Asymptomatic |
showing no symptoms |
Autohemorrage |
self-induced bleeding |
Bacteristatic |
able to inhibit but not kill bacteria |
Basking |
resting in an area of heat or light |
Biennial |
every two years |
Bifurcated |
forked |
Binomial |
name consisting of two parts, e.g., genus name and species name |
Biological clock |
an internal biological rhythm which is
responsible for periodic changes in an animals behavior |
Boidae |
taxonomic family of snakes that includes the boas
and pythons |
Boids |
Snakes of the family Boidae; boas and pythons |
Breeding trials |
introducing males and females together for the
purpose of breeding |
Brumation |
a period of prolonged cool temperature without
actual hibernation |
Canopy |
closed screen of top most branches over the
forest floor |
Capsule |
membrane enveloping another structure |
Caudally |
towards the tail |
Cervical |
pertaining to the neck |
Cline; clinal variant |
gradual change of a variable characteristic over
a given geographic area |
CITES |
Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species |
Cloaca |
common chamber into which digestive, urinary and
reproductive systems empty |
Cold-blooded |
referring to animal whose metabolism
and body temperature are dependent on environmental/outside heat sources |
Combat |
competition between males for dominance and
breeding rights |
Communal |
referring to a community of several individuals |
Congenital |
present at birth |
Conspecifics |
member of the same species |
Constrictor |
snake which kills its prey by enveloping it
within muscular constricting coils of its body |
Contagious |
capable of being transferred from individual to
another |
Copulate; copulation |
to have sexual intercourse |
Core temperature |
temperature within the body |
Cranial |
pertaining to the skull |
Crepuscular |
active at sunset or sunrise |
Cryptic |
Camouflaged or concealed |
Cyanomorph |
a color phase in which the dominant color is blue |
Debilitate |
to make weak or feeble; enervate |
Deciduous |
a falling out (as of teeth) at a given season or
age |
Defecation |
the act of eliminating waste from the cloaca |
Dehydration |
excessive loss of body fluids/water |
Dichromatism (sexual) |
an obvious color difference between sexes of the
same species |
Dimorphic |
morphological differences
between members of the same species (colors or pattern phases) |
Disinfection |
killing microorganisms |
Distention |
swelling |
Diurnal |
active by day |
Dominant |
trait that is expressed by a single gene (i.e.,
when the gene is contributed by only one parent) |
Dorsal |
pertaining to the upper surface |
Dorso-lateral |
the upper sides |
Dorsum |
the back, or upper surface, of a snake |
Double clutching |
producing two clutches in less than one year. Applies to pythons and boas, even though clutch
refers to eggs |
Dysecdysis |
incomplete or improper shedding |
Dystocia |
difficulty in delivering eggs or young |
Ecdysis |
shedding the skin |
Ecology |
the study of organisms in relation to their
environment |
Ectoparasite |
external parasites, such as mites
and fleas |
Ecosystem |
the complete system of living organisms and
non-living elements that interact together in a specific area |
Ectothermic |
cold blooded, dependent upon external source of
heat |
Electro ejaculation |
collection of sperm by the
use of a mild electric current |
Electrolytes |
any substance that breaks down to form ions in
solutions then capable of conducting electrical impulses |
Emaciated |
abnormally lean through starvation or disease |
Embryo |
the earliest stage of a developing fertilized egg
that will eventually become offspring |
Embryonic sac |
the membrane-like covering in which the
embryo/fetus develops |
Endemic |
confined to/found in one geographic area (usually
small) |
Endoparasites |
internal parasites, such as protozoans or worms |
Entrails |
the internal organs |
Epidermal |
pertaining to the skin |
Equilibrate |
become equal |
Erythritic; erythristic |
a color phase in which the dominant color is red |
Estivate |
become dormant during the summer or dry season |
Ethological |
relating to behavior |
Euthanized |
killed in a humane manner |
Evolution (parallel or convergent) |
the phenomenon of two unrelated species confined
to two distinct geographical areas developing similar or identical morphological
