Herpetology Test

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Station One

A B

1. Give the common names of both snake A and snake B. 2. Give the family names for both snake A and snake B. 3. Which snake is venomous?

4. How can you tell?

5. What type of venom does this snake produce?

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Answers to Station One

 Snake A is a Scarlet King Snake (Colubridae)Snake A is a Scarlet King Snake (Colubridae)  Snake B is a Coral Snake (Elaphidae)Snake B is a Coral Snake (Elaphidae)

 Snake B is venomous (neurotoxin)Snake B is venomous (neurotoxin)

 Colors are different – coral (red, yellow, black); king – (red, Colors are different – coral (red, yellow, black); king – (red,

black, yellow) black, yellow)

 Coral snake has grooved fangs in fixed position on front of Coral snake has grooved fangs in fixed position on front of

upper jaw; scarlet king snake – bands do not circle body; upper jaw; scarlet king snake – bands do not circle body;

nose pointed and red. Etc. nose pointed and red. Etc.

 NeurotoxinNeurotoxin

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Station Two

1. What is the family group of this

specimen?

2. What are the red structures?

3. What is the function of the red structures? 4 How would the red

structures vary in cold clear water versus warm, cloudy water? Explain the reason for your answer.

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Answers to Station Two

1.

1. (O) Caudata, (F) Proteidae(O) Caudata, (F) Proteidae (Necturus maculosus) (Necturus maculosus) (Mudpuppy)

(Mudpuppy) 2.

2. Gills Gills 3.

3. Function of gills is to extract oxygen gas from the water.Function of gills is to extract oxygen gas from the water. 4.

4. In cold, clear water, gills would be shorter than in warm, In cold, clear water, gills would be shorter than in warm, muddy water because cold water can hold more oxygen, muddy water because cold water can hold more oxygen,

hence less need for gill surface area. hence less need for gill surface area. 5.

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Station Three

1. What are the order, family, and genus of this specimen? 2. What is the gender of the organism in this picture? 3. How can you tell?

4. What is another way you could tell the gender?

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Answers to Station Three

 (O)Testudines, (F)Emydidae, (G)Terrapene (Terrapene (O)Testudines, (F)Emydidae, (G)Terrapene (Terrapene

carolina) carolina)

 MaleMale

 Red eyesRed eyes

 Depression in rear of plastronDepression in rear of plastron

 Female can store sperm from a single mating and still Female can store sperm from a single mating and still

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Station Four

1. What is the common name of specimen A? 2. What is the common name of specimen B?

3. What are the most important differences between these two specimens? 4. What suborder order does specimen A belong to?

5. What suborder does specimen B belong to?

6. How do the ranges of these two specimens vary? 7. Which one of these can regenerate its tail?

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Answers to Station Four

 Eastern glass lizard (O)Squamata (SO) Lacertila (F) Eastern glass lizard (O)Squamata (SO) Lacertila (F)

Anguidae (G) Ophisaurus Anguidae (G) Ophisaurus

 Florida (common) kingsnake – (O) Squamata (SO) Florida (common) kingsnake – (O) Squamata (SO)

Serpentes (F) Colubridae (G) Lampropeltis Serpentes (F) Colubridae (G) Lampropeltis

 Glass lizard has external ear openings, movable eyelids, Glass lizard has external ear openings, movable eyelids,

flexible groove down sides of body, and feel more stiff; flexible groove down sides of body, and feel more stiff;

snake does not. snake does not.

 Specimen A can regenerate its tail.Specimen A can regenerate its tail.

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Station Five

A

B

1. What is the order for both of these

specimens?

2. What is the common name of specimen A?

3. What is the common name of specimen B?

4. What features distinguish these two specimens?

5. Which of these species guards its nests?

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Answers to Station Five

 (O) Crocodylia for both (F) Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae(O) Crocodylia for both (F) Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae  A is American crocodileA is American crocodile

 B is American alligatorB is American alligator

 A has long narrow snout, B has broadly rounded snout; A A has long narrow snout, B has broadly rounded snout; A

has prominent tooth evident when jaw is closed, B does has prominent tooth evident when jaw is closed, B does

not; etc. not; etc.

 Alligator females guard the nest.Alligator females guard the nest.

