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
New Fun Areas of Study in Reptile
Behavior
w Play Behavior - Example
w Training