Flashcards

Herp Lab Exam

Emily Twaites English 110 cards

Cards in this deck (110)

1Species in the Family Trionychidae?1) Spiny Softshell
2) Smooth Softshell
2Species in Family Chelydridae?Snapping Turtle
3Species in Family Emydidae1) Painted Turtle
2) Wood Turtle
3) Blanding's Turtle
4) Northern Map Turtle
5) Southern Map Turtle
6) False Map Turtle
7) Pond Slider
4Species in Family Kinosternidae?Eastern Musk Turtle
5Species in Family Scincidae?1) Prairie Skink
2) Common Five-lined Skink
6Species in Family Teiidae?Six-lined Racerunner
7Species in Family Colubridae?All the snakes except the vipers
8Species in the Family Viperidae?1) Timber Rattlesnake
2) Massasauga
9Species in Family Ambystomatidae?1) Eastern and Western Tiger Salamander
2) Blue-spotted Salamander
3) Spotted Salamander
10Species in Family Plethodontidae?1) Four-toed Salamander
2) Eastern Red-backed Salamander
11Species in Family Proteidae?1) Mudpuppy
12Species in Family Salamandridae?1) Eastern Newt
13Species in Family Ranidae?1) Northern Leopard Frog
2) Pickerel Frog
3) Wood Frog
4) Green Frog
5) American Bullfrog
6) Mink Frog
14Species in Family Hylidae?1) Gray Treefrog
2) Cope's Gray Treefrog
3) Spring Peeper
4) Boreal Chorus Frog
5) Blanchard's Cricket Frog
15Species in Family Bufonidae?1) American Toad
2) Canadian Toad
3) Great Plains Toad
16Species in Family Scaphiopodidae?Plains Spadefoot
17What is the Boss?A raised elevation or butte-like bump on the snout or between the eyes of some toads
18Whats the coastal grooves?Vertical creases along the sides of some salamander, giving segmental appearance
19Whats the cranial crests?projecting ridges of the tissue seen between the eyes of some toads, may be parallel or divergent
20Whats dorsal?Adjective referring to the upper or back surface of an animal
21Whats the dorsolateral folds?2 parallele folds or ridges of skin, one on each side of the back of some frogs
22Whats the parotoids?Paired glands seen as oval bumps behind each eye of most toads
23Whats the tympanum?The ear drum, a circular membrane seen posterior to each eye of frogs and toads
24Whats ventral?Adjective referring to the lower or belly surface of an animal
25—Northern leopard frog
Characteristics:
- Common, spotted "grass frog"
- Can be either green or brown with dorsolateral folds
- Tympanum smaller than eye
26—Northern leopard frog - Bunsi form
Characteristics:
- Uniform brown or green color
- No dorsal spots
27—Northern leopard frog - Kandiyohi form
Characteristics:
- Irregular, mottled markings between the dorsal spots
28—Pickerel frog
Characterisitcs:
- Looks like leopard frog but spots tend to be squarish rather than round or ovoid, and aligned in 2 parallel rows
- Yellow to orange "flash color" color in lateral groin area
29—Wood Frog
Characteristics:
- A brownish frog with distinct lateral folds
- No spots on back
- Sometimes a think stripe down the center of back
- Black ear patch behind eye giving a "masked" appearance and white upper lip
30—Green Frog
Characteristics:
- An olive-greenish frog with distinct dorsolateral folds
- Belly usually uniformly cream colored
- A good feature is large tympanum which is distinctly larger than eye
- Hind legs have cross-banded pattern
31—American Bullfrog
Characteristics:
- Similar to green frog but without the dorsolateral folds (folds ciricle tympanum and end in shoulder region)
- Belly usually mottled
32—Mink Frog
Characteristics:
- Also similar to green frog but without dorsolateral folds
- Belly usually uniform yellowish color
- Tympanum about same size as eye or slightly larger
- Hind legs have mottled pattern
33—Gray Treefrog
Characteristics:
- The largest of this group about 3-5 cm
- Can change from gray to green
- "Suction cup" on toes
- Irregular blotches on back when gray, blotches strongly bordered by black
- "tetraploid species" - 48 chromosomes
34—Cope's Gray Treefrog
Characteristics:
- Smaller, smoother, and dorsal blotches are not strongly bordered by black as in the gray treefrog
- "diploid species" - 24 chromosomes
35—Spring Peeper
Characteristics:
- Smaller (2-3 cm)
- Brownish frog with obvious toe discs
