F-M Invitational 2016: Herpetology Test

Station A:Team Letter Code:______

  1. What is the common name of this reptile?
  2. Which is an accurate fact about the females of these creatures?
  1. They are generally much larger than the males.
  2. They only mate if a male offers them shiny rocks.
  3. They can breathe under water.
  4. They develop bright red splotches of color on their bodies when carrying eggs, which leave after they have laid the eggs.
  1. What is an interesting fact about these creatures?
  1. They can run using only their hind legs!
  2. They can lose their tail and have it grow back up to six times a year!
  3. They are warm blooded!
  4. They can spit acid into the face of their predators, which allows them time to escape!

Station B:

  1. What is the common name of this amphibian?
  2. These creatures are often described as “fossorial”. What does this mean?
  1. They are amateur professors, but not yet experienced enough to be pros.
  2. They are still in existence, long after several of their kind were fossilized.l
  3. They are evolutionarily adapted for digging (from the Latin fossor, meaning “digger”).
  4. They enjoy Bob Fosse’s extravagant musical productions, especially those from All That Jazz.
  1. These creatures feed on a variety of invertebrates, but particularly…
  1. ants. B. beatles. C. Chilopoda. D. Dentalium.

Station C:

  1. What is the family name of this creature?
  2. Since glands in the skin can create a moisture-retaining seal over the body, these creatures are able to ______in mud burrows when the shallow water of their habitats evaporates.

A.aestivate B. brumate C. hibernate C. spamate

  1. These creatures have lungs, but lack the ______cartilage often associated with exhalation function in many related creatures.

A.Meckel’s B. cricoid C. xiphoid D. ypsiloid

  1. It is presently unclear whether these creatures reproduce with internal or external fertilization. What evidence exists that they most likely reproduce with external fertilization?

Males lack the ______glands that produce thespermatophore, or sperm case, in species with internal fertilization, and females lack ______—chambers inside the cloaca used for sperm storage.

  1. cloacal; spermathecae B. spermical; cloacae

C. trunkal; stasae D. stasal; trunkae

Station D:

  1. What is the common name for this creature?
  2. These creatures are unusual in that they…
  1. have a summer egg-laying period that begins in late spring, declines during the warmest months and

resumes again in July and August.

  1. have a winter egg-laying period that begins in late summer and early fall, declines during the coldest

months and resumes again in February and March.

C. have gills.

D. have they ability to leave their shells behind when they need to fit into tight spaces.

  1. Which is NOT a predator of these creatures?
  1. Eastern moles
  2. Raccoons
  3. Snapping Turtles
  4. Tortoises

Station E:

  1. These cute creatures are of the family ______.
  2. Amazingly, the eggs of the mature females of these creatures sometimes get fertilized even though they didn’t mate that year! How is this possible? [Tie Break 3]
  3. Hatchlings of these creatures are typically about ______when they emerge from their shells.
  1. 2.5 m B 2.5 mm C. 2.5 cm D. 2.5 dm

Station F:

Match the creature to its call. Give the common name in each case.

Station G:

  1. What is the common name of this creature?
  2. The greatest enemies of these creatures are humans and ______.

(Apparently, giant otters can kill these creatures, too! Giant otters can be vicious killers despite the fact that they are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO darn CUTE!!!!!)

  1. jaguars B. mosquitos C. piranhas D.rhinoceroses
  1. These creatures are important in their native habitats because they keep their prey populations under control. For example, reduced number of these creatures in the wild have resulted in increased number of ______(which destroy crops)
  1. buffalos B. capybaras C. horses D. rabbits

Station H:

  1. What is the family name of these creatures?
  2. Most members of this family hibernate when the weather gets cold. In anticipation of this they…
  1. drink copious amounts of liquid so they don’t dehydrate during hibernation.
  2. eat voraciously prior to entering hibernation.
  3. exercise hard to tire themselves out prior to entering hibernation.
  4. starve themselves prior to entering hibernation.
  1. Members of this family are often said to have a tendency to be crepuscular depending upon the surrounding temperatures. What in the world does this mean? [Tie Break 1]

Station I:Team Letter Code:______

  1. What is the family name of this creature?
  2. What evolutionary adaptation helps this creature to survive?
  1. It exhibits autotomy.
  2. It breathes fire.
  3. Its skin exudes a toxic substance that would-be-predators find distasteful.
  4. Its skin contains micron-sized razor sharp points, which would-be-predators find painful.
  1. Which of the following is true of these creatures?
  1. They have moveable eyelids.
  2. They have external ear openings.
  3. They have inflexible jaws.
  4. All of the above are true.
  5. None of these are true.

Station J:

  1. What is the Genus of this creature?
  2. What forms of defense does it have?
  1. Its bite contains a potent neurotoxin, rendering its victims paralyzed.
  2. It sounds like a rattlesnake when its tail vibrates against dry leaves or in thick grass.
  3. It bites its tail, forms a hoop, and rolls quickly away.
  4. All of the above are true.
  5. None of these are true.
  1. Which of the following is most accurate regarding this creature?
  1. Be afraid! Be very afraid!
  2. They rely primarily on auditory information, although they can detect IR as well.
  3. They are beneficial to humans in that they destroy rodent and insect pests.
  4. All of the above are true.
  5. None of these are true.

Station K:

  1. The egg mass on the left (A) is from the family ______.
  2. The egg mass on the right (B) is from the family ______.
  3. Which egg mass (A or B) will likely feel firmer to the touch?

Station L:

  1. These eggs were laid by creatures from the family ______.
  2. The eggs are most likely protected by…
  1. theexquisite care the parents took to lay the eggs in a fish free pond.
  2. thefather, who bravely defends the eggs.
  3. the father swallowing the eggs and keeping them in his vocal sac until they are hatched.
  4. their foul smelling toxic secretions.
  1. Once grown, these creatures need to ______in order to swallow.
  1. blink B. bounce up and down C. roll onto their backs D. yawn

Station M:

  1. What is the Family name of this creature?
  2. Which of these is the least accurate statement?
  1. Only females of this creature have been discovered.
  2. Only males of this creature have been discovered.
  3. Reproduction of this creature occurs via parthenogenesis.
  4. If threatened, this species may occasionally exude a foul-smelling chemical secretion.
  1. Define the meaning of the word vestigial, and explain the relevance of the word in regards to this creature. [Tie Break 2]

Station N:

  1. What is the Order of this creature?
  2. A synthetic version of a protein found in this creature’s saliva is used as a treatment for ______in humans.
  3. Within 2, approximately how many humans are reported to have died from this creature’s bite?
  1. 0 B. 10 C. 18 D. 233

Station O:

  1. What is the Genus of this creature?
  2. What name is given to the nearly flat ventral surface of the shell?
  3. A common name for these creatures that is NOT listed on The Official National List of Amphibians, Reptiles and Turtles is the ______.

Station P:

Match the creature to its call. Give the common name in each case.

Station Q:

Match the creature to its call. Give the Order name in each case.

Station R:

  1. What is the family name of this creature?
  2. What adaptations help these creatures escape from predators?
  1. Slippery coating helps escape predators
  2. Razor sharp maroon neck fringe cuts predators
  3. Flattened tail acts like a sword, slicing would be predators into pieces!
  4. All of the above are correct.
  5. None of the above are correct.
  1. Each of the four limbs of an adult has ______toes.
  1. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4 E. 5

Thanks for taking the Herpetology Test!

Good luck with the rest of your events!