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Reptiles and AmphibiansReptiles and Amphibians

REP

TILES A

ND

AM

PH

IBIA

NS

LAM

BER

T

GREAT STORYCOOL FACTS

Reptiles and Amphibians

STORY:The Call of

the Sea

FACTS:Yikes! Frogs,Crocodiles,Snakes andMore!

A hawksbill sea turtle hatches from anegg and scrambles out of its nest on thebeach. Instinct tells it to rush to the ocean.However, in its path are large birds andcrabs intent on eating baby sea turtles.This mad dash for the sea is a fictionalglimpse into the harsh struggle for survivalthat is faced by the very young of manyspecies.

After the story, you’ll find amazingfacts about reptiles and amphibians ofall kinds. Learn how a basilisk lizardwalks on water, how a royal pythonsheds its skin, how crocodiles worktogether to get a tasty meal . . . andso much more! This book is just jam-packed with cool info on cold-bloodedanimals!

See all theHalf and Half Booksthat are available at

HalfandHalfBooks.com

™

$9.95 U.S.ISBN-13: 978-1-60115-213-8

THREE LEVELS OF HALF AND HALF BOOKS TO CHOOSE FROM!

EASIER READING

INTERMEDIATE READING

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Half and Half books are like two books in one! First, there’s a great story; then, you get cool facts.

Half and Half books—the perfect combo of fun and info!™

9.5 mm

Introduction

Welcome to Half and Half books, a great

combination of story and facts! You might

want to read this book on your own.

However, the section with real facts is a

little more difficult to read than the story.

You might find it helpful to read the facts

section with your parent, or someone else,

who can help you with the more

difficult words. Your parent may also be

able to answer any questions you have

about the facts—or at least help you find

more information!

Reptiles and Amphibians

Reptiles and Amphibians

GREAT STORY & COOL FACTS

Reptiles and Amphibians

English Edition Copyright © 2009 by Treasure Bay, Inc.English Edition translated by Elizabeth Bell and edited by Sindy McKay

Original edition Copyright © Nathan/VUEF 2002Original Edition: Reptiles et amphibiens

Special thanks to Ned McAllister, herpetologist, for his advice and review of the information in this book.

The Call of the Sea by Christophe Lambert, illustrations by Gaëtan Dorémus

Non-fiction text by Jane Hervé, illustrations by Yves Beaujard, Marc Lizano,Nathalie Lacoste, Olivier Nadel, Jean-Marie Poissenot, Michaël Welpy.

Cartoon spot illustrations by Bruno Salamone.

Anecdotes and test by Benoît Dahan. Activity by Sabine Lamy,with illustrations by Bruno Salamone and photographs by Frédéric Hanoteau.

Puzzle game by Daniel Guerrier.

Photography CreditsSunset/FLPA; Jacana/Photo Researchers/D. M. Schleser;

Hemera Technologies Inc. (© 1997-2001); Bios/M. Gunther; Soug Perrine/Seapics/Joël Halioua Editorial Agency; and Jacana/Ingo Arndt.

All rights reserved

Published by Treasure Bay, Inc.40 Sir Francis Drake BoulevardSan Anselmo, CA 94960 USA

PRINTED IN SINGAPORE

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2008932257

Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-60115-213-8Paperback ISBN-13: 978-1-60115-214-5

Visit us online at:www.HalfAndHalfBooks.com

Facts: Yikes! Frogs, Crocodiles,Snakes and More!

Reptiles and Amphibians 16Big Families 18

What is an Amphibian? 20What is a Reptile? 22

Cold-blooded Animals 24Daily Life 26

Seeing, Hearing, Touching 28The Turtle or the Egg 30

Reptiles and AmphibiansTable of Contents

page 2

Family Life of the Crocodile 32What’s on the Menu 34

Looking for Prey 36Protection From Predators 38

Strange Lizards 40The Magic Chameleon 43

Puzzle 44Tricky Maneuvers 46

Incredible, but True! 48Puzzle Answers 49Did You Know? 50

Activity 52

Story: The Call of the Sea

I guess this is what is called“instinct.”

