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Lecture 4 Flashcards

1
Q

What class to reptiles belong to

A

Reptilia

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2
Q

What are the 4 main orders of reptiles

A

1) Crocodilia: alligators and crocodiles
2) squamata: snakes and lizards
3) chelonian: turtles and tortoises
4) rhyncocephalia: tuataras

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3
Q

What class to amphibians belong to

A

Amphibia

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4
Q

What are the 3 main orders of amphibians

A

1) gymnophiona: caecilians
2) Anura: frogs and toads
3) cuadata: salamanders and newts

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5
Q

Describe what it means for reptiles and amphibians (herptiles) to be “cold blooded”

A

This means they are ectothermic

They are unable to generate large amounts of heat internally, so their body temperature depends on the environmental temperature

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6
Q

Some reptiles can markedly raise body temperatures by ___

A

Muscular contractions

Leatherback sea turtle swimming
(Pythons shiver when incubating eggs)

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7
Q

Define herptiles

A

Mainly regulate body temperature via behaviour

Ex. Sunbathing, changing skin color, coiling or uncoiling

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8
Q

True or false

Thermoregulation is less important in hot environments

A

True

It is more important in cold environments

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9
Q

Describe ecothermy in reptiles/amphibians

A

Related to energy conservation

These animals metabolism depends on body temperature

This allows many herptiles to survive on very small amounts of food (most being to maintain body temp)

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10
Q

Temperature of herptiles depends on access to temperatures within the POTZ, what is this?

A

Preferred optimal temperature zone
(Changes with species)

This is the range of temperature in which the animal can perform all necessary metabolic functions

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11
Q

Why is it critical that a sick patients environment is at POTZ when administering medications? What could happen if it is not at POTZ?

A

This allows proper absorption, metabolism and excretion of the medications

If not, it can lead to no response to treatment, lack of healing, overdose or death

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12
Q

Heat sources such as heat rocks and red light bulbs are not acceptable in the herptiles world, what is the best source of heat?

A

Non light providing sources such as ceramic bulbs or heat mats that go under the tank

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13
Q

What is something that is often unknown about UVB or UVA bulbs

A

These bulbs lose the ability to provide these nutrients before they stop lighting up

Recommended to change every 6 months

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14
Q

Why is it difficult to give SQ injections it reptiles

A

Because they have very little space

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15
Q

Describe the dermis of reptiles

A

Dense connective tissue

Contain Blood and lymph vessels, nerves and chromatophores (pigment containing cells)

Chromatophores allow some lizards to change skin color and pattern

Contain osteoderms: bony plates within the dermis of some lizards and crocodilians

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16
Q

Describe the epidermis of reptiles

A

Scales and scutes of reptiles are formed by epidermal folds in most reptiles, they vary in size and shape. It is keratinized

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17
Q

What are some other epidermal structures than may be present on reptiles

A 
Crests 
Tubercles 
Spines
Dewlaps 
Keels 
Horns 
Barbles
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18
Q

Describe the integument of turtles/tortoises

A

Scales and scutes are thick epidermal plates

Nomenclature aids in species identification and medical recording

Cervical scute: first scute at the base of the neck area

Vertebral scutes: run down the center of the shell (numbered)

Pleural scutes: lay right over the lungs (numbered and labelled left or right)

Marginal scutes: the border of the shell (numbered and labelled left or right)

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19
Q

What is ecdysis? Describe this?

A

Shedding of the skin

Occurs with growth and in response to injury

Shed in pieces or in one large piece

Skin does not grow with the animal, so the body outgrows the skin and the animal must shed it

The shed skin is called: exuvia

Enzyme containing lymph secreted between old and new layer (reabsorbed before ecdysis)

The skin color fills (spectacle opacifies)

Mechanical rubbing on objects aids in shedding

It is controlled by the thyroid gland

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20
Q

What is dysecdysis? Describe this

A

Abnormal or difficulty shedding

Usually due to poor husbandry: low humidity, no objects in enclosure to rub on, malnutrition, dehydration etc

Can be from skin wounds, disease, dermatitis, parasites

If not corrected it can lead to Dyspnea, dermatitis, future shed issues, loss of toes or tail tips

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21
Q

What can be done to help dysecdysis

A

Correcting underlying problem

2 hour warm water baths (softens shed and you can pull it off)

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22
Q

What is different about amphibian integument? What are drink patches?