- X-shaped marking on back
36—Boreal Chorus Frog
Characteristics:
- Smallest of the group
- Toes discs inconspicuous
- Often have 3 stripes on back (sometimes broken into spots especially the center one)
37—Blanchard's Cricket Frog
Characteristics:
- Also small
- Toe discs inconspicuous
- Rough skin with no special pattern on back
- Hind toes almost entirely webbed
38—Canadian Toad
Characteristics:
- Best adult feature is the fusion of parallel cranial crests into distinct boss
- Belly is spotted, borders of the parotoid glands are usually indistinct, blending with surrounding skin
- Usually 1 or 2 large warts per spot on back
39—American Toad
Characteristics:
- Cranial crests are two separate, diverging ridges
- Belly spotted
- Usually 1 or 2 large warts per spot on back
40—Great Plains Toad
Characteristics:
- Belly whitish not mottled
- Cranial crests prominent, diverge from a boss on snout
- Large, dark blotches, each containing many warts
41—Plains Spadefoot
Characteristics:
- Spades on heels (prominent feature)
- Tan to brownish back and white belly
- Moderate boss between eyes
- Vertical elliptical pupils
42—Tiger Salamander
Characteristics:
- Relatively large, darkly colored with yellowish spots and bars on sides and back
- Occasionally unspotted specimens are found
43—Spotted Salamander
Characteristics:
- Relatively large, black or dark brown with a row of 12-22 yellow, cream or orange eye-sized spots along each side of the body and tail
44—Blue-spotted Salamander
Characteristics:
- Much smaller, black or dark gray color with many pale blue flecks over entire body especially along lower sides
45—Mole Salamander Larva
Characteristics:
- Usually uniform tan or grayish brown color
- External gills and caudal fin present
- 5 toes on each hind foot
46—Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Characteristics:
- Broad dorsal band varying in color from gray through bright red
- Belly with black and white mottling
47—Four-toed Salamander
Characteristics:
- Only MN species except mudpuppy having 4 toes per hind foot
- Small and thin
- Brown to red brown dorsum grading to bright white ventrum
48—Red-spotted Newt (adult)
Characteristics:
- tail edges thinner, more fin-like than mole salamanders
- No coastal grooves
- Red spots on sides
49—Red-spotted Newt (eft)
Characteristics:
- Terrestrial stage has a drier apperance and less compressed tail
50—Mudpuppy
Characteristics:
- Orange-brown to gray above usually with dark spots
- Lighter below
- Retain external gills and caudal fin as adults
- 4 toes on each hind foot
51Whats the anal plate?The large ventral scale covering the anus of the snake. Sometimes divided into side-by-side halves
52Whats the carapace?The upper or dorsal portion of a turtle's shell
53Whats the facial pits?A pair of distinct heat-sensing openings, one on each lower side of the face of some snakes
54Whats keeled scales?Each has a single longitudinal ridge, giving a rougher appearance to the animal's surface
55Whats the plastron?The lower or ventral portion of a turtle's shell
56—Spiny Softshell
Characteristics:
- Leathery covering instead of hard turtle shell
- Long snout
- Female has camouflage dorsal appearance and small spies along front edge of carapace
- Male has distinct round spots as markings only rudimentary spines
57—Smooth Softshell
Characteristics:
- Same as spiny softshell but no small spines along front edge of carapace
58—Snapping Turtle
Characteristics:
- Heavy, rough carapace with saw-toothed outline along posterior region
- Heavy muscular tail which is nearly as long as the carapace
- Tail has a dorsal row of spines
- Head and tail are too large to retract into shell
59—Painted Turtle
Characteristics:
- Gets name from bright yellow and red markings on the plastron when alive
- Carapace is smooth with low-dome shape
- Tail is short
60—False Map Turtle
Characteristics:
- Oval carapace with jagged posterior edge and conspicuous vertebral keel mid-dorsally
- Single "eyebrow" mark behind each eye
61—Blanding's Turtle
Characteristics:
- Helmet-shaped carapace, dark with muted markings
- Transverse plastral hinge
