BIOL10001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Aust, Acanthophis, Pygopodidae

• School: University of Melbourne
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOL10001
• Professor: Dr Kath Handasyde

Document Summary

Oder rhyncocephalia: tuatara (nz only) lizards + snakes. Reptiles are not monophyletic: squamata: lizards + snakes, crocodiles closer to birds & dinosaurs, turtles branched early from the stem leading to archosaurs & lepidosaurs. Australian crocodiles: heavily armoured body, long jaws, streamlined body, powerful tail, aquatic predator, been around in their current morphological format for 240 million years living fossils, all lay eggs advanced maternal care (cid:494)saltie(cid:495) Broad snout for length of head can attack large prey, move long. Don(cid:495)t require food all the time effective predator (cid:494)freshie(cid:495) Narrow slim jaw, very sharp teeth distances. Turtles: 4 families in australia, freshwater species: One of the few species not of conservation concern: leatherback: world(cid:495)s most widespread reptile, can grow up to 900kg, 7 families most with legs, some without. Incredible diversity major group of reptiles: australian group largely endemic, all oviparous eggs in burrows, 16 genera, 80 species, strong legs, fast moving, sun-loving, visual displays during courtship, lay eggs in burrowns.