A

It is extremely permeable: they absorb water directly from the environment (don’t drink)

“Drink patches” are areas of increased permeability on ventral surfaces

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23
Q

Describe the epidermis of amphibians

A

Single or few layers or keratinized cells -very thin

Aquatic amphibians do not have keratinized cells

Amphibians regularly shed layers of epidermis and usually eat the exuvia

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24
Q

Describe the dermis of amphibians

A

Contain chromatophores and glands

Glands produce secretions which help to protect the animals skin (because they don’t have a thick layer of keratinized skin, they need this instead)

Very little space in salamanders and caecilians

Anurans have looser attachments of dermis

May have toxic secretions produced by some glands within the dermis and epidermis (defends mechanism)

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25
What does the reptilian and amphibian nervous system depend on
Spinal segmental reflexes and locomotor centers for control of movement
26
Describe the nervous system of reptilians, what reflexes are present? How are some of them used?
Tongue withdrawal, jaw, pedal and tail reflexes are all present When monitoring anesthesia in reptiles OTHER than snakes; use the corneal and palpebral reflexes (snakes do not blink) In snakes: the tongue withdrawal reflex will be maintained at the surgical plane of anesthesia
27
Describe the vision of reptiles
Iris made up of skeletal muscle under voluntary control (PLR: consensual reflexes not seen) Lower lid is usually more mobile than upper lid (upper lid is more mobile in mammals) Nictitans: well developed, and mobile in many reptiles
28
Some species of lizards have a thin transparent lower lid to allow for
some vision when lids are closed
29
What is the spectacle found in snakes and some lizards
A clear fused scale on the eye above the cornea (have a small space in between: contains tear film) Tears drain into mouth through a nasolacrimal system These animals have no true eyelid In caecilians, the eyes are covered with skin Eyelids are absent in some aquatic species
30
Most reptiles have poorly developed extraocular muscles (have to move entire head to look around) what is the exception to this?
Chameleons: their eyes move freely and independently of one another
31
Describe the lacrimal and harderian glands? What’s different about chelonians,
Present in most reptiles and amphibians: produce secretions that combines to form the tear film Chelonians: no nasolacrimal ducts, tears spills over the lid margins
32
What happens in some amphibian eyes when swallowing?
protrude ventrally into the oral cavity when swallowing
33
Describe the eye in reptiles
Contain ossicles: sclera bones present in most reptiles (not snakes or crocodilians) Lens: more fluid in reptiles than mammals (more rigid in snakes) this allows for further accommodation Parietal (rudimentary) eye in some reptiles (space - not an eye thought to be associated with light cycles)
34
Describe what’s different about accommodation abilities in chelonians and snakes
Accommodation: 1) chelonians: lens is squeezed through the pupil to adjust its size 2) snakes: lens moves back and forth due to pressure changes within the aqueous and vitreous humors (doesn’t actually change shape)
35
What is hypovitaminosis A
One of the most common disease affecting turtles and tortoises Usually from a diet deficient in Vit A resulting in abnormal functioning of skin Signs: swollen eyelids, loss of appetite, weight loss, raw skin with secondary bacterial infections, nasal discharge, abnormal development of eyes in embryos Treated with Vit A injectable or dietary supplements (maybe also need to treat secondary bacterial infections -mucosal surfaces more prone to infection)
36
What is different about a snake ability to hear
Snakes: no external ears, columella articulates with the quadrate bone of the jaw: this allows snakes to be very sensitive to ground vibrations transmitted through the mandibles and converted to sounds Snakes can hear aerial sounds but it is not as highly developed
37
Who are aural abscesses common in? What are they often secondary to?
Middle ear infections are common in chelonians Can be secondary to hypovitaminosis A
38
Location of the heart varies in amphibians and reptiles, describe the location in some different species
Chelonians: on midline just caudal to the thoracic girdle, central to the lungs Most lizards: within the thoracic girdle/space Crocodilians and some lizards: farther back in the coelomic Cavity (abdominal cavity ish near the center) Snakes: usually at the junction of the first and second third of the body length (fairly mobile within the coelomic cavity)
39
Describe the heart of most reptiles and amphibians. Describe the heart of crocodilians
3 chambered with two atria and one ventricle Crocodilians: 4 chambered heart unlike mammals or avians
40
How is there no mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in a 3 chamber heart (only one ventricle)
The ventricle is divided (septum), it is just not considered 2 Chambers
41
Why is it difficult to auscultate reptilian hearts? What can you do instead?
You usually can’t heart it, very slow, difficult to find, in turtles you can hear past shell You may be able to watch cardiac movement through the skin
42
What does heart rate depends on
Species, size, temperature, activity level and metabolic function
43
In lizards, what is the vasovagal reflex
