Transcript Jennys Reptiles

Reptiles
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Lizards (Most Diverse) ~5,600 species globally (MS has 13
species)
Snakes ~3,300 species globally (MS has 41 species, and
of these species in MS only 6 are venomous to humans)
Turtles ~327 species globally (MS has 30 species)
Crocodilians ~25 species globally (MS has 1 species the
American Alligator
Amphisbaeians ~181 species globally
Tuataras 1 species in New Zealand. Has a well-developed
third eye used for see predators above.
A lot of reptiles are fossorial
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Fossorial- spends most of their time
underground, AKA subterranean
Turtles
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Turtle Shell- is made of bone and fused with the turtle's vertebrate and
shoulder bones, so it is apart of the animal. TURTLES CAN NOT LEAVE
THEIR SHELLS.
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Dorsal side of shell is called a carapace
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Ventral side of shell is called a plastron
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Male turtles are smaller than female turtles
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They eat invertebrates such as worms and crayfish
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Turtle threats: Habitat destruction, Used as Human food in some cultures,
apart of the pet trade
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Turtles have a lifespan of ~40 years
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Picking turtles up from the tail may fracture its vertebrate.
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Release pet turtles in the wild has caused some turtles to become an
invasive species in some areas (ex. France)
Two Species found in MS
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Common Musk Turtle AKA stink pot- creates a
smell to deter predators
Box Turtle- can close themselves TIGHT into
their shell
Lizards
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Four limbs and a long tail
Males are territorial they protect their spot through
posturing behaviors
Two MS examples
Eastern Fence Lizard- Brown in color for crypsis or
camouflage
Green Anole- usually green but can change color slightly,
Throat fan used to advertise to females and deter males
Lizards can break off their tails due to fracture planes- area
where the vertebrate can easily separate.
Common diet include invertebrates such as insects worms
and termites.
Snakes
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Limbless
All Ribs with two muscles attached to each rib
for flexible movement
They use their tongues to detect sense.
Their tongues are forked to determine direction
of smell.
Venomous vs. Non-venomous
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Venomous
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Triangles shaped
heads
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Pupils are round
Pupils are cat shaped
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Keeled scales
Keeled scales- to
create rough look dull
cover to help them
blend in when
basking in sun
No vertical lines
across lips
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Triangles shaped
heads SOMETIMES
Dark lines across
their lips
Non-venomous snakes hold similar characteristics
of venomous snakes as a form of mimicry, so that
predators will leave them alone to not risk getting
bitten.
Examples of Mimacry
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Middlen Water Snake (non venomous)
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Can flare out it's mouth to look triangular
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It has a banding patter similar to the cotton
mouth.
Yellow Belly Water Snake (non venomous)
It has dark shading, so often it gets confused
with the cotton mouth
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Can flare out it's mouth to look triangular.
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And can rattle it's tail on leaf litter.
The 6 venomous snakes of MS
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Cotton Mouth
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Copperhead
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Easter Diamond back rattle snake
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Timber (Canebreak) rattle snake
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Pygmy rattle snake
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Coral Snake
Types of Venom
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Hemolytic
Destroys tissue
causing cells to pop
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Cotton mouth
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Copper head
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Neurotoxic
Effects your nervous
system
Lose control of limbs
Difficult to breath or
walk
Coral Snake
YOU DON'T HAVE TO KILL A
SNAKE
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For the most part when a person kills a snake they are
really killing a non-venomous one posing as a
venomous
Snakes DON'T WANT TO BITE because they are
taking a risk of breaking a fang or loosing energy
costly venom that they need to catch their prey.
Just stand back, leave them alone, and walk away.
They are more scared of you then you are of them.
The majority of snake bites are due to people picking
snakes up. JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE.
BEST SNAKE EVER
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King Snake, MS example Speckled King Snake
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Non-venomous
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Eats other snakes even venomous ones
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Eats small mammals like mice and rats
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Most common Native Species to MS.
Pro-snake
1. They are venom is used to make medicine
2. Pest control- they eat rats and mice along with
the ticks and fleas living on the rats and mice
3. Vital predators in the ecosystems and food
web.