characteristics and habits as a result of exploiting similar or identical habitats |
Exogenous |
coming from outside the animal |
Exsanguinate |
bleed to death |
Eye cap |
clear, curved scale that protects a snakes eyes |
Facultative |
producing disease only when immunity is
suppressed/reduced |
Family |
group of related animals ranked above a genus and below an order |
Fast |
to eat very little or nothing |
Fauna |
all animal life of a region, period, habitat
or environment |
Feces |
solid waste excreted from the bowel |
Fertility |
the ability to conceive offspring |
Fertilization |
impregnation by male germ/sperm
cell |
Fetal wastage |
loss of apparently viable eggs or fetus |
Fetus |
the developing young in the later stages of
development until the time of birth |
Fixed |
a gene is fixed when it becomes
present in all members of a population |
Flagella; flagellae |
tail-like structure on microorganisms and sperm used for propelling the organism |
Follicle |
the structure in the ovary which contains the
developing ovum |
Fossorial |
adapted to burrowing |
Founders |
the original specimens in a breeding group |
Full spectrum light |
light closely imitating sunlight, including
ultraviolet wavelengths important to many reptiles |
Fuzzies |
newborn rodents that have just begun to grow hair |
Gene |
chemical unit of heredity responsible for
producing specific traits in the developing offspring |
Generation time |
the time required for a generation of neonates to grow to sexual maturity and reproduce |
Genotype |
the genetic composition of an animal or plant |
Genus |
group of related species, which may be divided
into subordinate species; normally the first word in a scientific name |
Germinal |
reproductive |
Gestation |
period in which eggs or neonates
develop within the body of the female |
Gradient |
range or gradual change, such as a temperature
gradient from warm to cool |
Gravid |
pregnant with eggs or young |
Gular (skin) |
pertaining to the throat |
Habitat |
natural residence of an organism |
Helminthes |
a parasitic worm inhabiting the digestive,
respiratory or circulatory system of an animal |
Hemipenis; hemipenes |
one of the paired sexual organs of male snakes
and lizards |
Heredity |
the genetic transmission of a particular trait
from parent to offspring |
Herpetoculture |
hobby; business of keeping reptiles and/or
amphibians |
Herpetology |
the study of reptiles and amphibians |
Heterogeneity |
not having pure genes for a
trait (i.e., a snake that is heterogeneous for albinism looks normal, but carries one gene for albinism) |
Heterozygous |
having a gene for a trait on
both chromosomes |
Hibernation |
dormancy during winter or the cool season |
Homozygous |
carrying pure genes for a given
trait |
Humidity |
the mount of moisture in the environment |
Husbandry |
management or care of living things |
Hydration |
the absorption of water by the body |
Imbricate (scales) |
to overlap |
Impaction |
wedged in firmly; overloading an internal organ
such as the intestine; inability of eggs to move through the reproductive tract |
Incandescent bulb |
bulb that emits light and heat from an electrical
current applied to a metal filament within the bulb |
Incubation |
process through which eggs are heated until the
offspring hatch |
Infertility |
inability to produce offspring |
Interstitial (skin) |
between the scales |
Insular |
found on islands |
In utero |
in the uterus |
Invaginated |
inverted |
Involution |
regression and eventual disappearance |
Jacobsons organ |
sensory organ located in the palate where
airborne particles are transferred from the tongue for identification |
Juvenile |
young animal |
Karyotype |
the number and types of chromosomes for a
specific taxon |
Keeled |
ridged; usually applies to dorsal
scales |
Keratin |
the dead, horny, relatively inflexible skin of
which scales are made of |
Labial |
pertaining to the scales bordering the mouth/lips |
Lateral |
pertaining to the sides |
Lesion |
injury/breakage of the skin |
Leucistic |
absence of all color (white) |
Lethargy; lethargic |
dull, lifeless, weak |
Lithified |
Literally, turned to stone; becoming hardened |
Lukewarm water |
warm to the touch; approximately 70-80 degrees |
Lumen |
opening |
Malnutrition |
