
Amniotic eggs

3. Evolution and Relationships
First vertebrates with amniotic eggs (eggs with protective membranes and promote gas transfer)
Adaptive radiation of primitive amniotes gave way to the 3-4 lineages of reptiles.

4. Order Testudines TURTLES
Bony shell and limbs articulating internally to the ribs
Teeth in adults replaced by a horny beak
Has a shell consisting of a dorsal carapace (forms from fusion of vertebrae, expanded ribs, and bones in the dermis of the skin) and ventral plastron
Oviparous
Long life spans, live 14 or more years all the way up to 100 years in some tortoises

5. Order Crocodylia Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gaivals
Elongate, muscular, and laterally compressed
Triangular eye orbits rather than circular
Tongue not protrusible (no :P)
Complete ventricular septum
Oviparous
Food is swallowed whole so they swallow rocks and other objects to break apart ingested food

7. Order Sphenodontida TUATARAS Only two species survive in New Zealand
Very primitive and lizard like
Distinguished by tooth attachment and structure

8. Order Squamata 3 Sub-orders Most structurally diverse reptiles
Sauria- Lizards
Serpentes- Snakes
Amphisbaenia- Worm lizards
Most structurally diverse reptiles
Shed skin periodically
Loosely attached jaws allows them to open their mouths very wide

9. External Structure and Locomotion
Skin is thick, dry, and keratinized (tough, water-resistant protein found in the epidermal layers of the skin)
Periodically shed skin- called ecdysis
Skin contains chromatophores for color change
Skeleton similar to amphibians yet can be highly modified
Many lizards are capable of autonomy (tail loss adapted to escape from predators)

10. Nutrition and Digestion
Most are carnivores, but turtles can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores
The upper and lower jaws in snakes can move independently of eachother and the glottis allows the snake to breathe while swallowing its prey

11. Circulation, Gas exchange, Temperature Regulation
The circulatory system is based on that of amphibians
3 chambered heart
Exchanging of gases across internal respiratory surfaces to avoid losing large quantities of water
Most use external heat sources for thermoregulation and are ectotherms

12. Nervous And Sensory
Have better sense of smell and more reliance on vision than amphibians
Rattlesnakes and other pit vipers have heat- sensitive pit organs (lined with sensory epithelium and are used to detect objects with temperatures different from its surroundings)on each side of the face
Some reptiles have a median eye that is covered by skin and can differentiate light and dark periods

13. Excretion and Osmoregulation
Reptiles require kidneys capable of processing wastes with little water loss – metanephric kidneys of adults have more nephrons
Most reptiles excrete uric acid
When water is available, many reptiles store large quantities of water in lymphatic spaces or in the urinary bladder

14. Reproduction and Developement
Internal fertilization
All male reptiles, except tuataras, have an intromittent organ for introducing sperm into the female
Eggs are usually abandoned after being laid
Only ~100 species have some degree of parental care of eggs

15. (Holds yolk)
Albumen
(nutrients and protection)
Shell
(protection)

16. VOCAB
amniotic eggs - eggs with protective membranes and promote gas transfer
autonomy - tail loss adapted to escape from predators
carapace - forms from fusion of vertebrae, expanded ribs, and bones in the dermis of the skin
keratin - tough, water-resistant protein found in the epidermal layers of the skin
pit organs - lined with sensory epithelium and are used to detect objects with temperatures different from its surroundings