- Notch in center of upper jaw
- Yellow chin, neck, and plastron
62—Wood Turtle
Characteristics:
- Carapace scutes with pyramidal sculptured appearance
- Posterior end of Carapace flattened and serrated
- Undersides of neck, legs, and tail yellow
- Unhinged plastron is yellow with black blotches
63—Prairie Skink
Characteristics:
- Has 7 light, longitudinal stripes, the 2 on each side usually brighter and more strongly bordered by black than the 3 dorsal light stripes
- Scales smooth
64—Common Five-lined Skink
Characteristics:
- 5 light, longitudinal stripes becoming less conspicuous in older specimens (especially dorsal stripe)
- Dorsal stripe forms "V" in top of head
- Males with orange-brown coloration on jaws in spring breeding season
65—Six-lined Racerunner
Characteristics:
- 6 light yellow or yellow-green dorsal stripes along brown body
- Keeled tail scales giving "rough" look
66—Red-sided Gartersnake
Characteristics:
- Striped snake with lateral light stripe on 2nd and 3rd scale rows mid-anteriorly
- Series of red bars along sides, ranging from faint to very distinct
- Looks similar to the plains gatersnake in alcohol solution but doesn't have the fang markings on sides of face
67—Plains Gartersnake
Characteristics:
- Striped snake with lateral light stripe on 3rd and 4th scale rows anteriorly
- Dorsal stripe sometimes yellow-orange anteriorly when alive
- Prominent black borders on labials ("false-fang" markings)
68—Lined Snake
Characteristics:
- Looks like common garter snakes above with lateral stripes on scale rows 2 and 3
- Double row of "half-moon" spots ventrally
69—Red-bellied Snake
Characteristics:
- Brown dorsal color with faint stripes
- Belly red-orange color when alive
- Keeled dorsal scales often with 2 light spots on sides of neck
70—Dekay's Brown Snake
Characteristics:
- Brown dorsal color with lighter mid-dorsal stripe bordered by 2 rows of dark spots
- Keeled dorsal scales
- Belly white or light pink
71—Ring-necked Snake
Characteristics:
- Dark dorsal color
- Red-orange belly when alive which may have black spots
- Ring around neck which may be interrupted at mid-dorsal region
- Scales smooth
72—Smooth Greensnake
Characteristics:
- Bright green dorsal and lateral color when alive
- Belly white
- Scales smooth
73—North American Racer
Characteristics:
- Slate-bluish dorsal body color
- Yellow neck region grading into light gray or smoky white abdomen
- Hatchlings and juveniles have blotched pattern
74—Western Fox Snake
Characteristics:
- Line of large, dark dorsal blotches with distinct lateral rows of smaller blotches alternating with dorsal blotches
- Head usually without distinct markings in adults, juveniles do not have head markings
- Dorsal scales keeled and anal plate divided
75—Gophersnake
Characteristics:
- Line of large, dark dorsal blotches
- Lateral blotches become indistinct anteriorly being broken into small spots and mottling
- Very distinct vertical bars (false fangs?) on sides of head
- Dark line from eye to angle of the jaw, scales keeled, anal plate not divided
76—Milksnake
Characteristics:
- Line of saddle-shaped dorsal blotches and lateral rows of smaller alternating blotches
- Y or V shaped blotch on nape of neck
- Usually have markings on head
- Scales smooth
77—Common Watersnake
Characteristics:
- Heavy bodied snake with blunt snout
- Neck and anterior body have dark, wide bands rather than distinct dorsal blotches
- Bands break into squarish blotches posteriorly
- "half-moon" markings ventrally
78—Plains Hog-nosed Snake
Characteristics:
- Best feature is sharply upturned snout with concave profile
- Gray, olive or brown color with dark, roughly round mid-dorsal blotches
- Underside of tail colored about the same as belly
79—Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Characteristics:
- Slightly upturned snout (difference between the plains is it is not as upturned) with straighter lined profile
- May have blotches or uniform color
- 2 dark "eyespot" markings on sides of neck
- Underside of tail usually white different from belly
80—Timber Rattlesnake
Characteristics:
- Facial pits and tail rattles present
