Reptiles Flashcards
Rear margin of carapace serrate
Chelydridae (snapping turtles)
Plastron + carapace united in wide bridge
Emydidae (land and freshwater pond turtles)
Hind feet stumpy
Testudidae (land tortoises)
Shell leathery
Trionychidae (soft shelled turtles)
Smooth, oval-shaped carapace
Kinosternidae (musk turtles)
Limbs paddlelike
Chelonidae (sea turtles)
Clinging pads
Gekkonidae (geckos)
Grasping, prehensile tail
Chameleonidae (true chameleons)
Rib-supported membrane
Agamidae, genera Draco (old world iguanas)
Obvious tympanum, very small scales
Iguanidae (iguanas, anoles, swifts)
Rectangular scales on belly, tail long with plate-like scales in ring
Teiidae (whiptail lizards and tegus)
Scales shiny, smooth
Scincidae (skinks)
Fold on side of body from neck to hind limb, legs may be absent of reduced
Anguidae (lateral-fold lizards)
Scales tubercle-like
Heleodermatidae (beaded lizards)
Long neck, tympanum recessed
Varanidae (monitors)
Worm-like
Leptotyphlopidae (“blind” snakes)
Big and chunky snakes
Boidae (boas, pythons, anacondas)
No pits, venomous proteroglyphous fangs
Elapidae (cobras, mambas, coral snakes)
Tail laterally compressed for swimming
Hydrophiidae (sea snakes)
Heat sensitive pit between eye and nostril
Viperidae (true vipers); Viperinae (no pit, may have horns), Crotalinae (pit present)
No fangs, no spurs, no compressed tails
Colubridae (colubrids)
Crocodylia, lower teeth exposed when mouth closed
Crocodylidae (crocodiles)
Crocodylia, lower teeth not exposed when mouth closed
Alligatoridae (alligators and caimans)