All around me, other eggs arehatching. Shells crack and split,revealing the tooth-like horn at thetip of each baby’s snout. My nest-mates and I climb on top of oneanother. There are dozens anddozens of us and we all have thesame goal: survival.

I am a sea turtle; a hawksbillturtle, to be precise. I have just beenborn this very moment.

I will never know my mother.She laid her eggs on this beach lastspring, and it is now early autumn.She dug a deep hole in the sand inwhich to lay over 100 eggs, thencamouflaged the nest well, usingtwigs, branches, and sand. Thishelped to hide the eggs from thebadgers, foxes, and weasels thatmight have eaten all the eggsbefore they were hatched.

In the beginning . . .

I open my eyes for the first time and there, farabove me, is the black sky studded with stars. I needto move up toward the stars and out to the surf thatI hear crashing in the distance. How do I know this?I’m not sure exactly . . . It’s as if all the experience of earlier generations of turtles is packed inside myhead, like air in a balloon. The balloon pops, andthousands of tiny nuggets of knowledge shower my brain.

The Call of the Sea

2

Story by Christophe LambertIllustrated by Gaëtan Dorémus

4 5

The urge to survive is powerful. It givesme the strength to keep fighting my way tothe top of the nest.

Across the sand

As I near the top, the smell of the salt seaair is stronger and the sound of the waves islouder. I must reach the ocean. Though I havenever seen it, I know it is where I belong. Ifeel it. Instinct, remember?

With a gigantic effort, I hoist myself outof the hole, and there it is before me: thevast expanse of water that draws me like amagnet. The stars and moon are reflected onits surface. Waves break and vanish on theshore with a gentle lapping motion.

Now that I have safely emerged from myegg, I know that the most important job ofmy life lies before me. I must make my wayout of this nest and into the open sea.

My journey begins with a struggle toclimb up out of the hole where I was born.Flipper-legs, designed for swimming, notwalking, scrabble on the ground and thesand. My nest-mates and I crawl over eachother. It is a terrible, terrifying crush andthe weakest fall back down into the deepnest to die.

With great difficulty, using my webbedclaws, I pull myself up the slope. A sand-slide sends three turtles behind me back tothe bottom. How many of us will make it tothe sea, I wonder?

6 7

It is beautiful. I can’t tear my eyes awayfrom this universe that is so new, yet strangelyfamiliar. It seems to stretch out its arms towelcome me.

Now it is a race to the ocean, a marathonof baby turtles. Our instincts tell us wemust take advantage of the cool night air. Ifwe don’t hurry, the hot sun of the day willsap our strength and we will fail in ourmission to reach the sea.

Unfortunately, our flippers are made tomove through water, not through sand.Our progress is slow.

Hungry Sea Birds

Suddenly, we hear a piercing cry:“Aaaaaaahh!”Huge sea birds are diving down on us.

Death is falling from the sky!I see the long sharp beak of one bird

snap shut on the turtle beside me. He isswept off into the sky. Another bird swoopsdown. Then another and another!

The birds are fast, so there is no chanceof running away. In fact, there is nothing Ican do but hope that I will not be the nextvictim.

Fear spurs a new energy in me. My flip-pers shuffle frantically on the sand. I imag-ine myself in the water, free to swim.Delicious algae awaits there for me to eat.The cool salt water will soon be my home!

8

All around me the terrible attacks con-tinue. Yet I understand that the sea birdsare only following their instincts as well.These birds must eat. Young turtles aretheir food. This is Nature.

Still, my instinct drives me to be onewho will survive.

Attack of the Crabs

I look ahead of me and see that the ocean isnot far now. Perhaps I will make it after all!Three feet . . . two feet . . . one foot . . .

But wait! A horrible new danger nowappears: dozens of hard-shelled creatures,armed with terrifying pincers. They runsideways, with great speed, on their many-jointed legs.

They are crabs. The dreadful beasts spread out among

us. Their pincers crush the soft shells ofseveral tiny turtles around me.

