Glossary
A
- aggressive
- - boldly attacking as if on purpose
- ambush
- - to make a surprise attack
- amphibians
- - a vertebrate that lives on land and water - frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, etc
- antivenom
- - antibodies against specific toxins, especially those in the venom of snakes, spiders, and scorpions
- aquatic
- - living in water
C
- camouflage
- - colored in a way that helps something blend into its surroundings
- carnivorous
- - an animal that eats other animals
- cold blooded
- - animals which are unable to adjust their body temperatures to adjust to the surrounding environment
- columella
- - a small bone which helps certain animals to hear
D
- defensive stance
- - an act that an animal takes on when threatened to make themselves look threatening
- digested
- - to convert food to energy within the body
E
- ectothermic
- - animals whose regulation of body temperature depends on external sources, including amphibians, reptiles, and fish
- elongated
- - stretched out or extended in length
- endothermic
- - capable of internal generation and regulation of body heat
- environment
- - the area around where something lives
F
- fangs
- - long, pointed teeth often used to seize prey or inject venom
G
- glands
- - a special organ of the body that gives off chemicals to perform a job of the body
- grooved
- - a narrow cut or channel in a surface
H
- herpetologist
- - a scientist who studies amphibians and reptiles
- hollow
- - having an interior that is empty
I
- immobilize
- - to prevent movement
- inactivity
- - lack of normal activity, a stage where an animal's metabolism slows and it appears to be asleep or very sluggish
- indigenous
- - native to that area
- inject
- - to pierce the skin and force into the body
L
- lateral
- - relating to sideways movement
M
- mammals
- - animals with hair or fur that produce milk for their young
- mechanism
- - the arrangements of the parts in order for them to perform a function
- mimic
- - to imitate or copy
- molting
- - to shed or cast off to make room for new growth
O
- offspring
- - children or young
P
- periodically
- - sometimes or once in a while - perhaps on a schedule
- pit vipers
- - a type of snake which has a pit near the eyes for detecting temperature of prey or enemies
- poison
- - a toxic substance that is ingested or absorbed into the body
- poisonous
- - capable of causing illness or death if toxins are swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin
- prey
- - food caught by a hunting animal
R
- regulate
- - to change as needed
- reptiles
- - vertebrate animals that are cold blooded and covered with scales - crocodiles, alligators, snakes, dinosaurs, turtles
- ribcage
- - the rib bones
- rodents
- - the largest order of mammals, including rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, gophers and beavers
S
- salmonella
- - a serious disease carried by reptiles and amphibians
- scales
- - thin, flat plates that cover reptiles
- scaley
- - having scales
- sensory
- - related to the senses
- specialized
- - for a special purpose
- structured
- - built or organized
T
- toxin
- - a naturally occurring poison produced in the cells of living organisms
- transparent
- - clear, see-through
V
- venom
- - a toxic substance that is injected into the body
- venomous
- - capable of causing illness or death if the toxins are injected through a bite or sting
- vertebrates
- - animals with backbones and skeletons
- vibrations
- - a movement that is up and down or back and forth rather quickly
W
- warm blooded
- - animals which are able to adjust their body temperatures to adjust to the surrounding environment
