conservation and ecology of marine reptiles mare 494 dr. turner summer 2011
DESCRIPTION
Order Squamata Family Elapidae - characterized by a hollow fixed front fang and neurotoxic venoms Elapids are divided into two subfamilies, Elapiinae and Laticaudinae – 61 speciesTRANSCRIPT
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Conservation and Ecology of Marine Reptiles
MARE 494Dr. Turner
Summer 2011
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Class Reptilia
Order Chelonia – marine turtles
Order Squamata – marine snakes and iguanas
Order Crocodilia – saltwater crocodile
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Order SquamataFamily Elapidae - characterized by a hollow fixed front fang and neurotoxic venoms
Elapids are divided into two subfamilies, Elapiinae and Laticaudinae – 61 species
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Order SquamataSnakes evolved from lizards ≈ 135 mya
There are approximately 70 species of sea snakes living in our modern oceans
They account for 86% of marine reptile species alive today
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Classically 5 major groups of “sea snakes”Hydrophiids - ‘true’ sea snakes – 54 speciesLaticaudids - sea kraits – 5 speciesAcrochordids - file snakes – 3 speciesHomalopsids - mangrove snakes – 9 speciesNatricids - salt marsh snakes – 3 species
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Hydrophiids - ‘true’ sea snakes The largest group of sea snakes
Evolved from Australian terrestrial elapids that returned to the marine environment around 30 million years ago
Have the same toxic venom and envenomation apparatus (they are proteroglyphs meaning they have fixed front fangs) as their terrestrial ancestors
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Hydrophiids - ‘true’ sea snakes Have exploited the viviparity that exists in some of their terrestrial ancestors, and have thus freed themselves entirely from the need to return to land to breed
54 species of hydrophiid sea snakes
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Laticaudids - sea kraitsComprise five species, four of which are marine
Are strongly banded and commonly seen in large numbers on beaches in south east Asia and some Pacific Islands
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Laticaudids - sea kraitsSea kraits have also evolved from terrestrial elapids and are proteroglyphs and have highly toxic venom. However they are very placid and unlikely to bite unless provoked.
Sea kraits are the only group of sea snakes that are oviparous (egg laying) and must return to land to breed.
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Acrochordids - file snakesComprise three species
One species is fully marine while the others live in estuaries and freshwater habitats
Are not venomous & give birth to live young
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Homalopsids - mangrove snakesConfined almost entirely to estuarine environments
Are nine species found primarily in tropical Asian waters and northern Australian waters
Only three species are fully marine
Homalopsids are venomous but they are rear-fanged
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Natricids - salt marsh snakesConfined to salt marsh environments
Three species of marine natricids
Confined to temperate & subtropical N. America
Are not venomous
Early stages of evolving marine adaptations
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Order SquamataSubfamily Hydrophiinae – Sea snakes & sea kraits
Subfamily Elapinae – Cobras, coral snakes, terrestrial kraits
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Subfamily HydrophiinaeSubfamily Hydrophiinae – Sea snakes & sea kraits
Sea kraits - amphibious (living on land and water), oviparous (returning to land to lay their eggs, have specialized ventral scales for crawling on land
Sea Krait
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Subfamily HydrophiinaeSea snakes – fully aquatic (never leaving the water ovoviviparous (bear their young in the water) lack specialized ventral scales
Sea Snake
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Sea Kraits
Sea Snakes
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Sea Krait Distribution
Sea Snake Distribution
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Sea Snake Diets
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Sea Snake DivingAerobic dives average 13 minutes & 20 meters
Anaerobic dives increase time by 30-45 min 2 hr maxdepth – ave > 50 m; 90 m max
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Sea Snake DivingOne elongate cylindrical lung that extends for almost the entire length of their body which is very efficient for gas exchange
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Sea Snake DivingThey are also able to carry out cutaneous respiration
Oxygen diffuses from sea water across the snake’s skin into tiny blood vessels and carbon dioxide diffuses out
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Venom!Sea snake venom is extremely toxic – neurotoxin + nasty enzymes lecithinase – lysis of eurythrocytes anticoagulase – delays or prevents blood cooagulation hyaluronidase – leads to diffusion of venom into cells
Paralyzes prey; for defenseNot usually aggressive – many victims on shore
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Salt RemovalSea snakes are able to avoid excess salt accumulation from sea water using a salt excreting gland, the posterior sublingual gland that sits under the tongue
Skin of sea snakes is very resistant to water, and does not let water in the snake easily
One feature is that it does not resist water passage equally in both directions - allows the water to move inward faster than outward, thus giving it an advantage in the marine environment
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Like all snakes and lizards, male sea snakes have two penises – hemipenes
Each is an autonomous independently functioning penis and only one is used during mating
Mating takes place for long periods and sea snakes must surface for air during that time
Repro-man
Diving 4 Images
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All sea snakes except the latidcaudids give birth to live young after gestation periods that range from four to eleven months
Most species reproduce every year
Timing of the reproductive cycle highly variable
Born Free
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Order SquamataFamily Iguanidae
Subfamily Iguaninae Marine, Fijian, Galapagos land, spinytail, rock, desert, green, and chuckwalla iguanas
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Subfamily IguaninaeIguanas are lizards characterized by:
Diurnal life history, Distinctive eyelids, External eardrums, Dewlaps (throat pouches), 5 toes on each limb with sharp claws, Herbivorous (unlike most lizards)
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Marine IguanaGalapagos Marine Iguana
(Amblyrhynchus cristatus) - Dark color (grey-black) helps absorb radiation from sun - ♂ more brightly colored: red, teal-green, and dull greenish - Adult ♂ are up to 1.7m (5.6 ft) long, ♀ 0.6–1m (2–3.3 ft), ♂ weigh up to 1.5 kg (3.3 lb).
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Marine IguanaLaterally flattened tail, dorsal spines allow for efficient swimmingFeed on marine algaeRemove salt via salt glands in nose
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Marine Iguana- ♀ lay 1-6 eggs in burrows dug 30-80cm deep - Eggs are laid in sand or volcanic ash up to 300m or more inland- ♀ guard the burrow for several days then leave the eggs to finish incubation (95 days)
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Marine IguanaCan remain submerged for up to 60 min, though dives of 5 to 10 min are more commonIguanas spend much of their time restoring body heat ( from cold water) by sunning themselves on the rocks adjacent the shore
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Order CrocodiliaFamily Crocodylidae
The saltwater or estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living reptiles
Marine habitats in Northern Australia, the eastern coast of India and parts of Southeast Asia
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Saltwater Crocodile♂ saltwater crocodile weighs 1,300 kg (3,000lb) and length can be 6m (20 ft) Greatest sexual dimorphism of any modern crocodilian; ♀ much smaller than ♂
India, S Pacific, Australia
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Saltwater CrocodileUnlike other reptiles:Have a cerebral cortex, a 4-chambered heart, and functional equivalent of a diaphragm by incorporating muscles used for aquatic locomotion into respiration
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Saltwater CrocodileSalt gland located in the mouth (modified salivary glands); salt is excreted through the tongue, spit out of the mouth