A crab tries to block my way. I slipbetween its legs. Its lethal choppers clackabove my head like castanets. Click-clack-click! The persistent crab lunges to the left,to the right, but I am one step ahead.

11

At last, my opponent getstired of the game and goes for adifferent turtle unlucky enough tobe passing within its reach.

I keep going without lookingback. Only a few more inches andI will be safe.

Suddenly, from out ofnowhere, another crab blocks mypath. Its pincers are snapping,ready to destroy me.

I am paralyzed with terror,able to do nothing now but waitto be eaten.

“Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”A sea bird has jumped into

the fray. The bird dives, beak first,onto the crab. These crabs areanother favorite food of the seabirds!

Quick, Into the Water!

I dash as fast as I can into thefoamy sea water that is frothing

on the shore. It surrounds me, immerses mein its purity. My fear and fatigue fall awayinstantly in this flood of well-being.

I push off from the ground and beginfloating, suddenly graceful and nimble inthis new environment. My flippers begin tomove, perfectly coordinated. It’s as thoughI’ve been doing it all my life.

With a sense of sheer delight I realizethat I have made it. I have survived!

I try to resist, but I cannot help glancingback at the shore. The sea birds and crabsare wreaking havoc on the latecomers.Sometimes two predators fight over thesame prey. The birds almost always win.

A new energy fills me as I swim swiftlyand skillfully toward the open sea, gratefulthat I have endured.

There were a little over a hundred of usin the beginning. How many of our brothersand sisters have died by now? I’d say atleast seventy-five.

It is sad that so many failed, yet I knowit is all part of the balance of Nature.

12

I look around at the others who managedto make it across the beach alive. We are thenext generation of sea turtles. I think of howfortunate we are to be safe now.

I am wrong. Suddenly a shadow slides through the

water. The dark mass has jaws bristlingwith pointed teeth. It is a shark.

Without blinking, the huge animalswallows several of my fellow nest-mates.Again the young turtles are helpless todefend themselves. I wonder if this shark,swimming along with its mouth open, evenknows that it has just gulped down thesetiny creatures.

The shark passes by us and we are buffeted by the waves in its wake.

Once more I have survived the randomfate of Nature, alive but in shock. Why musta young turtle’s struggle for life be so harsh?

There will be more dangers I am sure,including that most dangerous predator ofall—man.

But soon I will grow. My shell willbecome so hard that predators will break

14 15

their teeth on it. Then I may survive morethan a hundred years! The thought of thismakes the struggle worthwhile.

After all, where there is life, there is hope.

And Life Goes On . . .

The current carries me far from theshore. I let myself be pulled along, tooexhausted to resist. The water is cool andcomforting and makes me feel peaceful.

Soon a golden disk appears on the horizon.

It is my first sunrise. The magnificentspectacle does my heart good. I no longerfear the sun now that I am protected by thecool ocean. My instinct tells me that it is afriend. Its rays will be absorbed by my darkshell, providing me with just the rightamount of heat to help me to grow strongand to thrive.

If all goes well, I too will return to thesame beach someday to lay my eggs . . .and the race for survival will begin all overagain.

Ü Reptiles and

Amphibians

16 17

Scientists believe that amphibians (am fib’ e ns) were among the first animals to come on land. They evolved fromfish around 400 million years ago. The first reptiles weredescendants of amphibians. They appeared around 320 mil-lion years ago. That’s about 100 million years beforedinosaurs appeared. Amphibians and reptiles still thrivetoday, long after the extinction of dinosaurs.

There are about 12,000 species of amphibians and reptiles.All are vertebrates (vur’t brats), which means they have aspinal column in their back. They are also all cold-blooded,which means they must use their environment to warm orcool their bodies. The skin of most amphibians is smoothand moist, while that of reptiles is dry and covered withscales. Most amphibians lay eggs in water. Most reptiles lay eggs on land, but some reptiles develop in eggs thatremain within the mother’s body until they hatch. Mostamphibians undergo metamorphosis (met’ môr’ f sis),changing their form as they develop into adults. However, as reptiles grow, they shed their skin, which is called molting.

e

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18 19

Over

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20 21

Amphibians lead double lives. Most of them areborn and undergo metamorphosis in water, butthey then live mostly on land as adults. Oneexample is the frog.

