Vertebrates: Part II
Reptiles &
Birds
Reptiles
Dry body covering
Scaly skin made of keratin
Heart has 3 chambers
Well-developed lungs for
breathing
Toes have claws
Cold Blooded
Reptile Reproduction
AmnioteEgg
developed:
–Hard shell prevents
water loss and
protects the embryo
Internal fertilization
Homeostasis
Modern reptiles = cold
blooded
Dinosaurs may have
been warm blooded
Classes of Reptiles
Testudo- turtles
Squamata-lizards, snakes
Crocodilia- alligators,
crocs
Lizards and Snakes
LIZARDS:
– Slender bodies
– Movable eyelids
– Long tails
– Four legs
– Clawed toes
Lizards and Snakes
LIZARDS:
– Some can change
color to match their
surroundings for
protection
• Ex. Chameleons
– Some shed their tail
to confuse a predator
so they can get away
Lizards and Snakes
SNAKES:
– Moves by wiggling its
body
– Scales on belly help to
grip the ground
– Eat small animals like
rats and mice
– Some are poisonous
– They are deaf and have
poor eyesight
– Use their tongue as a
sense organ
TURTLES
Body enclosed in a
shell
No teeth, they have
a beak to get food
Lay their eggs on
the same beach
where they were
born
ALLIGATORS & CROCODILES
Meat eating
Spend most of time in
water
Build nests of mud and
plants to lay eggs in
Gators: broad rounded
snouts
– Teeth don’t show
Crocs: narrow pointed
snouts
– Teeth show
Birds
Body covered by feathers
Warm blooded
Bones have air sacs
Toothless beak
Bird Adaptations
Feet differ by
lifestyle
Bill based on
food type
Forelimbs =
wings
Feather Types
Down: for insulation
Filoplumes: hairlike
to detect pressure
and vibrations
Contour: give
shape and color to
bird
Flight: used to fly
Homeostasis
Warm blooded
4-chamber heart
High metabolism
Rapid heartbeat
Other Systems
Nervous: highly developed
Excretory: reduced
Digestive
–Crop – stores food for later
–Gizzard – grinds food
Bird Reproduction
System Reduced
Produce Amniote Egg
Internal Fertilization
BIRD BEHAVIOR
Sing to mark their territory
Build nest to protect their eggs
Migrate: move to warmer climates
during the winter
TYPES OF BIRDS
Song Birds: beautiful feathers and sing often
– cardinals, sparrows, and robins
Hunting Birds: fast, sharp eyesight
– Hawks, eagles, falcons and owls
Water Fowl: swim in lakes and ponds
– Swans and ducks
Flightless Birds: fast runners or good
swimmers
– Penguins, emu, ostrich and rhea