Vertebrate Zoology Spring 2004 Exam 3

  1. What is the present geographic distribution of the tuatara Sphenodon? (2 points)
  2. Describe the life cycle of Sphenodon. Discuss the particular features that increase the susceptibility of this taxon to extinction. (5 points)
  3. What are the most important differences in skull morphology between lizards and snakes. An illustration(s) would probably be helpful. (5 points)
  4. Characterize the diet, life history, and other special adaptations of any three of the following lizard families (5 points each, 15 points total)
    1. Amphisbaenidae
    2. Anguidae
    3. Gekkonidae
    4. Helodermatidae
    5. Varanidae
  5. Discuss how and why snakes detect odors in the air (5 points)
    6.
  6. What are the major differences between Crocodylidae, Alligatoridae, and Gavialidae? (6 points)
    7.
  7. How does the crocodilian heart resemble that of birds? (2 points)
  8. How does the crocodilian heart circulation differ from that of birds? (3 points)
  9. What is this difference in crocodilians an adaptation for? (2 points)
  10. What are the three most significant differences between Archaeopterix and modern birds (6 points)
  11. What is the significant similarity between Archaeopterix and modern birds (2 points)
  12. What two features often used to characterize modern birds also occur in at least some dinosaurs? (2 points)
  13. What was the function(s) of these two features in dinosaurs (2 points)
  14. Describe (an illustration would also help) the major flight muscle and bones involved in elevating the wings. (5 points)
  15. Dynamic Soaring wings
    1. Characterize their morphology? (2 points)
    2. To what environments are they best adapted? (2 points)
    3. Why? (2 points)
    16.
  16. What is stalling. (2 points)
  17. How do birds avoid stalling? Be specific about how this happens (4 points)
  18. What is the function of the gizzard? Why do birds have one and mammals do not? (4 points)
  19. List and give the distribution of the extant ratite birds. Discuss at least one fossil ratite. (5 points)
  20. Describe rectilinear movement in snakes? (3 points)
  21. When is rectilinear movement in snakes typically used? (3 points)
  22. What are rear-fanged snakes? How do they differ from typical North American venomous snakes? (5 points)
    23.
  23. List and briefly discuss (in order of prevalence) the 3 most common mating systems in birds (6 points).
  24. What is meant when a bird is described as monagamous? (4 points)
  25. What is autotomy (2 points)
  26. What is parthenogenesis? Give an example from the vertebrates covered on this examination and explain why it is adaptive (4 points)