The skin of most amphibians is smooth and moist. Sometimes it has glands that produce asticky coating; other glandsmay produce poison.

Unlike the skeletonsof salamanders, mostfrogs have a short spinalcolumn, very short ribs,and no tail.

The shape and length of anura’s toes varyfrom one species to another. It depends onwhether they walk, swim, or jump. The frontfeet have 4 toes, the back feet have 5.

Most frogs cannotturn their heads fromside to side, but theycan raise and lowertheir head.

Anura, including frogs,have squat bodies. Thebodies of urodeles, whichincludes salamanders,are elongated, allowingthem to crawl. Apodahave neither legs nor fins.

Male anura haveone or several vocalsacs beneath theneck or temples.This is where the

croakingsound ismade.

All amphibians have eyelids.Anura’s eyes have three.

n Metamorphosis of the frog

The frog’s eggs float onthe surface of the water.

The tadpole is born witha long tail for swimmingand with gills forbreathing under water.

Little by little, the gillsare replaced by lungs andthe back legs begin toappear.

At 12 weeks, the eyesbegin to protrude andthe mouth widens. Thetail disappears and thefront legs develop.

When the back legs arewell formed, the frogjumps onto land. Itslungs fill with air.

There are several different ways amphibians can breathe:— through the gills or lungs— through the skin if it is moist— through the mouth, which the animal fills with air

(anura) or water (urodele).

What Is an Amphibian?

Lungs

Kidney

Heart

Stomach

Intestine

Frogs are oviparous and abandon their eggs in the water. Most salamandersare ovoviparous: the eggs developand hatch in the body of themother and the babies are bornlive.

Brain

22 23

n How a royalpython molts

When it feels its skin istoo tight, the pythonmolts to get rid of thetop layer of skin. It maymolt several times a yeardepending on its sizeand age.

The full molting processlasts 6 to 10 days. Firstthe snake’s skin growssoft.

Its eyes become veiledwith a bluish whitecovering. The snakecannot see as well. Itbecomes irritable.

The molting itself takes1 to 2 hours. It beginsat the head. The old skinbreaks off from the lipsand eyes, then turnsinside out like a gloveall along the body tothe end of the tail.

Heart

StomachLiver

Intestine

Left lung

Kidney

The snake never blinksits eyes. Its eye is covered with a clear eye cap that is shedwhen the snake molts.

In a snake’s long body, the organsare tubular in shape (heart, lung).They are arranged one after theother or are reduced in size (left lung).

Except for tortoises, allreptiles haveteeth.The fangsof venomoussnakes caninject poison.Tortoises havehorned beaks.

The snake has elastic jaws andspecial bones, allowing it toswallow prey that may be largerthan the snake.

Lacking eardrums, snakes are deaf, but they capture

vibrations from the groundthat are transmitted to

the inner ear.

With or without legs, all reptiles are ableto slither or crawl. One type of reptile isa rattlesnake.

Oviparous reptiles (such asturtles and crocodiles) burytheir eggs in a warm pit inthe ground. Certain pythonsand cobras incubate them bycovering them with their bodies.Ovoviparous lizards and snakesincubate the eggs inside theirbodies.

Reptiles have skin coveredwith scales. A tortoise’sbody is protected by abony shell covered withhorned plates.Crocodilians have bonyplates on their bodies.

The number of vertebrae areptile has can vary a lot: atleast 200 for a snake, 26 fora crocodile, 20 for a turtle.

Turtles, crocodilesand lizards move on four legs, except for the slow worm, whose limbs have disappeared.Snakes have nolimbs.

When a rattlesnake shakes itstail, it makes a “rattling” soundthat may frighten off its enemies.

What Is a Reptile?

24 25

Cold-bloodedAnimals

n A day in the life of a lizardA lizard seeks the right temperature by changingplace and posture. It warms up by exposing itself tothe sun to gather energy so it can hunt. But it isquick to seek shade when the temperature gets toohigh: this keeps its body from overheating.

