Term
| Group Crocodilia includes which animals? |
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Definition
| Crocodiles, Alligators (including the Caimans), and the Gharial |
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Term
| How many living species are there of Crocodilian? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where are Crocodilians distributed? |
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Definition
| Tropical and temperate environments |
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Term
| Crocodilian fossil records date back to when? |
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Definition
| Late Triassic/Early Jurassic. ~200 million years ago. They have changed little since then making them living fossils |
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Term
| What group is the largest living reptiles? |
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Definition
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Term
| Some crocodiles can grow to over ___ in length and weigh over _____. The __________ is the largest and the ______ is the next with lengths of up to ____ feet. |
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Definition
| Over 25 ft (7.5m) in length, over 2200 lbs. The saltwater crocodile is the largest with the Nile second reaching lengths up to 21 ft |
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Term
| What is the name of the extinct supercroc and how long did it grow? |
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Definition
| Sarcosuchus from the Cretaceous. Grew to over 40ft in length |
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Term
| What type of circulatory system do crocodilians have? |
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Definition
| Only living reptile to have a true 4 chambered heart |
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Term
| What do crocodilians eat? How? |
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Definition
| All are carnivores, known for bursts of speed, attach either in water or drag prey into water, lie in wait, powerful jaws and sharp teeth |
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Term
| What crocodilian is well known for attacking humans? |
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Definition
| The saltwater crocodile of Australia and Asia |
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Term
| What type of reproduction do crocodilians have? |
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Definition
| Internal fertilization, single penis, some make low frequency sounds (bellowing), have great hearing, all lay eggs, all have TSD, exhibit parental care |
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Term
| T/F: Crocodilians are long lived. |
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Definition
| True often up to 70-100 years |
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Term
| What is the economic significance of crocodilians? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Very long and narrow snout used to catch fish. 15-20 ft in length, only ONE living species (Indian Gharial) |
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Term
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Definition
| Snout more narrow than alligators, Fourth tooth on lower jaw is visible when mouth is closed, 14 living species |
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Term
| How many living species of crocodiles are there? |
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Definition
| 14, found throughout the world |
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Term
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Definition
| Relatively broad snout, 8 species, 4th tooth not visible when mouth closed |
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Term
| How many species of alligators are there? |
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Definition
| 8; American, Chinese, and 6 species of Caimans |
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Term
| How many species of Caiman Alligators are there? |
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Definition
| 6; Central and South America |
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Term
| How many groups of Crocodilians are in the US? What are they? |
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Definition
| 2; American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and American crocodile |
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Term
| Describe the American alligator |
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Definition
| Common in Southeast US, found in central and south Alabama, 19ft, mature at 6ft, Mating takes place in spring (males bellow), mound-like nest with 20-70 eggs |
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Term
| Describe the American crocodile |
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Definition
| Found in the Florida Keys and in the Everglades (also Caribbean and Central and S. America), 23 ft. |
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Term
| What animals make up Squamata? |
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Definition
| Lizards, Snakes, and Worm Lizards |
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Term
| What group of reptiles is the most successful? |
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Definition
| Squamata, over 6700 species, 95% of living reptiles. They are also the most recent reptiles in the fossil record |
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Term
| How many species of lizards (Sauria or Lacertilia) are there? |
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Definition
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Term
| How many species of snakes (Serpentes) are there? |
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Definition
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Term
| How many species of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are there? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Temperate and tropical climates throughout the world. |
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Term
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Definition
| Large prehistoric marine lizards. Over 33ft in length, Carnivores, Cretaceous period, in Alabama, |
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Term
| What is mosasaurs claim to fame? (archaeology) |
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Definition
| One of the first prehistoric skeletons found suggesting that some animals had gone extinct |
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Term
| Describe the nervous system and special senses of lizards. |
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Definition
| Lizards have excellent sight and smell as well as a well developed vomeronasal organ in the roof of the mouth (VNO or Jacobson's organ) used to detect pheromones, 3rd eye (pineal gland), one ear bone, tympanic membrane |