state of receiving faulty or inadequate nutrition |
Mandible |
lower jaw |
Maxilla |
upper jaw |
Maxillary |
pertaining to the upper jaw |
Metabolism |
chemical and physical process involved in the
breakdown of food in to energy; development; development of stores of chemicals within the
body for use during growth and development of tissues |
Metabolic rate |
rate in which ingested food is broken down and
converted into energy |
Microhabitat |
small, localized areas within a habitat
where conditions may vary from those of the larger habitat |
Mimicry |
one animal imitating the coloration or actions of
another |
Miscarriage |
loss of offspring from the female before they are
able to independently survive |
Mite |
tiny blood-sucking external parasite |
Monotypic Genus |
genus possessing a single
species |
Morbidity |
illness or disease |
Morph |
inheritable color or pattern variation; phase |
Morphology |
the study of the structure of animals and plants |
Mucous membrane |
passages connecting to the outside openings in
which the lining is composed of cells that produce mucous; oral cavity, air passages,
upper digestive tract, etc. |
Nares |
nostrils |
Necropsy |
post mortem examination |
Necrosis/Necrotic |
death of individual/groups of cells; specific
areas of tissue |
Neonate; neonatal |
newborn |
Neo-tropical |
tropical areas of the New World, e.g., the
Americas |
New World |
North, Central and South America |
Non-dominant (recessive) |
a trait that is expressed only if both parents
transmit the gene, i.e., when it is homozygous |
Nocturnal |
active at night |
Nodule |
lesion that appears as a small lump or knot |
Nomenclature |
a system of names used in a specific branch of
knowledge, e.g., zoology |
Nominate (race) |
the first defined of a species upon which subspecies are based |
Occult |
hidden; not apparent, without symptoms |
Ocellus; ocelli |
circular or eye-like markings |
Old World |
continents of Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia |
Ontogenetic |
pertaining to the life history of an organism |
Oocyte |
egg that has not yet reached full development |
Oogenisis |
the process of forming eggs in the ovary |
Opaque/opacity |
cloudy; preparing to shed |
Ophidian |
a snake, or relating to a snake |
Ophiophagus |
feed primarily on snakes |
Organogenisis |
the formation of organs in the embryo |
Oviparous |
egg laying |
Oviposition |
laying eggs |
Ovoviviparous |
having non-shelled eggs which hatch internally of
the female; the term is often replaced by viviparous, which
implies the presence of a rudimentary placenta in reptiles |
Ovulation |
release of mature ova |
Ovum; ova |
an egg, in both pythons and boas, whether
fertilized or not, is an ovum |
Parasite |
an organism deriving its nourishment from another |
Parasite loading |
build-up of internal or external parasites
resulting from confinement |
Parthenogenetic |
reproduction without males |
Particulate |
made of particles |
Parrelism |
development of two similar species from different
ancestors |
Parturition |
giving birth |
Pelvic spurs |
visible remnants of the hind legs located on
either side of the vent in Boids and a few other snakes |
Perinatal |
occurring shortly before, during or after birth |
Peristaltic; peristalsis |
rhythmic muscular contractions |
Peritonitis |
infection of the abdominal cavity
(coelem in
reptiles) |
Phase |
inheritable pattern or color variation; morph |
Phenotype; phenotypic |
the external appearance of an organism |
Pheromone |
a chemical, which is released by one sex that
attracts the other sex |
Photoperiod |
period of light and dark within a 24-hour period |
Pinkies |
newborn rodents without hair |
Plasticity |
adaptability; variability; flexibility |
Posterior |
at or toward the rear or end |
Post-hoc |
occurring after an event, rather than because of
an event |
Post ocular |
behind the eye |
Post-partum; Post parturient |
after giving birth |
Post-term |
after the due date, or after the term |
Progressive |
increasing |
Prehensile |
adapted for/capable of grasping |
Pre-term |
before the due date, or before term |
Prey |
animal that is caught/devoured by another for
food/energy |
Probing |
technique used to determine the sex of snakes
involving insertion of a blunt probe into the internal sheath