Induces a drop in heart rate, blood pressure and a catatonic state Triggered by applying gentle pressure to both eyeballs through closed eyelids (recover when pressure is released or with mild stimulation)
44
True or false | Reptiles can’t survive long without breathing
FALSE | reptiles can survive long periods without breathing
45
Respiration is driven by
Oxygen levels in the blood (in mammals it’s CO2 levels in blood)
46
Lizards tend to experience severe respiratory depression while under anesthesia, so it is important to provide____
Positive pressure ventilation (2-4 breaths per minute generally) If they stop breathing on their own, which can happen, the anesthesia will wear off
47
Where is the glottis of most reptiles and amphibians located? Describe the glottis in snakes? Is there an epiglottis present?
In the rostral portion of the oral cavity The glottis is very mobile in snakes and protrudes from the mouth to allow respiration during ingestion of prey There is not often an epiglottis present, there is paired arytenoid cartilages that border the glottal opening, that open and close with respiration
48
Is it easy to pass an endotracheal tube in reptiles? Why?
Yes because the it is clearly visible and distinct from the esophagus
49
Describe the vocal ranges of reptiles
They have no vocal cords The only vocalizations possible are hissing, grunting, or bellowing Frogs and toads: vocal sacs arise from the trachea
50
What is the glottal keel
Present in some species of snakes that increases the volume of vocalizations This structure found at the glottal opening also makes intubation difficult
51
Reptiles have no diaphragm, how do they breathe?
By the action of the intercostal muscles and ribs and parts of the axial musculature used for respiration Do not restrain them too tightly
52
Describe the amphibian respiratory system
Simple sac like lungs Some salamanders have no lungs (they have cutaneous respiration: absorbs air through the skin) Pulmonary ventilation from pumping of the buccal cavity and pharynx (necks gets bigger/smaller) gas exchange occurs through mucous membranes of the buccal cavity, pharynx and cloaca Gills may be present in young amphibians
53
Some reptiles can be carnivorous, omnivorous or herbivorous Snakes, crocodilians and adult amphibians are strict
Carnivores
54
What is the function of the deeply forked tongues of snakes and lizards
Function as a particle delivery system for the vomeronasal organ (accessory olfactory organ) (smelling air by tasting it) Allow for detection of particle gradients
55
Describe the tongue of chameleons
Specialized projectile tongues designed for capturing prey from long distances (sticker end which the prey stick to)
56
Describe the tongue of turtles and tortoises
Typically thick, fleshy and relatively immobile
57
describe the tongue of crocodilians, what structure of the oral cavity aids them when being under water
Immobile and attached to intermandibular space Muscular flaps from base of tongue and dorsal pharynx allow for opening of mouth while submerged without ingesting or inhaling water (blocks off the throat)
58
Describe the oral cavity of amphibians
Tongue used to capture prey (most amphibians) Salamanders: tongue is flipped to pretend food (lingual flipping) Has numerous salivary glands to provide stickiness Some have venom glands (snakes and lizards) which is a modified salivary gland with a canal that runs down the tooth
59
Describe the dentition of tortoises and turtles
They do not have teeth, they have Tomia (keratinized beaks) Other reptiles have teeth
60
Describe the dentition of snakes
Have 6 rows of teeth: two mandibular, two maxillary, two palatine/pterygoid bones
61
Snakes without venomous fangs are called
Aglyphous snakes
62
Dentition of venomous snakes
Specialized dentition for delivery Venom teeth: hollow with an opening near end where venom is expelled Fangs receive venom through a duct from a venom gland at its base Contraction of muscles around venom gland forces venom out from the fang
63
True or false | Snakes can control the amount of venom delivered with each bite
True
64
Describe the dentition of most amphibians
Most have teeth Caecilians and salamanders: both maxillary and mandibular teeth (some have palatal teeth) Some anuran species have a maxillary dentition Some have odontoid process: cutting plates on rostral mandibles of some frogs
65
Describe the esophagus in reptiles and amphibians
Reptiles: thin and distensible: unique morphology reflects type of prey Amphibians: very short and wide (especially in anurans)
66
Describe the stomach of reptiles
Variable in size and shape Snakes: highly distensible Crocodilians: thick muscle comparable to avian gizzard
67
what are anurans capable of doing with their stomach?
Anurans capable of prolapsing the stomach through the mouth Used for emptying the stomach if they ingest something undesirable Gastric prolapse can be a terminal event in dying animals Can be seen with some methods of anesthesia
68
Describe the intestinal tract of reptiles
Varies according to diet Herbivores: longer than carnivores Snakes: relatively straight (not a lot of coiling) Colon: large and complex in herbivores (hind gut fermentation) Cecum: site of hindgut fermentation in herbivorous lizards and chelonians Liver: bilobed and large
69
Describe the cloaca
common outflow tract for GIT and urogenital tracts (all reptiles and amphibians) Three chambers, similar to birds: coprodeum, urodeum, proctodeum
70
Describe the reptilian kidney
Have a renal portal system arising from the veins of the pelvic limbs and tail (avoid injection of meds in caudal half)
71
Describe the amphibian kidney
