Principles of taxonomy slp - Coursework Example

Principles of taxonomy slp Principles of taxonomy slp With the intentions of trying to identify this species, it belongs to Animalia Kingdom, chordate phylum, Sauropsida class and infraclass Archosauromorpha. The specie appearing on the specimen provided falls under Crocodylomorpha superorder and order Crocodilia. The specie matches the description of a crocodile and the name crocodile is the common name for any species that belongs to the reptile family crocodylidae and order crocodilia. The name crocodile also refers to all order crocodilian order members, which is the group that includes the true family crocodylidae. This family is called the true crocodiles, the caimans and alligators, which again fall under family alligatoridae (Sohlberg, 2001)..
This specie is primarily an aquatic reptile found in tropical regions of Africa, Oceania, Asia and America and they occupy both marine and freshwater environments. The specie breeds on the land, swim and feed in water because of their ability to survive the water world an advantage that comes because of their lizard like form. This specie provides benefit for the ecosystem for humans while still advancing their own individual survival needs, reproduction and maintenance (Sohlberg, 2001).
Crocodiles serve as apex predators ecologically but keep prey populations in check. The larger crocodiles tend to be very dangerous to human beings but provide nutritional, commercial and aesthetic benefit. Traders mostly use their tanned hides to make leather goods and in many parts of the world, crocodile meat is considered a delicacy. They specie adds wonder and enjoyment of nature to the human beings living on land. Crocodilia is an order of reptiles that appeared about 84 million years ago in the late cretaceous period. They have a flexible semi-sprawled or semi erect posture and can walk in sprawled or commonly called belly walk and hold their legs directly underneath to perform the high walk (Sohlberg, 2001).
Crocodiles have no urinary bladder and vomeronasal organs yet detectable in the embryo. Many people like how they swallow stones because of the carbon dioxide produced in the stomach to help in digesting hard things. Unlike other reptiles and just like mammals and birds, crocodiles have a heart that is four chambered but unlike mammals, deoxygenated and oxygenated blood can mix with no harm caused because of the left aortic arch presence.
Incubation temperatures determine the gender of the juvenile meaning crocodilians lack genetic sex determination like human beings but undergo through environmental sex determination based upon temperature embryos. Their stomachs compared to those of other animals have the most acidic digestive system and can digest every part of their prey from feathers, horns and bones (Sohlberg, 2001).
Similar to other reptiles, crocodilians have a very small brain but more advance compared to the rest since they have a true cerebral cortex. The skin of specie is covered with scales that do not overlap composed of the keratin protein. The same proteins that form skin, hoofs, feathers, claws, nails, hair and other dead cells in tetrapods shed individually (Sohlberg, 2001).
Beneath their osteoderms and scales, there is a layer of armor, both flexible and strong made of bonny rows that overlap osteoscutes embedded in the back tissue of the animal. They have dermal origin ribs restricted to the sides of the commonly known body wall, ventral. Crocodiles do not have a collarbone, which many scientists call clavicle. There is no known and reliable way of measuring the age of a crocodile although several techniques could serve as a good way to derive a reasonable guess.
References
Sohlberg, Mateer C. (2001). Cognitive Rehabilitation: An Integrative Neuropsychological Approach. New York: Guilford Press. Read More