Baseline features

BASELINE FEATURES

  • Ectotherm or cold blooded animal.
  • Dorsum is full of scales
  • Head is flattened
  • Transparent fused eyelids are present
  • External ear is absent
  • There is no tympanic membrane or middle ear cavity
  • Tongue is forked and is lengthy
  • Fang is a specialized structure and when unused, it is covered by a membranous flap. Venom glands secrete venom.
  • Three chambered heart is present, due to the incomplete ventricular septum.
  • Diaphragm is absent.
  • In most snakes, the left lungs is reduced.
  • Urinary bladder is absent like crocodiles
  • Cecum is present in some snakes of boidae and in python
  • Oviparous or ovoviviparous
  • Heat pits are present in vipers, boa etc
  • Spurs are present in boids and are the vestigial limbs.
  • Elongated spindle shaped liver is present  
  • Renal portal system is an important component of venous system in any reptile.
Last modified: Saturday, 28 April 2012, 10:10 AM