Amphibian and Reptile Classification
(with example)
Kingdom = Animalia Phylum = Chordata Subphylum = Vertebrata Class = Amphibia Order = Caudata Family = Ambystomatidae Genus = Ambystoma Species = Ambystoma tigrinum
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/
Reference: Colbert, E.H. 2001. Colbert’s evolution of the vertebrates.Wiley-Liss
Kingdom Animalia
http://www-class.unl.edu/bios201a/
• Eukaryotes
– Organelles, large cells
• No cell walls • Specialized cell types
Phylum Chordata
• Gill slits • Dorsal nerve cord • Notochord or vertebral column
Amphioxus: a non-vertebrate chordate
Subphylum Vertebrata
• Vertebral column • Skull (i.e., cranium)
http://medic.med.uth.tmc.edu/Lecture/labeled/bs106001.gif http://face-and-emotion.com/dataface/physiognomy/media/cranium_side.jpg
Comparison of Vertebrate “Class” Traits
Class
Agnatha/Chondricthyes/ Osteichthyes Amphibia
Tetrapod
No Yes
Egg type
Anamniotic Anamniotic
Development
Reptilia
Aves
Yes
Yes
Amniotic
Amniotic
Mammals
Yes
Amniotic
Anamniotic egg
http://epod.usra.edu/archive/images/egg_mass.jpg
• Jellylike (unshelled; must develop in water) • Small-sized (lack large membranes to nourish embryo and store waste)
Amphibian egg mass
Amniote Egg
• Embryonic membranes • Large egg
• Shell (absent in livebearers)
http://tolweb.org/tree/ToLimages/Amniote_egg.gif
http://www.wvup.edu/ecrisp/imageJB7.JPG
Comparison of Vertebrate “Class” Traits
Class
Agnatha/Chondricthyes/ Osteichthyes Amphibia
Tetrapod
No Yes
Egg type
Anamniotic Anamniotic
Development
Indirect (larva to adult) Indirect
Reptilia
Aves
Yes
Yes
Amniotic
Amniotic
Direct (juvenile to adult)
Direct
Mammals
Yes
Amniotic
Direct
Amphibian development
http://www.mybitoftheplanet.com/2002/ http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/
Comparison of Vertebrate “Class” Traits (continued)
Class
Agnatha/Chondricthyes/ Osteichthyes
Amphibia Reptilia Aves
Respiration
Body temperature regulation Ectothermy
Ectothermy Ectothermy Endothermy
Body covering Scales
Skin (smooth or warty) Scales Feathers, scales
Gills
Gills, lungs Lungs Lungs
Mammals
Lungs
Endothermy
Hair
1st Homo sapiens
1st reptiles 1st amphibians
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/dino/geotime/
Evolutionary Relationships
Testudines (turtles)
Mammalia
Anapsida
Synapsida
Amniota Aves and other Dinosauria
Amphibia
Osteichthyes
Squamata (snakes, lizards)
Diapsida
Crocodylia Sphenodonta
1st Amphibians (Devonian Period; 408-360 mya)
http://www.lautringer.de/Alle_Dinosaurier_in_Kaiserslau/Dinosaurier_Album_1/
Eusthenopteron (a sarcopterygian fish) could be the ancestor of amphibians)
Krohne (2000)
1st Amphibians (Devonian Period; 408-360 mya)
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/paleonet/vop/glimpse/lab-m.jpg
Acanthostega (a sarcopterygian fish) could be the ancestor of amphibians
http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~hilihili/keitou/mizika/sarcopterygii/sarco-gazou/acantho.jpg
Other Early Amphibians
Forey (1988) http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Suzuran/3621/
Diplocaulus (290-245 mya) Eryops (2-m long predator; 360-320 mya)
Modern Iowa Amphibians
http://www.mybitoftheplanet.com/2002/ http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/
http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/
Caudata
Anura
Evolutionary Relationships
Testudines (turtles)
Mammalia
Anapsida
Synapsida
Amniota Aves and other Dinosauria
Amphibia
Osteichthyes
Squamata (snakes, lizards)
Diapsida
Crocodylia Sphenodonta
Reptile lineages
(based on temporal openings in skull)
Synapsida: mammals
Diapsida: dinosaurs, birds, snakes,
lizards
Anapsida: turtles
1st Reptiles (Pennsylvanian Period; 320-290 mya)
http://www.veggs.com.au/pic/hylo.gif
Forey (1988)
?
Seymouria (amphibian or reptile?)
Hylonomus (oldest known reptile; 30 cm long)
Modern Iowa Reptiles
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology/images/
Order Testudines (turtles)
Order Squamata (lizards, snakes)
Amphibians and Reptiles of Iowa Ecosystems and Ecoregions
40 = Loess Flats and Till Plains 47a = Northwest Iowa Loess Prairies 47b = Des Moines Lobe 47c = Iowan Surface 47d = Missouri Alluvial Plain 47e = Steeply Rolling Loess Prairies 47f = Rolling Loess Prairies 47m = Western Loess Hills 52 = Paleozoic Plateau 72 = Upper Mississippi River Alluvial Plain
Source: Iowa DNR
Iowa ecoregions
Prairie wetland ecosystem (Des Moines Lobe)
http://coloherp.org/geo/species
http://www.woodcountyparkdistrict.org
http://www.etsu.edu/biology
http://www.mikeredmer.com http://dcm2.enr.state.nc.us
Upland prairie ecosystem (Des Moines Lobe)
http://www.herpnet.net/Iowa-Herpetology http://www.hardingcounty.org
http://www.mikeredmer.com
http://www.pinesnake.de