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Term
| Do lizards use sound for mating and territoriality? |
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Definition
| Some geckos use sound for mating and territoriality |
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Term
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Definition
| Most are carnivores with many eating insects, some have long tongues, tongues can be longer than body (chameleons), Adult iguanas and marine iguanas are herbivores |
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Term
| Describe lizard reproduction |
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Definition
| males often territorial, use internal fertilization, males have hemipenes (pair copulatory organs), use one hemipenis to transfer sperm to female cloaca, most lizards are oviparous, some ovoviviparous, some viviparous (brazilian skink), do not provide parental care |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
| What does it mean if a lizard is parthenogeniTc? Are there any? |
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Definition
| Type of asexual reproduction where eggs develop w/o being fertilized. Yes, they are all females (whiptail lizard) |
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Term
| What is the Draco lizard? |
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Definition
| The flying dragon, has folds of skin that act as wings for gliding |
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Term
| What is the Basilisk lizard? |
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Definition
| the "Jesus" lizard, it can run on hind legs across water |
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Term
| What is the Gila monster? |
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Definition
| It is a venomous lizard that occurs in SW US, one of the few venomous species in the world, small fangs and "chews" prey to enhance transfer of venom, normally not lethal to humans |
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Term
| What is the Komodo Dragon? |
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Definition
| largest lizard in the world, found in Indonesia, 9ft or more |
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Term
| Snakes appear to be what? |
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Definition
| highly specialized legless lizards. hypothesized to have evolved from lizards. wide geographic distribution |
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Term
| T/F: Snakes are all usually about the same size. |
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Definition
| False; size varies greatly |
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Term
| What is the largest snake in the world? |
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Definition
| The anaconda, max reported length 37.5 ft. Reticulated python can grow to 33ft |
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Term
| How small is the smallest snake? |
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Definition
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Term
| Most snakes lack ____ and ____ girdle bones although few snakes have the remnants of the them (boas, pythons). |
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Definition
| pelvic and pectoral girdle bones |
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Term
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Definition
| By moving segments of the body, Varieity of movement styles including the serpentine movement |
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Term
| T/F: Snakes lack eyelids. |
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Definition
| True, so they appear to have a "glassy stare" b/c they do not blink |
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Term
| What do snakes have instead of an eyelid? |
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Definition
| A transparent membrane covering the eye that is shed during molting |
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Term
| T/F: Snakes have a tympanic membrane but no external ears. |
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Definition
| False; They do not have external ears or tympanic membranes |
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Term
| T/F: Snakes have an inner ear and a columella. |
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Definition
| True; They can pick up low frequency vibrations conducted through bones especially the jaw. |
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Term
| Snakes typically have only one full sized functional lung. Which is it? |
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Definition
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Term
| Where is the vomeronasal gland (VNO or Jacobson's organ) in snakes? What is is used for? |
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Definition
| Roof of mouth, accessory olfactory structure (snakes flick tongues to help out), used to detect pheromones, etc. used in mate identification and prey identification |
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Term
| Some snakes have heat sensitive pits on head b/t nostrils and eyes. What snakes are these? |
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Definition
| Pit vipers such as rattlesnakes, copperheads, cottonmouths, and in a few pythons and boas |
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Term
| In addition to heat pits on some boas and pythons, they also have heat sensitive receptors where else? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are the pit organs used for? |
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Definition
| Sense warm-blooded animals |
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Term
| T/F: The pit organs have a suspended membrane with receptors that detect infrared radiation (heat). |
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Definition
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Term
| What do snakes use to find prey? |
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Definition
| olfaction, VNO, and some use pit organs, snakes do not rely heavily on vision |
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Term
| Snakes immobilize prey one of three ways depending on species. What are these three ways? |
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Definition
| Bit and hold, constrict, use venom |
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Term
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Definition
| pythons, boas, and anacondas |
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Term
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Definition
| Pit vipers, sea snakes, etc |
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Term
| How many snakes are venomous? (%) |
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Definition
| ~20-25%. Used to immobilize prey and deter predators |
