Glossary
|
ARBOREAL |
Living in trees and shrubs |
|
ADVENTIVE |
Introduced to the country. Not endemic |
|
ARTHOPODS |
Insects and spiders. |
|
BASKING |
Lying in the sun to absorb heat. |
|
CARAPACE |
The upper shell of a Turtle/tortoise. |
|
CHROMOPHORES |
Pigment cells |
|
CREPUSCULAR |
Active in the morning and/or evening. |
|
DIURNAL |
Active during the daylight hours |
|
DIVARICATING |
Branching pattern characteristic of NZ shrubs, division into two branches |
|
ECTOTHERMIC |
Cold blooded, but able to control their body temperatures (thermoregulate), with considerable precision, depending on the species |
|
ENDEMIC |
Native to a specific country. Not adventive |
|
EPIPHYTE |
A plants growing on another, but not organically connected |
|
HABITAT |
The region where a species or individual lives or is found |
|
HEMIPENES |
Paired sex organs of males, the bulge at the base of the tail |
|
HERPETOCULTURE |
The keeping and breeding of reptiles and amphibians in captivity. |
|
HERPETOLOGY |
The study of reptiles and amphibians |
|
NOCTURNAL |
Active at night. |
|
OVIPAROUS |
Lay eggs |
|
OVOVIVIPAROUS |
Carry eggs internally, which hatch during the birth process |
|
SLOUGHING |
Shedding old skin |
|
TAXONOMY |
Species identification |
|
VENT |
The slit at the base of the tail (urogenital opening) |
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