Unlike mammals andbirds, amphibiansand reptiles are cold-blooded animals.They regulate theirtemperature by takingadvantage of theirenvironment.

n Controlling its temperatureAn iguana’s skin changes color according tothe temperature. In the early morning andlate afternoon its skin is dark, to absorbthe heat. In the hotter times of day, itsskin is light, reflecting the sun’s rays. n Recharging its batteries

To be active, reptiles must have energy. One way to getenergy is to warm themselves by basking in the sun.

n The squirming lizard To walk on burning hot sand,the lizard does acrobatics. It lifts up its left front and right rear feet at the sametime, allowing them to cool off. Then it walks a littlemore and pauses again to cool the other two feet.

1 At night, the desertis frigid. The lizardburies itself in a lairthat is 60° F. Its bodytemperature is 62.5° F.

2 In the early morning, thetemperature is cool. The lizardwarms itself in the sun on arock. Its temperature can riseto 86° F in less than half anhour.

3 At mid-morning, thesun shines brightly. Thelizard’s dark skin absorbsthe solar heat. Its temperature stabilizes at 95° F. It hunts insectsand flees from predators.

4 At noon, the temperature nears 120° F. The lizard stays in the shade.

5 In the afternoon, when thetemperature drops, it “lounges”in the sun or on warm rocks tomaintain its 95° F body heat. Itdigests during this time.

6 When the sun goesdown, the lizard returnsto its lair.

zzz ding

yumyum

yum Okay, enough fun,

I’m goingto bed

This is no life, justworkday,

subway, hit the hay . . . . . . tomorrow

I’m going toTahiti !

dingding

Daily LifePeople often feel repulsed by amphibians. Yet they are animals withamazing abilities!

nHow do frogs orient themselves?A group of frogs was accustomed to layingeggs in a certain pond. One day, workersfilled it in and created a road. Entirely newsmells spread through the area. Yet the following year, the amphibians came rightback to the same spot . . . because they orient themselves by the sun, not by scent.

n Record jumpsNot all frogs jump. Some swim, others walk,soar, or climb trees. Frogs that live in trees areimpressive acrobats. Tree frogs that are only1.2 inches long can sometimes jump two feet.Rocket frogs can jump up to 15 feet!

n The cannibal newt The great crested newt is quite the carnivore. It devours small shellfish,worms, snails, tadpoles, and insects.When it is starving, this voracious little animal can even become acannibal: it eats other newts and even its own larvae.1 At rest, the frog is in a

sitting position, its legs bent.The back legs rear up and thetoes help it push off from the ground.

2 It extends its backlegs to gain speed

3 It can catch aninsect in midflight.

5 With its adhesivetoes, it can grip thestalks of plants orclimb trees.

4 It lands softlyon its feet.

greatcrestednewt

26 27

n Beware: poison!Poison dart frogs manufacture strong venom intiny glands on their backs. The poison is not fatalto the touch. However, if the poison gets into abody through the mouth or a wound, the victimcan be quickly paralyzed and die. South Americannatives used the poison in frogs like these to poison

their darts. Other amphibians also produce poisons. The European spottedsalamander secretes poison into the mouth of a predator, so the animalwill release it. The poison in these animals is the way they protect themselves.Predators learn to leave them alone!

Depending on theirneeds and where theylive, reptiles use theirsenses in many ways.

n Snakes have no ears.How does a snake learn about the world without ears? It isvery sensitive to vibrations in the ground as it slithers along.With a long forked tongue that it flicks out, it can sense theodors of plants and animals. Its large eyes, covered with atransparent protective film, are always on the watch.

n The mighty crocodile The crocodile floats near thesurface of the river. Leavingonly the top of its skull abovewater, it smells and hearseverything around it. Nostrilsare located at the very end ofits snout to detect odors. Itlies in wait to surprise itsprey—then grabs and drownsthe prey in the water.

n Hunting with infraredLike many snakes, the pit viper is able to hunt at night.In total darkness, it can “see”using little cavities situated oneach side of its head betweenthe eyes and nostrils. Thesecavities can detect the heat orinfrared radiation of a warm-blooded rodent. As soon as theprey moves, the viper attacksand injects its venom. Some-times the rodent escapes, butthe snake will soon find itagain by the heat the rodentgives off.

