The goal of this lab is to prepare you to be able to identify reptile species by their key characteristics, and to learn some natural history about the major groups of reptiles. You will be tested on this material in a quiz one week from today.
Readings are available in labeled file folders at the side table.
DO NOT remove these folders from the lab. Be gentle with the specimens in the lab. The early labyrinthodont amphibians, in addition to fostering various lines of amphibians, also gave rise to the reptiles, which first appear in the Carboniferous period. The reptilian stage of the vertebrate organization carries forward to a greater degree than the amphibians adaptive trends conducive to a successful terrestrial existence. These involve the development of mechanisms to reduce water loss, modifications of the respiratory and circulatory systems to provide for a greater reliance on lung breathing, and changes in the skeletal, muscular, nervous, and other systems to meet the demands of a more fully terrestrial life.