Course title: Cell and molecular biology

Course code: 403

1. What is the function of yolk?

Ans: Birds and reptiles have hard or leathery shell. This shell protects the developing embryo.

2. What is the function of embryo?

Ans: The albumen cushions the embryo. It also provides moisture and nutrients to the embryo.

3. Name the sub classes of classes of class reptilian

Ans: Anapsida, Synapsids, Lepidosauria and Archosauria

4. What is the significance of therapsids?

Ans: A group of synapsids called therapsids, give rise to the mammals

5. What is carapace?

Ans: The dorsal portion of the shell is the carapace. Carapace is formed by the fusion of
vertebrae, ribs and hones in the dermis of the skin.

6 . What is plastron?

Ans: The ventral portion of the shell is the plastron. It is formed from bones of the pectoral girdle
and dermal bone.

7. Why do the turtles have high mortality rate?

Ans: Turtles have slow rates of growth. Therefore, they have long juvenile periods. Therefore,
they haw high mortality rates.

8. W hat is secondary palate?

Ans: The secondary palate evolved in the archosaurs. Secondary palate of

bone. It separates the nasal and mouth passageways.

9. What is ecdysis in reptiles?

Ans: The process in which reptiles periodically shed their miter epidermal layers or the skin is
called ecdysis.

10. Name the first two cervical vertebrae.

Ans: Atlas and axis.

11. How does cobra flare itself in aggressive display?

Ans: The cervical vertebrae of cobras arc attached with some special ribs. Cobra flares these ribs
in aggressive display.

12. What is autotomy?

Ans: The loss of tail is called autotomy.

13. What is significance of autotomy for lizards?

Ans: Autotomy is an adaptation that allows a lizard to escape from a predator’s grasp.
Sometimes, the predator runs away from lizard after seeing its broken moving tail. The lizard
later regenerates the lost portion of the tail.

14. What is bipedalism?

Ans: The walking on the hind limbs is called bipedalism.

15. What are fangs?

Ans: Fangs are modified teeth in the snake for biting and transferring venom into the body or
victim.

16. What are rear fanged snakes?

Ans: Rear-fanged snakes have groove in rear teeth. Venom is passed through grooves and
injected into the prey during swallowing.

17. What is neurotoxin?

Ans: Neurotoxin attacks on nerve centers. It causes respiratory paralysis. The venom of coral
snakes, cobras and sea snakes are neurotoxins.
18. What are Hemotoxins?

Ans: Hemotoxins break blood cells. It attacks blood vessel linings. The venoms of vipers are
primarily hemotoxins.

19. What has happened with sinus venosus in reptiles?

Ans: The sinus venosus is absent in reptiles except in turtles. It has become a patch of cells and
act as a pacemaker.

20. What are ectotherms?

Ans: The animals which use external hem sources or thermoregulation are called ectotherms.
Most reptiles are ectotherms.

21. What are endotherms?

Ans: The animals which generate internal heat during metabolism are called endotherms. Some
reptiles like monitor lizards and brooding Indian pythons are endotherms.

22. What are hibernacula?

Ans: The solitary reptiles migrate to a common site and spread winter there. These animals
clumped together. Heat loss from these groups is called hibernacula.

23. What is a spectacle?

Ans: In snakes and some lizards, the upper and lower eyelids fuse in the embryo. It forms a
protective window of clear skin called the spectacle.

24. What is adaptation in the eye of Horned lizard for protection from predator?

Ans: In snakes and some lizards rupture this sinus and blood come out form it. It is a defensive
act to confuse the predators.

25. What are Jacobson’s organs?

Ans: Many reptiles possess blind-ending pouches. This pouch opens into the mouth cavity
through the secondary palate. These pouches are called Jacobson’s (vomeronasal) organs. These
are used for taste.
Multiple Choice Questions MCQs

1. Snakes belongs to:

(a) Anapsida (b) Synapsids (c)Lepidosauria (d) Archosauria

2. Therapsid arise from:

(a) Lepidosauria (b) Synapsids (c) Anapsida (d) Archosauria

3. Fenestrae is absent in:

(a) Anapsida (b) Synapsids (c) Archosauria (d) Lepidosatina

4. Number of species of turtles are:

(a) 100 (b) 200 (c) 225 (d) 300

5. The number of condyle in the skull of reptiles are:

(a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four

6. Number of cervical vertebrae in the reptiles is:

(a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 7 (d) 8

7. The substance which covers the bones of the reptiles is:

(a) Calcium (b) Chitin (c) Keratin (d) None

8. The turtles reach the sexual maturity at:

(a) 3 years (b) 4 years (c) 6 years (c) 7 years

9. Tuatara belongs to:

(a) Squamata (b) Rhynchocephalia (c) Testudines (d) Crocodilia

10. Living fossil is:

(a) Snakes (b) Tautra (c) lizards ( d ) Dinosaurs

11. Which of the followings is not lizard?

(a) Iguanas (b) Gecko (c)Tautra (d) Chameleon

12. Flying dragon belongs to:

(a) Gecko (b) Iguanas (c) Chameleon (d) Tautra
13. Which of the followings is adapted for arboreal life:
(a) Iguanas (b) Gecko (c) Tautra (d) Chameleon

14. Heloderma stapecutm is a:

(a) Iguanas (b) Gecko (c) Venomous lizard (d) Chameleon

15. The number of species of poisonous snakes are:

(a)100 (b) 200 (c) 300 (d ) 400

16. Median moth is present in:

(a) Iguanas (b) Gecko (c) Venomous lizard (d) Worm lizards

17. The number of species of Crocodiles are:

(a) 15 (b) 20 (c) 21 (d ) 30

18. Number of systematic arteries in the reptiles are:

(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d ) 4

19. Which of the following structures is absent in reptiles?

(a) Trachea (b) Pharynx (c) Larynx (d) Vocal cords

20. The kidneys in reptiles are:

(a) Pronephors (b) Metanephros (c) mesonephros (d) Opistonephros

Ans

1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (d) 7. (c) 8 (d) 9. (b) 10. (b) 11. (c) 12.(b) 13. (d) 14. (c) 15.
(c) 16. (d) 17. (c) 18. (b) 19. (d) 20. (b)

Fill in the blanks

1. Their skull has one surface (condyle) for…………………….. with the first neck vertebra.

2. Reptiles have ……………………….. kidney.

3. The dorsal portion of the shell of turtles is the…………………….

4. Secondary …………………… partially separates the nasal passages from the mouth cavity.

5. An atlas articulates with a single ……………… on the skull.

6. The loss of tail is called ……………………

7. The walking on the hind limbs is called ………………….

8. Vipers possess hollow ……………………..

9. Some reptiles use …………………………. for releasing heat.

Ans:
1. articulation 2. metanephric 3. carapace 4. palate 5. condyle 6.
autotomy 7. bipedalism 8. fangs 9. Panting

True/False

1. Their skull has three surfaces (condyle) for articulation with the first neck vertebra.

2. Amphibians have metanephric.

3. The dorsal portion of the shell is the plastron.

4. Secondary palate partially separates the nasal passages from the mouth cavity.

5. An atlas articulates with a single condyle on the skull.

6. The loss of the tail is called regeneration.

7. Vipers posses hollow fangs.

8. Most reptiles are endotherms.

Ans:

1. F: One 2. F: Reptiles 3. F: carapace 4. T 5. T

6. F: autotomy 7. True 8. F: ectotherms