Click read more to see some species names and pictures from my trip to the Bronx zoo.

Read More

Color Morphs- Some of my favorites and general information

• Color polymorphism (CP) has been defined as the presence of two or more distinct, genetically determined color morphs within a single interbreeding population
• Today’s mind-bending assortment of reptile morphs have been bred in captivity, and they are prized by collectors. In nature, however, animals outside the norm in regard to color and pattern usually stand a slim chance for survival. Cryptic coloration (camouflage) allows wild reptiles to blend in with their surroundings

My Favorites

• Leucistic Reptiles-Medically defined this is a defect in the skin, not the pigment cells. Classical leucism is caused by a faulty gene, or set of genes, that causes the skin to be unable to support pigment cells. Leucicism is a naturally occurring pigmentation morph. True leucistic animals are completely white without any hint of patterning or pigmentation. They also have blue eyes, whereas Albino animals will have red eyes. White animals are still able to be produced by mixing several morphs that remove different color pigmentation. If you remove the yellow, red, and black, you will end up with the white appearance as well. Patternless morphs will improve the “white” appearance of the animal so you can get nearly as pure white as a true leucistic, but they will have black eyes. (Leucistic Alligators do tend to bruise so it can cause slight coloration of the skin, as seen on the picture below)

• Piebald Ball Python- The term “piebald” is defined as “having patches of black and white.” These patches may vary in size, shape, and contrast. Piebaldism can occur in all animals, including humans. These pythons will go through what is called the “blue stage” when they are shedding (their skin is very dull but their eyes are very blue during this time) as shown in this video. Click here
  
• Red Hypo Pastel Bearded Dragon (one of my females is a mix of this and something else undefined)
• Albino Burmese Python-Albinos have the characteristics of other members of their species, except that their cells are unable to produce melanin, a dark pigment that results in normal coloration in the skin, scales, eyes or hair. A lack of melanin usually causes an animal—or parts of an animal—to appear white or pink, or to have a bleached look. Animals can be pure or partial albinos. Pure albinos usually have pink eyes, nails, scales and skin. They’re pink because, without coloration, the blood vessels show through

Other

• Bearded Dragons morphs with pictures. Click Here
• Corn Snake Morph details; including Melanins (black pigments), Erythrins (red pigments), and patterns. Click Here
• Here is a link which details some of the factors that go into the morphs that we see in the reptile trade today. Click Here
• A link to understanding Leucism, Albinism, and similar conditions- understanding reptile color and proper terminology. Click here

I do not own these images or this information

David Attenborough’s whole series “Life in Cold Blood”. Part 1 of 5. 

Approximately 5 hours of wonderful Herpetological footage here!

Here are the links to the other pieces:

• Land Invaders
• Dragons of the Dry
• Sophisticated Serpents
• Armored Giants

I do not own these videos

Parthenogenesis in whip-tail lizards

Parthenogenetic species reproduce asexually, without need of a male, mating or pollination. In parthenogentic animals, the offspring are usually all female, and in certain types of whip-tail lizards, the entire species is female. Parthenogenesis often happens where there are no males of a species in the vicinity. In some cases, should males make a reappearance, the species can switch back to sexual reproduction. Recently in zoos, komodo dragons were discovered to be capable of this reproductive trick.

I do not own this image or information (taken from BBC nature)

Firefly Toxicosis in Lizards

• Ingestion of fireflies can be lethal to Australian lizards of the genus Pogona (Bearded Dragons), probably because of the poisonous steroidal pyrones (lucibufagins) that these fireflies contain
• One Photinus may suffice to kill a Pogona. Captive Pogona kept as pets need to be shielded from firefly ingestion
• African chameleons (Chamaeleo; Chamaeleonidae) appear also to be vulnerable to Photinus toxicosis.

Here is a link to a page with two different detailed cases of toxicosis from fireflies and the effects they have on these lizards.

I own only the third image I do not own the other images

Today I dissected a turtle for my Comparative Animal Physiology and I though some of you might be interested in the pictures from it. I chose not to put this in a regular picture post because I know some people are uncomfortable with this sort of thing. There aren’t many pictures as I obviously had my hands busy but should you be so inclined just hit the read more. This is a dead turtle this is NOT a vivisection.

In response to one of the notes: I’m not quite sure if they can feel it but I will try to find out. I learned that unlike the other animals in the class the turtle had a 3 chambered heart, not 4. Also the turtles lungs were close to the spine its heart, and liver and some intestines covered them and that is what you are able to see, you had to lift and cut out all of those organs in order to find and see the lungs. You can find the lungs of a turtle by following the trachea as the y branch of the trachea connect to the lungs.

I have found the answer!: Turtles shells are covered in Keratin, like our fingernails, and while there are not any nerves on the outside they can feel our touches through the tissue under their shell. If you touch your fingernails you can better understand how a turtle feels when you touch  their shell

Read More