- Head uniform color
- Tail (ahead of rattles) black in adults
- Fewer than 33 dorsal blotches
- Many small irregularly-shaped scales on head
81—Massasauga
Characteristics:
- Facial pits and tail rattles present
- Head striped
- Tail yellowish or gray
- 26-40 large dorsal blotches
- 9 large plate-like scales on head
82The most prominent "boss" is seen in which species of MN toad?Canadian Toad
83Which species of terrestrial frog found in Northern MN has the largest tympanum relative to eye size?Green Frog
84What is the largest arboreal amphibian in MN?Gray Treefrog
85An "X" or "crucifix" marking on the back distinguishes which MN frog?Spring Peeper
86Name a species of MN salamander that has no lungs as an adultEastern Red-backed Salamander
87Which species of MN amphibian goes through a "red eft" stage?Red-spotted Salamander
88Which species of MN frog is characterized by a black eye mask?Wood Frog
89As a vertebrate paleontologist, you discover a fossilized skeleton of a large, salamander-like creature. Each hind foot has only 4 toes rather than the more typically salamanderish 5 toes. Which MN species is likely to be most closely related to this fossil?Mudpuppy
90If toe number is a food phylogentic clue, is the axolotl more closely related to a mudpuppy or tiger salamander?Tiger Salamander
91A MN amphibian that uses metachrosis?Gray tree frog
92A MN amphibian that shows color or pattern polymorphism?Northern Leopard Frog
93Which of the MN "true toads" has a callous-like "wart" on the heel that might assist in burrowing?Great Plains Toad
94Which has more pronounced webbing between its hind toes, a cricket frog or a spring peeper?Cricket Frog
95Why does the cricket frog have more webbing than the spring peeper suggest about the differences in life styles of these species?Cricket frogs tend to stay near/in water area and rarely climb compared to the spring peeper who stay more in grassy vegetation so more webbed feet is not as crucial. You would want more webbing on your feet if you are going to be spending a lot of time in the water. Field guides confirmed this
963 basic differences in external appearance between the "true toads" and "true frogs"1) True frogs have smooth skin while true toads have a warty appearance
2) True frogs don't have a boss or cranial crest while true toads do
3) True toads have a parotoid glands while true frogs don't
97What problems do you see in using the terms "toad" or "frog" to categorize the plains spadefoot?The plains spadefoot shares characteristics of both "toads" and "frogs". So it is hard to classify it as specifically being a "toad" or a "frog"
98Name a species of MN snake that kills its prey by constrictingWestern Foxsnake
99What is the most abundant Pit Viper in MN?Timber Rattlesnake
100Name 2 species of MN snakes that have an orange or red ventral surfaces in life1) Ring-necked Snake
2) Red-bellied Snake
101Of MN 3 gartersnakes, which belongs to a different species from the other two?Plains Gartersnake
102What species of gartersnake does an individual belong to if its lateral stripe is on the 2nd and 3rd scale rows?1) Common gartersnake
103What two subspecies of common gatersnake do we have in MN?1) Red-sided gartersnake
2) Eastern gartersnake
104Are the dorsal scales of the timber rattlesnake keeled or non-keeled?Keeled
105Is the anal plate of the Plains gartersnake divided or undivided?Undivided
106Which species of MN turtle has the longest tail relative to the length of its carapace?Snapping Turtle
107Name an oviparous MN snakeRing-necked Snake
108What species of lizard is most abundant and widespread in MN?Prairie Skink
109What species of MN snake is closely related to the Kingsnake/scarlet snake group, some of which are known as coral snake look-alikes and/or rattlesnake predators?Milksnake
110Most N.Amer. venomous snakes can be distinguished from non-venomous snakes by their ventral caudal scales. How do the MN pit vipers' scales differ from the harmless snakes in this regard?The MN pit viper scales are undivided all the way down to to the rattle while in a non-venomous snakes the scales are divided from the caudal down