containing the reproductive organs at the base of the tail |
Procryptic |
camouflaging colors and/or patterns |
Prolapse |
fall out |
Propagation |
reproduction; to multiply by breeding |
Provenance |
the history of a specimen; its origin, its
parents and owners |
Quarantine |
period of isolation and observation for new
animals to prevent the introduction of parasites into a healthy,
established collection |
Rafting |
breaking off of a tree, land mass or other
floating object that carries plants or animals to a different location along a river |
Recalcitrant |
stubborn; difficult |
Recessive |
a trait that is expressed only if the gene is transmitted from both parents, or homozygous |
Recrudescence |
reappearance or re-growth |
Regurgitate |
vomit partially digested stomach contents |
Rejuvenate |
replenish; return to a normal state |
Relict |
left behind, isolated, a survivor |
Respire |
breath |
Rhomb |
diamond shaped |
Ringers solution |
a mixture of water and chemicals similar to a
blood serum |
Riverine |
living on or near a riverbank or river |
Rodent |
Mouse, rat, etc; gnawing animals commonly fed to Boids |
Rostral (shield) |
scale at the tip of the snout |
Rugose |
wrinkled |
Saddle |
the blotches on the dorsum
of boa constrictors |
Sanitize |
to make clean/healthy by washing, disinfecting,
sterilizing |
Scute |
external bony or horny plate/ventral
scale |
Semipermeable |
permeable to some substances but not others |
Sequelae |
permanent damage or affects |
Sexing |
determining the sex of an individual |
Sheath |
tubular envelope of tissue containing a body part
or organ |
Sperm |
male reproductive cells that fertilize an egg
during copulation |
Spermatogenesis |
development of sperm |
Sphagnum moss |
bog or peat moss used for moisture retention |
Spurs |
small claws, remnants of hind limbs, present on
both sides of the cloaca in many of the boas and pythons |
Ssp |
subspecies |
Sterile |
no reproductive power; free from microorganisms |
Stomatitis |
infection of the mouth |
Stress |
biological changes that occur as a result of
adverse external influences |
Striping |
the presence of stripes in the pattern |
Subcaudals |
scales on the ventral
surface between the vent and the tip of the tail |
Subcutaneous; subdermal |
beneath the skin |
Sublingual |
below or beneath the tongue |
Subocular |
below the eye |
Subspecies |
a variety or subdivision of a species |
Substrate |
material used for the bottom of a cage |
Subterranean |
an existence beneath the ground |
Supralabial |
one of the several scales on the upper lip |
Supraocular |
scale(s) above the eye |
Supraorbital |
above the eyes |
Sympatric |
two or more populations that coexist in the same
geographic region |
Syndrome |
a group of symptoms or abnormalities occurring
together |
Synonymy; synonomous |
the correct and incorrect technical names which
have been collectively used by various systematists to designate a given species |
Taxon; Taxa |
a specific species or subspecies
of a living organism |
Taxonomy |
the science of classifying organisms |
Temperate |
having a well defined seasonal variation in
temperature |
Teratogenic |
causing birth defects |
Terrestrial |
ground dwelling |
Testosterone |
a male sex hormone |
Thermoreceptor |
device or organ sensitive to heat or fluctuations
in temperature |
Thermoregulate |
to control temperature |
Topical |
refers to a particular area; substance applied to
a specific area of skin which affects the area it is applied to |
Tractable |
tame; handleable |
Transient |
temporary |
Trauma |
wound; injury |
Trinomial |
referring to a three part technical name, e.g., genus, species, subspecies |
Tubercles |
small, knob like prominence or knob |
Vectors |
organisms capable of transmitting parasites
or disease causing organisms |
Vent |
anal or cloacal opening in
reptiles |
Venter |
refers to the lower/under surface of the body |
Ventral |
pertaining to the lower or abdominal surface |
Vestigial |
remnant of a structure that functioned in a
previous stage of individual or species development |
Vitellogenesis |
formation of the yolk of the egg |
Vivarium |
container or enclosure for housing reptiles and
amphibians |
Viviparous |
giving birth to live young |
Xanthic |
a color morph in which the dominant color is
yellow |
Xeric |
hot and dry conditions |