28 29

Seeing, Hearing,Touching

n Eggs-actly!In April, femaleringed snakes taketheir first sunbath.They display theircolored “necklaces”in the company ofseveral males. One of them grows boldand approaches afemale. In May, themales go away. InJuly, the females lay soft eggs, stucktogether, beneaththe grass. They hatchin September.

n The leatherback sea turtleThe leatherback sea turtle goes ashore to lay hereggs. She digs a hole in the sand, where she lays 60 to 100 eggs. When she has finished, she is exhausted. She covers the eggs tohide them. Then she returns to thesea, sweeping the sand withher back feet to cover anytrace of her presence sothat predators do notknow where theeggs are.

The Turtle or the Egg—Which comes first?It is always the same: combat between rivals,attracting a female, and egg-laying.

n Shell-to-shell combatTwo male turtles face off in front of the female, who stays on the sidelines.They rush at each other with the strength of a tank. Their shells strike andscrape each other. After two hours of intense fighting, one of them loses hisbalance. The other takes advantage of this and turns him over on his back,legs in the air. The victor leaves with the female he has won. The losersearches for a prop to turn himself back over again.

Hermann’s tortoises inthe heat of combat

30 31

Family Life of the CrocodileBefore a Nile crocodile can attract a female,

he must eliminate his rival!

They arch their necks, wave their tails, slapthe water, then plunge their heads in theriver and spout water out of their nostrils.

The stronger one keeps up thepressure until the weaker oneexposes his throat. Then thewinner seizes the loser’s footin his jaws.

The defeated oneflees, swimmingrapidly away.

To attract afemale, thecrocodilefollows astrict ritual. Male and female lift

their heads at thesame time, then rubsnouts.

Then they open their mouthswide without biting or harmingeach other.

The eggsare aboutto hatch.

Inside the shell, the tinycrocodiles begin to cryout. They can be heardfrom 60 feet away!

The female returns to the nestand rakes the soil with herjaws and forefeet to dig outthe eggs.

Each hatchling breaks its shellwith a tooth on the end of itssnout. At last it comes outinto the air.

The mother cups her tongue to cradle her wriggling babies.Some have already wandered away and are giving out anxious calls. She collects all of them in her mouth andgoes to the river.

She shakes her head todeposit them in thewater. The young swimaround for awhile, thenreturn to land, crying.

For severalweeks, theparentsprotect the nesttogether.

If a baby gives a sharp distress cry, all of themtake shelter in the grass or hide in the water.

The young worktogether to dig tunnelsup to 10 feet long.

Inside this shelter, 4 or 5 of the young are well protected . . .

. . . from countless predators: herons,storks, hyenas, crabs, large fish, andeven other reptiles.

The femalereturnsfaithfullyeach year to the samenest.

Using her backlegs, she digs ahole about 15inches deep.

She hunts nearbyand preventsintruders and anyother females fromapproaching.

She lays 15 to 80 eggs and doesnot eat during the three monthsthat the eggs incubate.

All the males patrolthe area.

¤¤

¤¤

¤

Two adultmales becomeaggressiverivals at thestart of thecourting season.

32 33

What’s onthe MenuSnakes and crocodiles are carnivores. Lizards are insectivores, but some are also carnivores or herbivores (hur´ b vors).Most land turtles eat plants, while sea turtles live on crabs, jellyfish, fish, and algae.

n A sweet tooth for jellyfishWhen the leatherback sea turtle fills its lungswith air, it can dive nearly 1,000 feet deep inthe sea. There it feasts on jellyfish. It can holdits breath for 20 to 30 minutes. After it comesback to the surface to breathe, it plunges backdown to the depths. Some sea turtles havemistaken a plastic bag for a jellyfish andstrangled to death.

n Swallowing an egg in its shell The egg-eater snake (Dasypeltis)ingests huge eggs, shell and all.Thanks to its elastic jaws, it avoidsbreaking them.