Some amphibians excrete ammonia as a nitrogenous was product -other excrete urea, or Uric acid These have no ability to concentrate their urine Urinary bladders and cloacal anatomy similar to reptiles
72
Male reptiles have internal testes located in the
Dorsal coelomic cavity
73
In male reptiles, the ductus deferens leads from the testes to the
Dorsal wall of the urodeum They possess a copulatory organ such as a phallus or paired hemipenes
74
Most male reptiles have a sexual portion to the kidney tubules, what does this do
Develops in response to high levels of circulating sex hormones and provides secretions that contribute to the seminal fluid
75
Describe how copulatory organs vary in structures in male reptiles
Crocodilians and chelonians: phallus of erectile tissue rising from floor of cloaca Snakes and lizards: paired hemipenes everted from the tail base through the vent (caudal to the vent)
76
Describe the female reptilian anatomy
Paired ovaries in dorsal coelomic cavity Paired oviducts lead to cloaca and end at the genital papillae on dorsal wall of the urodeum
77
In viviparous species, describe the fetus development
Viviparous: birth of live young Fetuses are retained and nourished in uterine portion of the oviduct
78
In oviparous species, describe birth of young
Birth of young by laying eggs Many reptiles dig nests to lay eggs in Without a suitable nested many females will not lay and experience dystocia
79
Chelonians and some lizards may dig deep holes to
Deposit their eggs into and leave after
80
After oviposition or parturition, reptiles are often not involved with the care of eggs or offspring, what are the exceptions to this
Crocodilians: protect their nests and young for a period of time following hatching Pythons and cobras: protect their nests until hatching
81
Describe incubation of eggs
Development and hatching requires proper temperature, humidity and gas composition of the nest Incubation time and temperatures vary in species Reptile eggs should NOT be rotated during incubation like with avians
82
Describe sex determination of reptiles with incubation
Sex can be determined by genotype or temperature at which eggs are incubated Females: heterozygous (ZW) Males: homozygous (ZZ) Opposite in mammals
83
In some species they do not have sex chromosomes, describe how sexes are made in incubation
Higher incubation temperatures produce males in crocodilians and lizards (opposite in chelonians) Temperature range within the nest allows production of mixed clutch of hatchlings Artificially you can determine the sex of the animals
84
True or false | Snakes have no real sexual dimorphism
True | There is often no good way to differentiate sexes
85
In some species, pelvic spurs are present and can be be larger in males, what are these
Remnants of pelvic limbs and provide tactile stimulation to females
86
Describe a Male chelonians vent
May have a concave plastron and more distally located vent than females Allows closer apposition of the cloaca when the male mounts the females
87
What is an example of a species of lizards that show obvious sexual dimorphism
The male jackson’s chameleon has three well developed horns on its face
88
Describe different sexual dimorphism in amphibians
Poison dart frogs: males have enlarged toe pads Anurans: males may have Large tympanic membranes Salamanders: males have prominent cloacal glands
89
Most caecilians (serpentine amphibians) are
Viviparous
90
Most anurans and salamanders are
Oviparous
91
What are amplexus frogs and toads
These fertilize eggs as they are laid while grasping the female
92
What are spermatophores in salamanders
Packets of sperm deposited onto substrate by male salamanders These are picked up by the females cloaca in the spermatotheca (pocket in the cloaca of female salamanders where sperm can be stored)
93
When amphibians lay eggs, they are often laid in or near
Water
94
There is some parental care of eggs/young in what amphibians
Anurans and most salamanders
95
Larval anurans (Tadpoles) have completely aquatic lives prior to
Metamorphosis
96
Tadpole metamorphosis is usually complete within
90 days
97
What is tadpole metamorphosis stimulated by
Thyroid hormones
98
What is the life cycle of a frog
Egg Embryo Tadpole Front legs break through Pulmonary breathing starts Tadpole frog Adult frog
99
Describe the snake skull
Extremely mobile Mandibular symphysis is connected by ligaments that allow the jaws to move independently of each other This is to allow the mouth to open extremely wide for ingesting large prey
100
Describe the shell of a turtle
The shell is a part of their skeleton -actually connected It can grow and heal like any bone They do have a backbone/spine that is connected to the shell Most of the space inside is occupied by lungs
101
What is tail autonomy
A defensive mechanism: species will drop their tail that will continue to wiggle to distract predators Present in some lizards and salamanders These species have a “fracture plane” on the tail where the tail is designed to break off from that results in very little blood loss Lost tail can regenerate but it is often stiff and cartilaginous
102
What is metabolic bone disease
Caused by an imbalance of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 Proper diet, temperature and light will prevent this Symptoms: swollen mandible, curvature if the tail and possibly spine, decreased bone density on radiographs (will not appear as white) (weak, fragile deformed bones)
103
What are some common reptile/amphibian species native to Saskatchewan
Plains garter snake Greater short horned lizard Prairie rattle snake Tiger salamander

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