Herp Behavior
Herpetoculture
Pensacola Jr College
Sensory Receptors
w Ear
• Tympanic membrane in
amphibians that make sound
• Tympanic membrane on surface
or in depression in reptiles, missing in snakes
w Eye
• In amphibians best developed
in frogs – definition for sharpness, size, movement
• Binocular vision in reptiles
Tympanum- bullfrog
Snake-lizard w/
ear opening
Chameleon Eyes
Sensory Receptors
(cont’d)
w Parietal / pineal eye
• In head dermis in amphibians
• Actually has retina in
tuatara
• Detects light
w Chemical receptors
• Taste buds more sensitive in
amphibians than reptiles
• Jacobson’s organ in both
Pineal eye in
tuatara
Jacobson’s Organ -
rattlesnake
Sensory Receptors
(cont’d)
w Heat pits
• Along margins of jaws in
pythons and boas
• 2 large pits in pit vipers
• Overlap field in front of
animal and surveys 180 degrees for changes in temperature
w Skin receptors
• Temperature, touch, pain
Heat pits in green
tree python
Heat pits in viper
Mating Ritual
Behaviors
w Salamanders: depend on
physical courtship ritual, stereotyped display behavior
w Frogs/toads: males emit
species specific calls and clasp females
w Reptiles: Males follow and
court females
Functions of Coloration
w Protective function
w Sex/species recognition
w Thermoregulation
w Radiation shield
Color as
Protection
w Protection from predation,
camoflauge
w Protection from detection by
prey, concealment
w Color matches/changes:
• Dark forest= uniform dark
• Open forest= blotchy
• Open grassland= striping
• Desert= soil colors
Frog camouflage
Camouflage in tree
frog
Color as
Protection (cont’d)
w Flash colors = bright
patches of contrasting colors, exposed only in movement
w Head mimicry = tail
resembles head; distraction
w Advertisement= bright
venomous warning colors
w Batesian mimicry= false
advertisement
Flash colors –
fire-bellied toad
Advertisement of
toxicity
Batesian mimicry
Sex/species
Recognition
w Color in many herps is the only
way for a female to recognize a male or a male to recognize another male of
their own species
w Important for solitary
animals, as most herps are
Dimorphism in
bullfrogs
Color in
Thermoregulation
w Darkest individuals absorb
and lose heat most rapidly
w Many herps make their skin
darker to absorb heat and lighter to retain heat
w Lizards regulate on 24 hr
cycle
w Amphibians use light, temp,
humidity as color change stimuli
Color as Radiation
Shield
w Birds and mammals have fur
or feathers, herps depend on melanin in skin to protect from radiation
w Darker colors provide more
protection, and color darkens with sunlight/radiation exposure