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Teacher's Packet Reptiles The Beautiful and the Deadly MULTI-IMAGE SHOW Don’t miss The Beautiful and the Deadly, a fast-paced multi-image show. The 20-minute show is jammed with information and features close-up photography by world renowned wildlife photographer, Joe McDonald. WHAT IS A REPTILE? Reptiles evolved from amphibian ancestors some 300 million years ago. Reptiles were the first backboned animals that did not have to return to the water to lay their eggs and could live their entire lives on dry land. This was possible because of two natural adaptations - waterproof eggs which can be deposited on land, and tough, scaly skin that prevents reptiles from drying out. Reptiles are ectothermic and must rely on the sun for body heat. This exhibition focuses on four groups of reptiles: turtles, crocodilians, lizards and their closely related cousins, snakes. REPTILES 101 Scientists divide living things into categories. Reptiles are animals and as such belong to the kingdom Animalia; to the phylum Chordata (they have a flexible cord of cartilage down the back); to the subphylum Vertebrata (they have a backbone); to the class Reptilia (backboned animals with dry scaly skin). Classes are divided into orders. Reptilian orders include the order Chelonia (turtles), Crocodilia (alligators and crocodiles) and Squamata (lizards and snakes). Orders are divided into suborders. For example, snakes belong to the suborder Serpentes and lizards belong to the suborder Sauria. Order and suborders are further divided into families. Boidae is an example of a snake family that includes the boas and the pythons. Families are broken up into genera. Boa constrictor belongs to the genus Boa. When we see the scientific name of an animal, the first name is always the genus and it is capitalized. The second name is the species; it should not be capitalized. Boa constrictor belongs to the genus Boa and the species constrictor. Our staff is available to make your visit a fun and worthwhile experience. If you have any questions... please ask. 1 Turtles and Tortoises Order: Chelonia Almost 300 species of turtles inhabit land, freshwater and ocean environments worldwide. From its backbone, the turtle’s ribs extend over the shoulders and hips and are covered with bony plates and scutes. This protective “shell” makes turtles unmistakable. Family: Testudinidae (common turtles and tortoises) Testudinidae is a flourishing group and includes most of the familiar pond and swamp turtles as well as the land tortoises. This family is represented at Reptiland by the familiar box turtle, pond slider, wood turtle, South American tortoise and the giant Aldabra tortoise. The Aldabra tortoise lives on an atoll in the Indian Ocean. It is the largest of all land tortoises and may grow to over 500 pounds. Reptiland's Aldabra tortoise hatched in 1969. They can live over 150 years! Family: Chelydridae (snapping turtles) Chelydridae includes the alligator snapping turtle from the Mississippi River delta which gets larger than any other fresh water turtle in North America. One example was recorded at 219 pounds. This snapper lures fish into its wide gapping jaws by wiggling a worm-like tongue as bait. The common snapping turtle is found over much of North and Central America and lives in ponds and streams. It eats a wide variety of animal life including waterfowl, fish and carrion. Common snappers sometimes weigh 30 to 40 pounds or more. Snake-Necked Turtle Chelodina mccordi South Eastern Indonesia How does this turtle protect its head? Alligator Snapping Turtle Macroclemys temmincki Southeastern U.S. How does the alligator snapper lure its prey? Soft-Shelled Turtle Trionyx sp. North America (Eastern U.S.) What are two things that enable this turtle to stay under water for long periods of time? 2 Turtles and Tortoises Star Tortoise Geochelone elegans India Why do land tortoises have high-domed shells? Crocodilians Order: Crocodilia Alligators, crocodiles, caimans and the gharial belong to the order Crocodylia. Their flattened tails, webbed toes on the hind feet, and elevated eyes and nostrils are ideal for aquatic life. Keen senses, powerful jaws and stealth make these ancient reptiles efficient predators. Family: Crocodylidae (all crocodilians except the gharial) Crocodilia is represented by the American alligator. Crocodilians are survivors of the age of dinosaurs. Only 22 species remain and most are threatened with extinction. If these ancient creatures are to survive the need immediate protection everywhere. But it is no easy matter to gain support for crocodiles. As Dr. Wayne King says, "They're not cuddly. They don't have big soulful eyes like seals. Most of the animals the world is concerned with are beautiful, or they tug at your heartstrings. Crocodiles have a pretty toothy leer. They eat dogs in florida - sometimes even people. Who could love them?" These reptiles range in size from the African dwarf crocodile which seldom exceeds 5 feet to the giant salt water crocodile of Indonesia which may attain lengths over 18 feet.The difference between alligators and crocodiles can be seen by observing the fourth tooth of the lower jaw. If it protrudes up through a notch in the upper jaw and is clearly visible it's a crocodile. If the tooth is not visible when the mouth is closed it's an alligator. Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus Tropical Africa A crocodile's teeth are designed for what purpose? American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis Southeastern U.S. Most alligator attacks on humans are probably the result of what? 3 Lizards Order: Squamata (Sub-order, Lacertilia) There are more than 3000 species of lizards ranging in size from two-inch geckos to 10-foot Komodo dragons. Unlike the closely related snakes, most lizards have legs, movable eyelids, and ear openings. They inhabit forests, jungles and deserts throughout the warmer regions of the world. Family: Gekkonidae (gecko lizards) Gekkonidae includes about 75 genera of geckos and hundreds of species. Many have toe pads made up of micrscopic hair-like hooks for climbing walls and ceilings. Eyes often have a series of pinhole openings in the vertical pupil to gain additional light during night hunting. Geckos usually have fragile tails which break easily and regenerate. Insects make up the bulk of the diet. Family: Helodermatidae (beaded lizards) Helodermatidae has only two species. The gila monster of the southwestern United States and the beaded lizard from Mexico belong to this family. They are the only venomous lizards. In both, the biting apparatus requires that the lizard chew on its victim. Venom flows up through grooves in the lower teeth and into the open wound. Although the bite is painful, it is seldom fatal to humans. Family: Iguanadae (iguana lizards) Iguanadae is the largest family of lizards in the New World. It includes small horned lizards and spiny lizards as well as large species lik the common iguanas which reach six feet. Most males demonstrate ownership of territory by head bobbing. Males usually distend throat fan as well. Food varies from insects for smaller species to birds, rodents and vegetation for the larger types. The common iguana is eaten by humans in tropical America. Family: Scincidae (skinks) Scincidae is cosmopolitan in distribution, although most, like the blue tongue skink, live in Australia. Some skinks are born alive while other species hatch from eggs. The blue tongue skink exposes its tongue as a threatening gesture when concerned. Most skinks eat insects and other small animals Family: Teiidae (tegu-like lizards) Teiidae is found only in the western hemisphere and is represented by about two hundred species. The largest is the South American tegu lizard which reaches three feet. All have a long forked tongue, which, as in snakes, is used for smelling. Tegus eat eggs, birds and rodents. Family: Varanidae (monitors) Varanidae includes thirty species of monitor lizards from Asia, Africa, the East Indies and Australia. These are voracious meat eaters that sepnd most of their time onthe ground. Some species are excellent swimmers and climbers. All moitors lay eggs. The Asian water monitor attains lengths of up to eight feet and is second only to the Komodo Dragon which is the world's largest lizard. 4 Lizards Asian Water Monitor Varanus salvator salvator Sri Lanka How do water monitors smell? Veiled Chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus Yemen, Saudi Arabia Why do chameleons change their skin color? Bearded Dragon Pogona vitticeps Inland Eastern Ausralia How do bearded dragons avoid a fight? Gila Monster Heloderma suspectum SouthwesternU.S. How often does a gila monster eat? Snakes Order: Squamata (Sub Order: Serpentes) Snakes also belong to the order Squamata. These stripped-down predators lack legs, movable eyelids and ear openings and are adapted to hunt and kill small animals. There are close to 3000 species of snakes ranging in size from a few inches to over 20 feet in length. 5 Snakes Family: Colubridae (common snakes) Colubridae includes many of the more common snakes as well as some that are not so common. Although most are harmless, a few like the vine snakes and mangrove snakes have developed short rear fangs and a mild venom for immobilizing prey. Rat snakes, king snakes, garter snakes and hundreds of others belong to this family. A wide variety of food animals is eaten and usually killed by constriction or simply overpowering the victim. Family: Viperidae (the vipers) Viperadae includes the vipers and pit vipers. All have long retractable fangs, which enable them to inject their venom deeply into their victim. Venoms generally affect blood cells and bites are often serious. Some members of the family have facial pits in front of the eyes and slightly below and aft of the nostrils, which are used to detect the presence of warm blooded prey - hence the name "pit viper." Rattlesnakes, copperheads and water moccasins are all pit vipers.
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