Of reptiles

Fig. 1.2 Reptiles Present in early groups ( ) of reptiles and mammals (+), absent in dinosaurs, persistent in only one archaic order (Tuataras, Rhynchocephalia) (after MacLean, 1990).

Halpern, M. (1988) Vomeronasal system fimctions Role in mediating the reinforcing properties of chemical stimuli. In W.K. Schwerdtfeger and WJ.AJ. Smeets (Eds.), The Forebrain of Reptiles. Current Concepts of Structure and Function. Karger, Basel, pp. 142-150. 

Bellairs, A. (1970). TheLife of Reptiles. New York Universe Books. 

These are the machines you use to calculate the payback period of a new furnace or the answer to a child s geometry problem and, when you have done that, to shoot down enemy missiles or go spelunking in a cave full of reptiles. The computer is a tool and a plaything, and that is what makes it like the mind. 

In egg shells of reptiles, three different types of egg shell protein with a high proline content connected with the presence of cysteine. Another type of reptile egg shell proteins is proline-rich but free of crysteine (first observed in Phelsuma egg shells). A further type of egg shell proteins has first been observed in Tarentola (gekko) egg shells it is practically cysteine-free, but contains high proportions of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and serine380. ... 

Substantial differences in the amounts of heat generated by the proton futile cycle seem likely to distinguish mitochondria of reptiles and mammals (Brand et al., 1991). Leakiness of the inner mitochondrial membrane, expressed as flux per unit area, was four- to fivefold higher in the rat relative to A. vitticeps... 

With these newer methods of protein separation and amino acid analysis he prepared serum protein fractions by serial salting out with ammonium sulfate and by the Sober and Peterson DEAE cellulose columns (42), using the sera of reptile, fowl, and mammalian blood. Some of the amino acid analyses were carried out by the automatic amino acid methods of Hirs, Moore, and Stein (18). Fortified with this plethora of data, Block now had the opportunity to re-examine not only the ratio of the basic amino acids, but at least 12 amino acids in a variety of protein fractions prepared by at least two different procedures. With the aid of a statistician he determined the significance of the constancy of the molar ratios of pairs of amino acids and found that in spite of the marked variation of the absolute amounts of an amino acid, the molar ratios of certain pairs remain relatively constant among the numerous protein components of animal sera. 

The feather is thought to have evolved from the scaly skin of reptiles. Long scales with frayed outer edges may gradually have developed into more and more complex and useful structures, and may eventually have become feathers. Feathers are rare in the fossil record. They are found as fragments in... 

Fig. 31. Spatial diagram of the appearance of reptiles and birds important climatologically and the percentile distribution of rodent species in the series of strata of locality no. 6 of Siitto.

Phospholipases 2 are found in high concentrations in the venom of reptiles and invertebrates. These enzymes are probably similar to the pancreatic phospholipase 2 in structure and catalytic mechanism. They break down cellular membranes in the victim s tissues by hydrolysis of the phospholipids and thus assist in spreading the toxin. 

Birds evolved from a group of reptiles known as the dinosaurs (order Dinosauria), which first appeared during the late Triassic period (which ended about 210 million years ago). The earliest bird known in the fossil record is Archaeopteryx, from the mid-Jurassic period about 160 million years ago. These extremely early birds had many typical avian characteristics, such as feathers and a homy beak, and were very likely warm-blooded, but they also had reptilian features, such as teeth. In fact, modem birds and dinosaurs still have many characteristics in common, and some biologists and paleontologists believe that birds should be viewed, and classified, as living dinosaurs. ... 

A similar transition in the biosynthetic ability of ascorbic acid was speculated for the evolution of birds (5,6,9). Birds are believed to have evolved from a quite different line of reptiles (10). Primitive birds retained the biosynthetic capacity in the kidney, but with the progress of evolution, synthetic capacity is found in the liver of passeriform birds (4,11). Highly evolved Passeres birds are incapable of producing the vitamin (4). 

Sparling DW, Linder G, and Bishop CA (2000) Ecotoxicology of Reptiles and Amphibians. Pensacola, FL SETAC Press. 

Reptiles are not usually associated with marine environments. In fact, of the 6,000 known species of reptiles, only about 1 percent inhabits the sea. Members of this select group include lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and snakes. Each of these organisms shares many of the same anatomical structures that are found in all reptiles They are cold-blooded, air-breathing, scaled animals that reproduce by internal fertilization. Yet, to live in salt water, this subgroup has evolved some special adaptations not seen in terrestrial reptiles. 

Vertebrates who live along the oceans shores include several species of fish, birds, and mammals and one species of reptiles. The only shore reptile is the marine iguana, a lizard found only on the Galapagos Islands. Unlike terrestrial iguanas, this species is adapted to life on the edge of the sea where it feeds on intertidal algae. To dine, the lizard must dive into cold, wave-tossed ocean water and scrape the microscopic plants from rocks. Intertidal life is rough for this reptile, but its adaptations have enabled it to be successful in an environment in which no other reptile can survive. 

The first example applies to Fig.2-52. The painting in the figure. Development II by Escher [10, p.276], demonstrates the development of reptiles, and at first glance it seems that their number is increasing along the tadius. 

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