Reptiles Birds and Mammals

ClassificationKingdom Animalia

Phylum ChordataSubphylum Vertebrata

Classes Agnatha Chondrichthyes Osteichthyes Amphibia

Reptiles Aves Mammalia

Brains

The brains of reptiles, birds and mammals are very similar except in size.

Parts of the brain

Cerebrum – Thinking, memory and voluntary movements.

Cerebellum – Balance and coordination

Optic – sight

Olfactory – smell

Medulla Oblongata – Basic body functions –breathing, heartbeat….

Reptile

Examples: snakes, turtles, crocodiles, tuatara

Characteristics: claws on toes, scales made from keratin, amniote egg, most are oviparous but a few are ovoviviparous, nictitating membrane, internal fertilization, cold blooded (ectothermic), 3 ½ chamber heart.

Terminology

Oviparous – Lays eggs (reptiles and birds)

Viviparous – Live birth (mammals)

Ovoviviparous – Has internal eggs but live birth. (garter snakes, sharks…)

Amniote Egg

Functions of Parts of Egg

Shell – protection

Chorion – Gas exchange

Amnion – protection

Allantois – waste storage

Yolk sac – food storage

Embryo - baby

Turtles - Testudines

Have a shell fused to the rib cage and vertebrae.

Snakes and Lizards - Squamata

Lack legs but a few like boa have vestigial legs, hundred of rib, reduced kidneys, reproductive organs and lungs. Everything is elongated.

They have

awesome

sense organs.

Poisonous Lizards

There are only two species of venomous lizards. They are the gila monster and the beaded lizard. Komodo dragons are the largest lizard. They are not venomous but their bite is deadly because of all of the bacteria in the saliva.

Gila Monster

Beaded

Lizard

Venomous Snakes

Snakes use a special organ to smell called Jacobson’s Organ.

Top 101. Fierce Snake 6. Beaked Sea Snake

2. Common Brown 7. Western Tiger Snake

3. Taipan 8. Giant Black Tiger Snake

4. Eastern Tiger 9. Death Adder

5. Riesvie Tiger Snake 10. Western Brown Snake

Crocodiles - Crocodilia

Include crocs, alligators, gavil, caimen. Have a four chamber heart.

Tuatara - Rhyncocephilia

Most ancient form of reptile. Three eyes (parietal eye), native to some Indonesian islands.

Aves: birds

Birds have feathers made from keratin, hollow bones, reduced internal organs (lighter to fly), advanced respiratory system with air sacs, four chamber heart, amniote egg with a calcium shell (oviparous), forelimbs modified into wings, no teeth, scales on the feet, and warm-bloodedness (endothermic).

Bird Anatomy

Feather

Types of Feathers

Flight feather – used for flight – wings and tail

Contour feathers – aerodynamics – outside of body

Down feathers – warmth – next to body

Filoplume – nostrils – clean air before entering lungs

• down feather

• flight feather

Bird classification – flying styles

Flightless diving birds – penguins

Normal flight - eagles, robin…

Can fly backwards – hummingbirds

Only fly short distances – chickens

Flightless – ostriches, rhea, emu, kiwi

Beak Adaptations

Different types of food have led t differences in beak types. What type of food do these birds eat?

Foot types

Differences in foot design have added birds to live in different habitats.

Behavioral differences

Birds have different behaviors. These include nest building, aerial displays, courtship rituals and song.

Mammals

Characteristics

1. Hair2. Endothermic (warm-blooded)3. Mammary Glands produce milk for young4. 4 chamber heart5. Fat layer beneath the skin6. Bones in the ear7. Simple jaw with complex specialized

teeth

Feeding

Compared to reptiles, mammals must eat 10 times more food. As a result they have specialized teeth like incisors, canine teeth, molar and premolars. The types and designs of the teeth help to classify mammals.

Circulatory System

Mammals have a double loop circulatory system. This means that one loop takes the blood to the lungs. The other loop takes the blood out to the body.

Respiratory system

To inflate the lungs, muscles lift the ribcage, lower the diaphragm and suck air into the lungs.

The liver changes nitrogen wastes in the blood into urea.

Kidneys then take the urea out of the blood and expel it as urine.

Nervous System

Mammals have the same brain parts as other animals.

Sense organs – Mammals have eyes adapted to low light, sharp sense of smell and taste and hearing.

Humans have good color vision, good hearing and poor smell and taste

Reproduction

Mammals have internal reproduction and live birth. Viviparous

Classification

Mammals are classified into three groups based on how they reproduce. These groups are monotremes, marsupials, and placental mammals

Monotremes

Monotremes are the most primitive mammals with characteristics of reptiles and mammals.

Reptile-like = cloaca, ectothermic and lay

leathery eggs

Mammal-like = Hair, mammary glands but no nipples.

Examples: Duck billed platypus, Echidnea

Monotreme pictures

Marsupials

Mammals that have extremely immature birth and keep babies in a pouch.

Only one North American Marsupial – opossum

Other examples – kangaroo, koala, Tasmanian devil, wombat…

Placental Mammals

Mammals that have a placenta that they use to nourish the young in the uterus.

Rodentia

Have two incisors per jaw that grow their entire lives

Examples: Beaver, rat, mice, squirrel

Lagomorpha

Have four incisors per jaw that grow their entire lives.

Example: rabbit, hare

Edentata

Lack teeth or have very small simple teeth.

Examples: anteater, sloth, armadillo

Artiodactyla

Even number of toes per foot and are plant eaters. Have more than one stomach.

Examples: cows, pigs, antelopes, deer, hippo, giraffe

Perissodactyla

Have an odd number of toes per foot. Have an appendix and one stomach.

Examples: horse, zebra, rhinoceros, tapir

Dermoptera

Mammals that glide on skin between their legs.

Examples: flying squirrel, flying lemurs

Chiroptera

True flying mammals. Fly on skin between their fingers.

Examples: Bats

Carnivora

Mammals with large canine teeth. Most are meat eaters.

Examples: Hyena, lions, tigers, bear, weasels, cats, dogs

CetaceaHave blow hole, live in the oceans and two

limbs (flippers).

Examples: Whales, dolphin

Sirenia

Mammals with no blow hole, two limbs and mistaken for mermaids.

Example: Manatee

Pinnipedia

Marine mammals with four limbs, no blow hole and are meat eaters.

Examples: seal, sea lion, walrus

Proboscidea

Large noses (proboscis).

Examples: Elephant

Insectivora

Mammals with reduced eyes, no external ears, long pointed noses.

Examples: moles, shrew

Primates

Large brains compared to body size. Opposable thumbs.

Examples: human, apes, chimpanzee