JMU BIO 357 Exam 3
- well-suited to long-distance dispersal
- typically need less food and water than mammals.
- water needs are met by the vegetation
- capable of fasting for long periods of time.
- more salt tolerant that mammals, most have salt excreting
glands. - answer Reptiles in the Galapagos (5)
22 species (20 endemic) - answer Number of reptile species within Galapagos
Giant Tortoise - Chelonoidis
- first colonized San Cristobal
- Originally 250,000. Now 15,000
- can measure up to 150cm over curve of shell.
- can weight up to 250kg
- sit in water to cool and avoid mosquitoes, ticks, and mites.
- stick out limbs for birds to eat insects on them.
- Hawks are predators of young - answerGiant Tortoise (7 facts)
The hard upper shell of a tortoise
- main distinction between islands (skin color lesser) - answerCarapaces
poison apple (Hippomane), Psidium galapageum, Azolla, Tillandsia, and Opuntia -
answerGiant Tortoise (Chelonoidis) Diet
- sexually active 20-25yrs.
- breed at end of warm season.
- stick necks out in territorial fights.
- males have concave shaped plastron which lets it mount females
- 2-16 pool ball sized eggs laid btw June-December in sandy dry soil 30m deep. mud
and urine placed over nest.
- Young born 120-140 days later btw December-April - answerGiant Tortoise
(Chelonoidis) Reproduction (6)
- saddle shaped
- located on Espanola - answerSmall turtle shells
- dome shaped
- located on Santa Cruz & San Cristobal - answerLarge turtle shells
Marine turtles - Chelonia mydas agaggisi (Pacific green turtle)
- only resident marine turtle
, - weigh up to 150kg, usually 50-100kg
- vary in color (black and green, sometimes orange & yellow) - answerMarine Turtles (3
facts)
Sargrassum (brown algae) and Ova - answerMarine turtles (Chelonia mydas agaggisi)
Diet
- mating season November - January
- females larger, swim during copulation, male uses flippers to hang on
- lay 70-80 eggs in sandy beaches per trip (up to 8 trips)
- female digs nests with rear flippers
- nesting period December - June
- hatchling predators: ghost crab, species of beetle, introdced pigs & rats
- usually emerge at night, can be eaten by ghost crabs, hawks, mockingbirds, and
frigatebirds during day - answerMarine turtles (Chelonia mydas agaggisi) Reproduction
(7)
C. darwini - Santiago
C. porteri - Santa Cruz
C. chathamensis - San Cristobal
C. hoodensis - Espanola
C. duncanensis - Pinzon
C. becki - Isabela (Wolf)
C. vicina - Isabela (Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul) - answerExisting (extant)
tortoise species (7)
C. nigra - Floreana (common in 1800's, extinct around 1900)
C. wallacei - Rabida
C. phantasticus - Fernandina (one ever found, killed by Cali Academy of Science)
C. abindonii - Pinta (last member "Lonesome George", died at CDRC on 6/24/2012)
Undescribed - Santa Fé - only skeletal remains are known for the species. -
answerExtinct (or possibly extinct) tortoise species (5)
Snakes - Philodryas and Alsophis (2 species)
- endemic
- both have 2-3 subspecies
- all constrictors, may be mildly venomous
- max 1m in length
- brown with yellow stripes or spots
- not found on northern chain of islands
- Prey: lava lizards, geckos, young marine iguana, rats, grasshoppers
- Predators: hawks and cats - answerSnakes (8 facts)
- 1 Diet/Prey
- 2 Size/Color
- 1 Location
- 1 Predators
- well-suited to long-distance dispersal
- typically need less food and water than mammals.
- water needs are met by the vegetation
- capable of fasting for long periods of time.
- more salt tolerant that mammals, most have salt excreting
glands. - answer Reptiles in the Galapagos (5)
22 species (20 endemic) - answer Number of reptile species within Galapagos
Giant Tortoise - Chelonoidis
- first colonized San Cristobal
- Originally 250,000. Now 15,000
- can measure up to 150cm over curve of shell.
- can weight up to 250kg
- sit in water to cool and avoid mosquitoes, ticks, and mites.
- stick out limbs for birds to eat insects on them.
- Hawks are predators of young - answerGiant Tortoise (7 facts)
The hard upper shell of a tortoise
- main distinction between islands (skin color lesser) - answerCarapaces
poison apple (Hippomane), Psidium galapageum, Azolla, Tillandsia, and Opuntia -
answerGiant Tortoise (Chelonoidis) Diet
- sexually active 20-25yrs.
- breed at end of warm season.
- stick necks out in territorial fights.
- males have concave shaped plastron which lets it mount females
- 2-16 pool ball sized eggs laid btw June-December in sandy dry soil 30m deep. mud
and urine placed over nest.
- Young born 120-140 days later btw December-April - answerGiant Tortoise
(Chelonoidis) Reproduction (6)
- saddle shaped
- located on Espanola - answerSmall turtle shells
- dome shaped
- located on Santa Cruz & San Cristobal - answerLarge turtle shells
Marine turtles - Chelonia mydas agaggisi (Pacific green turtle)
- only resident marine turtle
, - weigh up to 150kg, usually 50-100kg
- vary in color (black and green, sometimes orange & yellow) - answerMarine Turtles (3
facts)
Sargrassum (brown algae) and Ova - answerMarine turtles (Chelonia mydas agaggisi)
Diet
- mating season November - January
- females larger, swim during copulation, male uses flippers to hang on
- lay 70-80 eggs in sandy beaches per trip (up to 8 trips)
- female digs nests with rear flippers
- nesting period December - June
- hatchling predators: ghost crab, species of beetle, introdced pigs & rats
- usually emerge at night, can be eaten by ghost crabs, hawks, mockingbirds, and
frigatebirds during day - answerMarine turtles (Chelonia mydas agaggisi) Reproduction
(7)
C. darwini - Santiago
C. porteri - Santa Cruz
C. chathamensis - San Cristobal
C. hoodensis - Espanola
C. duncanensis - Pinzon
C. becki - Isabela (Wolf)
C. vicina - Isabela (Darwin, Alcedo, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul) - answerExisting (extant)
tortoise species (7)
C. nigra - Floreana (common in 1800's, extinct around 1900)
C. wallacei - Rabida
C. phantasticus - Fernandina (one ever found, killed by Cali Academy of Science)
C. abindonii - Pinta (last member "Lonesome George", died at CDRC on 6/24/2012)
Undescribed - Santa Fé - only skeletal remains are known for the species. -
answerExtinct (or possibly extinct) tortoise species (5)
Snakes - Philodryas and Alsophis (2 species)
- endemic
- both have 2-3 subspecies
- all constrictors, may be mildly venomous
- max 1m in length
- brown with yellow stripes or spots
- not found on northern chain of islands
- Prey: lava lizards, geckos, young marine iguana, rats, grasshoppers
- Predators: hawks and cats - answerSnakes (8 facts)
- 1 Diet/Prey
- 2 Size/Color
- 1 Location
- 1 Predators
