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Herpetology
Infomation
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"These foul and loathsome animals are abhorrent
because of their cold body, pale color, cartilaginous skeleton,
filthy skin, fierce aspect, calculating eye, offensive smell,
harsh voice, squalid habitation, and terrible venom; and so
their Creator has not exerted his powers to make more of them."
- Carolus Linnaeus (1758)
Herpetology is the study of amphibians and reptiles. The two
groups are included under a single discipline because historically,
they were considered "lower forms" and not worthy
of detailed investigation. With further study came the realization
that, although they share generalized morphological and physiological
similarities, there are important differences between the class
Amphibia and the class Reptilia. Chief among these is the relationship
to moisture. Amphibians are constrained to wet or moist environments
because their skin and egg membranes are permeable to water.
Reptiles, on the other hand, are less dependent on water because
they have a scaly waterproof skin and their eggs are protected
by a thick shell.
Amphibians and reptiles account for almost half of extant tetrapod
species. Within this group exists an incredible diversity of
ecology, behavior, morphology and physiology. Currently recognized
are over 4,500 extant species of amphibians divided into 41
families in 3 orders, and over 6,500 extant species of reptiles;
50 families in 4 orders.
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