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Glossary
A - E
- Aquatic
- Dwelling in the water. Most reptiles and amphibians are technically semiaquatic.
- Arboreal
- Dwelling in the trees.
- Carapace
- Upper shell of a turtle.
- Carnivorous
- Preying upon other animals; "meat eater".
- Cloaca
- Common chamber of the urinary, digestive, and reproductive canals. Also called a vent. It is somewhat analogous to an anus.
- Crepuscular
- Active at dawn and dusk.
- Diurnal
- Active during the daylight.
- Dorsal
- Pertaining to the upper surface. In vertebrates, the backside.
- Dorsolateral
- Intermediate area between the back and sides.
- Endothermic
- Producing body heat through internal metabolic reactions, as in birds and mammals; "warm blooded".
- Exothermic
- Gaining body heat through external heat sources, as in amphibians and reptiles; "cold blooded".
F - J
- Fossorial
- Dwelling underground.
- Gravid
- Bearing eggs or young; "pregnant".
- Herbivorous
- Consuming plant material; "plant eater".
- Herp
- From the Greek Herpeton. Refers to a reptile or amphibian.
- Herpetocultural
- Refers to the captive husbandry of reptiles and amphibians.
- Herpetofauna
- From the Greek Herpeton and "fauna", which means life. Refers to reptile and amphibian life.
- Herpetology
- The study of reptiles and amphibians.
- Herptile
- From the Greek Herpeton. Alternate of herp. Refers to a reptile or amphibian.
- Insectivorous
- Preying upon insects, spiders, and other arthropods.
K - O
- Keel
- A ridge. In turtles, refers to a middorsal ridge of the carapace. In snakes, refers to a longitudinal ridge on a dorsal scale.
- Labial
- Pertaining to the lips.
- Lateral
- Pertaining to the sides.
- Middorsal
- Middle of the back. In vertebrates, refers to the "line of the backbone".
- Nocturnal
- Active at night.
- Omnivorous
- Consuming a variety of materials, both plant and animal.
P - T
- Parotoid Glands
- Large wart-like glands located behind each eye of toads.
- Plastron
- Lower shell of a turtle.
- Poisonous
- Refers to an organism that carries a poison, but lacks an injecting mechanism. Compare to venomous.
- Scute
- A larger scale on a reptile; usually referencing turtle shell plates or larger scales on crocodilians.
- Semiaquatic
- Literally, "somewhat of the water". Dwelling in or near the water.
- Terrestrial
- Dwelling on the ground.
- Tympanum
- Eardrum; usually in reference to the external ear disk of frogs.
U - Z
- Venomous
- Refers to an organism that can inject venom via a delivery mechanism, such as stinger, fangs, etc. Compare to poisonous.
- Ventral
- Pertaining to the lower surface. In vertebrates, the belly.
- Carnivore
- An organism that preys upon animals; "meat eater".
- Dorsum
- The upper surface. In vertebrates, the back.
- Endotherm
- An organism that produces body heat through internal metabolic reactions, as in birds and mammals; "warm blooded".
- Exotherm
- An organism that gains body heat through external heat sources, as in amphibians and reptiles; "cold blooded".
- Herbivore
- An organism that consumes plant material; "plant eater".
- Herpetologist
- A scientist who studies reptiles and amphibians.
- Herpetologists
- Scientists who study reptiles and amphibians.
- Herps
- From the Greek Herpeton. Refers to reptiles and amphibians.
- Herptiles
- From the Greek Herpeton. Alternate of herps. Refers to reptiles and amphibians.
- Insectivore
- An organism that preys upon insects, spiders, and other arthropods.
- Keeled
- Having ridges. In turtles, refers to a middorsal ridge of the carapace. In snakes, refers to longitudinal ridges on the dorsal scales.
- Omnivor
- An organism that consumes a variety of materials, both plant and animal.
- Parotoid Gland
- Large wart-like gland located behind the eye of a toad.
- Poison
- A toxic substance that is ingested or absorbed in order to deliver its effect.
- Scutes
- Larger scales on a reptile; usually referencing turtle shell plates or larger scales on crocodilians.
- Venom
- A toxic substance that is delivered via stinger, fangs, etc.
- Venter
- The undersurface. In vertebrates, the belly.
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