 Alligators dig deep holes (dens) which provide water for Alligators dig deep holes (dens) which provide water for

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Station Six

A B

1. What is the family of specimen A? 2. What is the family of specimen B?

3. Give at least three differences between the family of specimen A and the family of specimen B.

4. Which has irritating skin-gland secretions?

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Answers to Station Six

 (O) Anura A – (F) Bufonidae (O) Anura A – (F) Bufonidae

B – (F) RanidaeB – (F) Ranidae

 A – dry, warty skin, hopping, no webs on hind feetA – dry, warty skin, hopping, no webs on hind feet  B – smooth moist skin, leaping, webbed hind feetB – smooth moist skin, leaping, webbed hind feet

 Tympanum is ear drum – larger than eye in males, size Tympanum is ear drum – larger than eye in males, size

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Station Seven

1. What is the 1. What is the

order and order and

family of this family of this

specimen? specimen? 2. What is the diet 2. What is the diet of the young of the young

of this of this

species? species?

3. What is the diet 3. What is the diet of the adults? of the adults? 4. How long from 4. How long from

egg to egg to

hatchling? hatchling?

5. Why do humans 5. Why do humans

kill these kill these

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Answers to Station Seven

 (O) Testudines (F) Chelydridae(O) Testudines (F) Chelydridae

 Snails, worms, leeches, insects, larvae, small fish, water Snails, worms, leeches, insects, larvae, small fish, water

plants, organic waste plants, organic waste

 Frogs, fish, newts, tadpoles, snakes, small turtles, small Frogs, fish, newts, tadpoles, snakes, small turtles, small

mammals, young birds, and water plants (1/3 of diet!) mammals, young birds, and water plants (1/3 of diet!)

 80-90 days 80-90 days

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Station Eight

1. Give Order, 1. Give Order, Sub-order, family and order, family and

genus of this species. genus of this species.

2. What is the 2. What is the

Geographic range of Geographic range of These organisms? These organisms?

3. What is the 3. What is the function of the function of the dewlap?

dewlap?

4. What are main threats to iguana populations? 4. What are main threats to iguana populations?

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Answers to Station Eight

 (O) Squamata (SO) Lacertila (F) Iguanidae (G) Iguana(O) Squamata (SO) Lacertila (F) Iguanidae (G) Iguana  Mexico, Central and South AmericaMexico, Central and South America

 Males raise the dewlap to appear bigger (to intimidate Males raise the dewlap to appear bigger (to intimidate

redators or to impress females). redators or to impress females).

 Main threats are killing for food, habitat destruction, and Main threats are killing for food, habitat destruction, and

pet trade. pet trade.

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Station Nine

A B

1. What are the order, suborder, family, subfamily and genus of specimen A? 2. What are the order, suborder, family, subfamily and genus of specimen B? 3. What are the common names of both?

4. Describe the difference in the habitats of these two specimens. 5. Which is more likely to give a “dry bite”?

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Answers to Station Nine

 For both: (O) Squamata (SO) Sperpentes (F) Viperidae For both: (O) Squamata (SO) Sperpentes (F) Viperidae

(SF) Viperinae (G) Agkistrodon (SF) Viperinae (G) Agkistrodon

 Copperhead and CottonmouthCopperhead and Cottonmouth

 Specimen B – near slow moving water – even the sea; Specimen B – near slow moving water – even the sea;

Specimen A – forest, woodland, swampy areas Specimen A – forest, woodland, swampy areas

 Copperhead will often bite with no venom.Copperhead will often bite with no venom.

 Copperhead venom more potent but much less is released Copperhead venom more potent but much less is released

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Station Ten

1. Give the Order, Family and Genus of this specimen? 1. Give the Order, Family and Genus of this specimen? 2. What is the common name of this specimen?

2. What is the common name of this specimen? 3. What is the structure on the back foot used for? 3. What is the structure on the back foot used for? 4. How does this specimen differ from the Bufonidae? 4. How does this specimen differ from the Bufonidae? 5. How do they survive extreme drought?

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Answers to Station Ten

 (O) Anura (F) Pelobatidae (G) Scaphiopus(O) Anura (F) Pelobatidae (G) Scaphiopus  spadefoot toadspadefoot toad

 Used to dig burrowsUsed to dig burrows

 spadefoots are soft bodied and have smoother skin; spadefoots are soft bodied and have smoother skin;

pupils are vertical, true toads’ are horizontal, spadefoots pupils are vertical, true toads’ are horizontal, spadefoots

lack parotid glands, which are present on the sides of lack parotid glands, which are present on the sides of

the head in bufonid toads. the head in bufonid toads.