How Did Amphibians Evolve Into Reptiles How Did Amphibians Evolve Into Reptiles Animal Armageddon
12.16: Reptile Structure and Role
- Folio ID
- 6717
Why did amphibians evolve into reptiles?
It probably has to do with food and land. Having to alive close to water limits the resources bachelor to a species. Having the ability to live away from water allowed reptiles to search for boosted food.
Structure and Function in Reptiles
Reptiles are a form of tetrapod vertebrates that produce amniotic eggs. They include crocodiles, alligators, lizards, snakes, and turtles. The reptile class is i of the largest classes of vertebrates. It consists of all amniotes except birds and mammals. Reptiles have several adaptations for living on dry state that amphibians lack. For instance, every bit shown in Figure below, the peel of nigh reptiles is covered with scales. The scales, which are fabricated of very tough keratin, protect reptiles from injury and prevent them from losing h2o.
Crocodile Scales. These crocodiles are covered with tough, waterproof scales.
Reptile Respiration
The scales of reptiles forestall them from absorbing oxygen through their skin, equally amphibians can. Instead, reptiles exhale air only through their lungs. However, their lungs are more efficient than the lungs of amphibians, with more than surface expanse for gas exchange. This is some other of import reptile accommodation for life on land.
Reptiles have diverse means of moving air into and out of their lungs. Lizards and snakes utilise muscles of the chest wall for this purpose. These are the aforementioned muscles used for running, and then lizards have to concord their breath when they run. Crocodiles and alligators have a large sheet of muscle beneath the lungs, called a diaphragm, that controls their breathing. This is a structure that is also institute in mammals.
Ectothermy in Reptiles
Like amphibians, reptiles are ectotherms with a slow metabolic charge per unit. Their metabolism doesn't generate enough energy to keep their body temperature stable. Instead, reptiles regulate their body temperature through their behavior. For example, the crocodile in Figure below is soaking up rut from the environs by basking in the sunday. Because of their ectothermy, reptiles can get by with as little every bit one tenth the food needed by endotherms such every bit mammals. Some species of reptiles tin go several weeks between meals.
Rut Transfer to an Ectothermic Reptile. This crocodile is existence warmed by the environment in three ways. Heat is radiating straight from the lord's day to the animal's back. Oestrus is also being conducted to the animal from the rocks it rests on. In improver, convection currents are carrying warm air from surrounding rocks to the animate being's trunk.
Other Reptile Structures
Similar amphibians, most reptiles have a heart with three chambers, although crocodiles and alligators have a four-chambered heart similar birds and mammals. The reptile brain is too like in size to the amphibian brain, taking into account overall body size. However, the parts of the reptile encephalon that control the senses and learned behavior are larger than in amphibians.
Virtually reptiles have skillful eyesight and a neat sense of smell. Snakes smell scents in the air using their forked tongue (see Figure below). This helps them locate prey. Some snakes have heat-sensing organs on their caput that help them detect endothermic prey, such equally small mammals and birds.
Snake "Smelling" the Air. A snake flicks its tongue in and out to capture scent molecules in the air.
Summary
- Reptiles are a class of ectothermic, tetrapod vertebrates.
- Reptiles have several adaptations for living on dry land, such as tough keratin scales and efficient lungs for breathing air.
- Reptiles take a three-chambered heart and relatively well-adult brain.
Review
- Depict reptile scales and the functions they serve.
- What is a diaphragm? What does it do?
- Describe two senses that snakes may apply to locate prey.
- Pretend you are a reptile such as a lizard. Explain how you might stay warm on a cold day.
Source: https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_Introductory_Biology_(CK-12)/12%3A_Vertebrates/12.16%3A_Reptile_Structure_and_Function
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