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Term
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Definition
| Modified salivary glands in upper jaws |
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Term
| Venom can contain a variety of proteins including:_____, _____, & _____. |
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Definition
| Neurotoxins, toxins & enzymes |
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Term
| What do the neurotoxins in snake venom do? |
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Definition
| Block neuromuscular junction and cardiovascular toxins. Often bind to acetylcholine receptor and block it |
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Term
| What do the toxins and enzymes in snake venom do? |
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Definition
| Cause tissue destrucution and hemorrhage. Prevents isolation of venom by prey's immune system. |
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Term
| Some snakes have fangs. What are these "fangs"? |
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Definition
| Modified teeth used to transfer venom. |
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Term
| T/F: Virtually all snakes' fangs are the same. |
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Definition
| False; fangs can vary from very elaborate to simple depending on species, some long and hinged whereas others are short and fixed, some hollow and some are grooved. |
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Term
| In the US, how many people are bitten by snakes each year and how many die? |
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Definition
| 4000 to 6000 bit and ~5 or less die |
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Term
| In India how many people are bitten by snakes each year and how many die? |
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Definition
| ~200,000 bitten and thousands die |
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Term
| How many snakes (%) are non-venomous? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| Snakes utilize internal fertilization. Male has hemipenes for transferring sperm, only use one hemipenis. Many lay eggs but some bear live young (sea snakes), do not show parental care |
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Term
| Are snakes oviparous, ovoviviparous, or viviparous? |
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Definition
| Can be all 3 depending on species |
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Term
| Sea snakes are oviparous, ovoviviparous, or viviparous? |
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Definition
| ovoviviparous and bear live young |
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Term
| Do snakes show parental care? |
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Definition
| No but a few species protect their eggs |
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Term
| What is unique about the reproduction of the red-sided garter snake? |
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Definition
| It forms large mating aggregations of up to thousands of snakes in southern Canada. Males congregate then wait on females. |
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Term
| What is an ecological problem in the US due to snakes? |
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Definition
| Pythons released in southern Florida are altering the ecosystems in the Everglades. Resulted in a significant decrease in a variety of natural mammal populations in the everglades including rabbits, foxes, raccoons, opossums, and deer. |
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Term
| What animals make up Amphisbaenia? |
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Definition
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Term
| How many species of worm lizards are there? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is their distribution range? |
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Definition
| Limited distribution on several continents with most occurring in South America and Africa |
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Term
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Definition
| Highly specialized burrowing reptiles |
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Term
| T/F: Worm lizards are closely related to snakes. |
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Definition
| False. Appear to be closely related to lizards |
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Term
| T/F: Worm lizards have excellent vision as a subterranean reptile allowing them to see underground. |
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Definition
| False. Little use of vision, either blind or dont have eyes |
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Term
| T/F: Worm lizards legs are very well adapted to burrowing. |
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Definition
| False. Their legs are no longer very important |
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Term
| Worm lizards have small eyes and their ears are often covered by what? |
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Definition
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Term
| Most worm lizards lack ___ but one family has them very close to the head. |
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Definition
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Term
| How is the worm lizard unique among reptiles? |
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Definition
| The only reptile that is primarily or exclusively subterranean. |
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Term
| What does amphisbaenia mean? Why? |
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Definition
| Double walk because they can move forward and backwards in their burrows with ease. |
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Term
| T/F: Worm lizards are herbivores eating plant matter. |
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Definition
| False. They are carnivores that identify prey by smell. They eat worms, insects, and other invertebrates |
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Term
| What is the reproduction of the worm lizard? |
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Definition
| Internal fertilization with hemipenes for transferring sperm. Some are oviparous and some are ovoviviparous |
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Term
| How many species of worm lizards are in the U.S.? |
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Definition
| one. it is called the Florida worm lizard. Occurs in Florida and southern Alabama |
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Term
| How many species of birds are there? |
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Definition
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