Amphibians and Reptiles
(B)
Herpetology (C)
Science Olympiad 2008
Judy Jones
East Chapel Hill High
You May Bring to the Event
Official List of Species (posted
on NSO site)
„ One field guide,
guide published
or student created
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SUGGESTED:
See List on
Event Rules
Good Websites
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/her
http://www
bio davidson edu/projects/her
pcons/herpcons.html
„ http://www.cnah.org/
http://www cnah org/
„ http://amphibiaweb.org/index.html
„ http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ani
mals/reptiles.html
„ http://www.reptile
http://www.reptile--database.org/
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The Event
Work in teams of two.
„ Stations with numbered or lettered.
specimens with one or more questions.
„ Specimens can be live, preserved, skeletal
remains, slides or pictures.
„ No more than 50% will require common or
scientific names (class, order, genus,
species).
i )
„ Official List is used for taxonomy questions.
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What do You Need to Know
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Life historyy
Distribution
Anatomy and physiology
Reproduction
Habitat characteristics
Ecology
l
Diet
Behavior
Conservation
Biogeogrphy
A
Sample Question One
1. Give the common names of both snake A and snake B.
2. Give the familyy 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?
6. Where in North Carolina would you find Snake A? Snake B?
B
Answers to Question One
Snake A is a Scarlet King Snake (Colubridae)
„ Snake B is a Coral Snake (Elaphidae)
„ Snake B is venomous ((neurotoxin))
„ Colors are different – coral (red, yellow,
black);
); king
g – ((red,, black,, yellow)
y
)
„ Coral snake has grooved fangs in fixed
position on front of upper
p
pp jaw;
j ; scarlet king
g
snake – bands do not circle body; nose
pointed and red. Etc.
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Sample
p Question
Q
Two
1. What is the scientific
name 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.
5 What kind of food
5.
does this creature
eat?
Answers to Question Two
1.
2.
3.
4.
5
5.
Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy)
Gill
Gills
Function of gills is to extract oxygen gas
from the water.
In co
cold,
d, cclear
ea water,
ate , g
gillss would
ou d be sshorter
o te
than in warm, muddy water because cold
yg , hence less
water can hold more oxygen,
need for gill surface area.
Worms,
Worms crayfish,
crayfish insects,
insects small fish
Sample Question Three
1.
2.
3.
4
4.
5.
What is the genus and species of this specimen?
What is the gender of the organism in this picture?
How can you tell?
What is another way you could tell the gender?
Members of this species mate rarely. Why are there so many of them?
Answers to Question Three
Terrapene carolina
„ Male
„ Red
R d eyes
„ Depression in rear of plastron
„ Female can store sperm from a single
g and still produce
p
fertile eggs
gg
mating
several years later
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Sample Question Four
A
B
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
6.
7.
What is the common name of specimen A?
What is the common name of specimen B?
What are the most important differences between these two specimens?
What suborder order does specimen A belong to?
What suborder does specimen B belong to?
How do the ranges of these two specimens vary?
Which one of these can regenerate its tail?
Answers to Question Four
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Eastern glass lizard - Lacertila or Sauria
Florida (common) kingsnake – Serpentes
Glass lizard has external ear openings, movable
eyelids, flexible groove down sides of body, and
feel more stiff; snake does not.
S
Specimen
i
A can regenerate
t its
it tail.
t il
Range of glass lizard is NC to FL to LA
Range of snake is FL to GA
Glass lizard can regenerate its tail
A
Sample Question Five
1. What is the order for
both of these
specimens?
2 What
2.
Wh t iis the common
ommon
name of specimen A?
B
3. What is the common name of
specimen B?
4 What features distinguish these
4.
two specimens?
5. Which of these species guards
its nests?
6 How
6.
H
iis specimen
i
B important
i
t t tto
the ecology of an area during
droughts?
Answers to Question Five
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Crocodylia
A is American crocodile
B is American alligator
g
A has long narrow snout, B has broadly rounded
snout; A has prominent tooth evident when jaw is
closed, B does not; etc.
Alligator females guard the nest.
Alligators dig deep holes (dens) which provide
water for other wildlife.
A
Sample Question Six
1. What is the familyy of specimen
p
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
4.
skin gland secretions?
5. What is the tympanum and how can it be used to tell gender in B?
B
Answers to Question Six
A – Bufonidae
B – Ranidae
„ A – dry, warty skin, hopping, no webs on
hind feet
„ B – smooth moist skin, leaping, webbed
hi d feet
hind
f t
„ Tympanum is ear drum – larger than eye
in males, size of eye or smaller in females.
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