Reptile Terminology
Taken from "A Savannah in the Family"
Chapter 11
Glossary of Common Reptile Terms
Arboreal
Lives in trees
Albino
Skin lacks all dark pigments such as black,brown, orange and red. Albino herps are white with some yellow
Anerthistic
Skin lacks all color pigments except greys and white.
Amelanistic
Skin lacks the pigment melanin. That is the substance which produces the brown, black pigmentation in the skin. These herps are usually reddish orange and white in coloration.
Aquatic
Lives in, or usually found in, water.
Autonomy
The ability to break off and loose a part of the body, usually the tail, in order to confuse potential predators.
Basking light
A light or overhead heating element that is used to produce an area of higher temperature in an enclosure to provide the necessary temperatures required by the reptile for digestion.
Beak
Hard or bony mouthparts found on chelonians such as Turtles and Tortoises and some tadpoles.
Brummation
Hibernation type sleep induced by prolonged periods of low temperatures.
Carapace
The upper part of a turtle or tortoises shell that is joined to the plastron by the bridge.
Carnivorous
Any animal or reptile that only eats animal flesh.
Chelonian
A collective term that refers to turtles and tortoises as a group.
Cloaca
The chamber found just inside the vent through which both solid and liquid wastes are voided.
Crepuscular
Usually only active at dawn and dusk.
Crest
A ridge of skin or spikes that usually is found on the neck, back and, or tail.
Dewlap
A flap or fold of skin on lizards that runs vertically from the throat or the chin to the chest. movement of the dewlap can be controlled by the reptile and may be flared outward during courtship, territorial and aggressive displays.
Dorsal
Pertaining to the back.
Diurnal
Usually active during the day
Ectotherm
The method by which a reptile regulates it's internal body temperature by actively seeking out different external heat sources. Or, the inability of the reptile to produce enough of it's own body heat to maintain normal metabolism.
Estivation
An unusual form of hibernation which is brought on by extended periods of drought or heat. Such as seen in some African frogs that are known to burrow into the dirt for prolonged periods of time, sometimes even years waiting for the rains.
Fossorial
Refers to any reptile which burrows under ground
Gravid
Pegnant female or female with eggs inside her body
Hemipenes
The bi-lobed male reproductive organ that is kept inverted in the base of the tail until needed for copulation.
Herbivore
Any reptile which eats only plant matter (folivore eats only leaves, fructivore only fruit).
Herpetology
The study of reptiles and amphibians.
Herp
A reptile or amphibian. The term Herpers refers to people who are interested in or who keep herps.
Herpetoculture
Refers to those people who keep and, or breed herps.
Het/Hetero:
Refers to the genetics or the standard color/pattern animal carries dominant genes for. The standard color/pattern and genes for albinism or other color/patterns.
Insectivore
Refers to reptiles which eat only insects.
Invertebrate
Refers to animals which possess external skeletons or shells, or none such as insects, snails, slugs and worms.
Morph
Refers to any unusual color or pattern. An albino is an example of a morph.
Musk Gland
Females possess a musk gland in the same location as the male hemipenis.
Nocturnal
Refers to animals or reptiles which are usually only active at night.
Omnivore
Any animal or reptile which eats both plant matter and animal flesh.
Oviparous
Refers to any reptile which lays eggs.
Ovoviviparous
Refers to any reptile which retains thinly shelled eggs within the reptiles body. these then hatch and emerge from the mother's vent or she delivers them just before the babies break through the membrane.
Plastron
The bottom portion of a turtle or tortoise shell.
Rostrum
The snout or nose area on a reptile's face.
Savannah
Semi arid desert region with areas of scrub vegetation.
Saxicolous
A reptile that is a rock and crevice dweller.
Semi-aquatic
Any reptile which lives on the land but spends a great deal of time in water.
Spur
Believed to be the remnant of the hind limb. It is visible as a small claw on either side of the vent, usually seen on boas and pythons.
Temperature Gradient
The temperature range that is needed in order to enable a reptile to regulate it's own internal (core) body temperature.
Terrestrial
Refers to any reptile which lives on land.
Vent
The anus or the exterior opening of the Cloaca.
Ventral
Pertains to the belly (ventral) side of the reptile.
Vertebrate
Pertains to animals having internal skeletons.
Viviparous
Refers to any reptile which bears live young.
Zoonosis
Refers to any disease, bacteria, fungus or worm which can be transmitted from one animal to another, including to humans.
0.0.0
Abbreviations which are used to distinguish male, female, and sex undetermined in that order. (ex. 2.1.0 means 2 males 1, female)
C
Degrees Centigrade
F
Degrees Fahrenheit
sp.
Species
ssp.
Subspecies
stl
Snout-tail length or the measurement from the snout to the tail tip.
svl
Snout-vent length or the measurement from snout to vent.
UVB
Ultraviolet B radiation, necessary for reptiles to properly metabolize calcium and make vitamin B3.
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