Reptile Biology Lab : Cleveland Zoo: Matt Knestrick & Megan Thornhill

Intro: In today’s lab, we toured the rainforest exhibit at the Cleveland Zoo to see a variety of exotic reptile specimen that we had learned about in previous labs.

Families Seen:

Order Testudines

Carretochelyidae

Within the turtles, we saw a variety of specimen belonging to various families. This family is the pig-nosed turtles, aptly named for their upturned noses. A representative was seen in Carretochelys insculpta (Fly River Pignosed Turtle). These turtles are very similar to another family not seen on display, Trionychidae (soft-shelled turtles), due to their similar habitats.

Chelidae

A representative of the family Chelidae (Australoamerican Side Neck Turtles) was the Phrynops hilarii (Spot-Bellied Side-neck Turtle), that are found in S. America, as well as the Emydura subglobosa (Red-bellied short-necked turtle), and Chelodina mccordi (Roti Island snake-necked turtle).

Geomydidae

The family Geomydidae is the Asian Box Turtles. It is represented by the species Batagur

borneonsis (Painted River Terrapin), and the Geoclemys hamiltonii (black pond turtle).

Testudinidae

This family is the tortoise family. It is represented by the species Pyxus arachnoids (Spider Tortoise).

Order Squamata (Sauria/ Lacertilia)

Gekkonidae

Family Gekkonidae are the Geckos. They are represented by the Uroplatys henkeli (Madagascar Leaf-Tail Gecko).

Iguanidae

Family Iguanidae are the iguanas, and are represented by Bracylophus faciatus (Fiji Island Banded Iguana).

Scincidae

Family Scincidae are the Skinks, and are represented by Corucia zebrata (Prehensile-Tailed Skink).

Veranidae

Family Veranidae are the monitors and komodo dragons. The family is represented by Veranus prasinus (Green Tree Monitor).

Order Squamata (Serpentes/Ophidia)

Boidae

Family Boidae are the Boas. They are broken into many subfamilies, one of which is Boinae. Boinae are represented by Corallus caninus

(Emerald Tree Boa) and Boa constrictor (Boa Constrictor).

Pythonidae

Family Pythonidae

are the pythons. The family was represented by Chondopython viridis (Green Tree Python) and Python reticulates (Reticulated Python).

Colubridae

Family Colubridae is a diverse group of snakes. Within the family are many subfamilies, and the

subfamily Dipsadinae is represented by Philodryas baroni (Baron’s Racer).

Order Crocodilia

Order Crocodilia contains 3 major families, that break the Order intoncrocodiles, gharials and alligators. Only one family was present at the zoo, Gavialidae, which was represented by Gavialus gangeticus (Gharial).