Phylum
Chordata:
Reptiles
The following questions will
help you to review the material from the lecture, the laboratory, as
well
as the text.
-
Reptiles, birds and mammals
are
amniotes. Explain!
-
When do the reptiles first
appear
in the fossil record?
-
Describe the setting in which
the amniotes evolved. What kind of terrestrial animals existed at
the time?
-
Describe the structure of the
amniotic egg.
-
How does the structure of the
amniotic
egg differ from an amphibian egg? How are they similar?
-
What kind of advantages were
gained
by reproducing with the help of the amniotic egg?
-
How does the amniotic egg
change
the reproductive strategies of reptiles as compared to amphibians?
-
Describe the structure and
function
of the scales of a reptile.
-
How are the reptiles better
adapted
for terrestrial life than the amphibians? Focus on several different
characteristics
as you answer this question.
-
How do reptiles perform gas
exchange?
Do they have any problems in the process?
-
The Mesozoic era was the peak
of reptilian biodiversity. Describe the diversity of reptiles during
this
time.
-
How were dinosaurs different
from
"regular" reptiles such as crocodilians?
-
What is paleontology?
-
Briefly describe the
biodiversity
of the extant reptiles.
-
What are the names of the
different
orders? Which orders are the most common at the current time?
-
What are turtles such
an extreme version of a reptile?
-
Describe the structure and
growth
of the plastron and the carapace. Can one consider the carapace to
be part
of the skeleton?
-
What do turtles feed on?
-
Describe differences in
morphology
between land based turtles and sea turtles.
-
Sea turtles spend most of
their
life at sea. Why do female sea turtles return to beaches every year?
-
Describe the external and
internal
anatomy of a turtle (dissection).
-
What is a tuataran?
-
Give examples of members of
the
order Crocodilia.
-
How are these animals adapted
in terms of being aquatic predators?
-
What is unusual about the
nares
of crocodilians?
-
How do crocodilians feed?
Move?
-
How do crocodiles reproduce?
Describe
their life cycle?
-
Why is the incubation
temperature
of the eggs so important?
-
Describe the diversity of
lizards.
-
What is unusual about the
marine
iguanas on the Galapagos?
-
What is sloughing?
-
What is unusual about the
feet
of a gecko?
-
What is the importance of the
Jacobson's organ in a reptile?
-
What kind of food sources do
lizards
use?
-
How do Komodo Dragons hunt?
-
Describe the phenomenon of
autotomy.
-
What is the difference
between
an oviparous and a viviparous reptile?
-
Why are the snakes placed in
the
same order as the lizards?
-
Why have the snakes become so
successful?
-
In what sense is the anatomy
of
the jaw of a snake unusual?
-
Do all snakes produce venom?
-
How do fangs function in a
snake?
Do all snakes have fangs?
-
How are sea snakes different
from
terrestrial snakes?
-
Describe the evolutionary
events
that have shaped the reptiles.