When it has completelyswallowed the egg, abony saw in itsesophagus* slices the egg apart.

The contents of theegg are releasedinto the stomach.Delicious!

The reptile then spits out the piecesof shell.

n Boa eats boaThe boa constrictor takes up a post in a tree to watchfor prey. This powerful snake from the tropics wraps itsbody around the mammal and crushes it before eatingit. Its mouth stretches to swallow the animal, alive ordead. When it has fully ingested the prey, its scalesspread apart. Its body relaxes. As the boa digests, itremains motionless for weeks or months.

Another type of boa is the anaconda. If two anacondasnakes grab hold of the same prey, the larger snake maysimply swallow the smaller snake.

n Thirst quenching cactus In the dry season, a giant tortoisemight quench its thirst by drinking thewater inside big cactus plants. It tearsoff a piece, which falls to the ground.The tortoise breaks it open and swallowsthe pulp inside. In the rainy season, thetortoise drinks its fill from ponds.

Boa devouringa gazelleEsophagus:

(i sof´e g s)Digestive canal leading fromthe mouth tothe stomach.

34 35

˘ e

e

36 37

n Are they cooperating or competing for meat?The Nile crocodile attacks an antelope and tears off piecesto swallow. It grabs a piece in its jaws and twists arounduntil a chunk comes off. If the carcass is too light, thecrocodile may find it difficult to pull off pieces. Anothercrocodile may take hold of the other end of the antelope.The two reptiles pull in opposite directions until chunks of meat are pulled off, one by one. Each crocodile enjoysthe meal without hostility. Sometimes they carry an antelopecarcass together, side by side, before sharing it.

Looking for PreyCrocodiles, snakes, lizards . . .each reptile has its special hunting technique!

n Famous for their poisonIn its jaw, the pit viper has apair of hollow, needle-likefangs invisible from the outside. A venom gland is situated at the baseof the fangs. When the snake strikes, it expels the poison through the fangs,injecting it into the prey. The prey goesinto shock and dies.

The Gila monster, a venomous lizard ofArizona, also has a venom gland, but itssecretions* mix directly with its saliva.This helps it to defend itself and to preyon small mammals and other reptiles.

n The ferocious Komodo dragonThis large monitor lizard smells by using its bifurcated*tongue to sample the air. With its keen sense of smell,it can detect prey up to 1000 feet away. A bite fromthis reptile is usually fatal, due to deadly bacteria inits saliva. After biting its prey, the Komodo dragon cansimply follow until the animal falls or dies. In onemeal it can eat 80% of its body weight (a 10-footKomodo dragon weighs 350 pounds).

The viper’s fangs

Gila monster

*Bifurcated : (bi f r kat d) Split into two parts, forked.

*Secretion :(si kre´ sh n) A substanceproduced bythe body.

˘ e

ee

Turtles, snakes, lizards . . . different reptiles have differentways of escaping their enemies.

n Lose a tailWhen a bird of prey goes after askink in the Australian desert, thereptile will break off its own tail toescape. The tail falls off, but growsback fairly quickly. The second tailis shorter and lighter in color thanthe first.

n A protective shellThe turtle has a shell that surrounds andprotects it. The shell is formed of bonyplates that are joined beneath its belly.When danger appears, the turtle retractsits four legs, head, and short tail into thishard, solid shelter. Young turtles, however,are very vulnerable because their shellsare still soft.

n HissSnakes “hiss” in different ways. Thesand viper rubs its coarse scalestogether and produces a vibratingraspy sound. When the rattlesnakeshakes its tail vigorously, it can beheard over 30 feet away. The bull

snake has a very loud hiss. A flapwithin its larynx* vibrates, amplifyingthe hiss when it expels air.

n Play deadWhen a predator approaches, a hognosesnake will squirm, stretch, hiss, and pant totry to scare it off. But if the enemy persists,the hognose changes strategy. It plays dead,going stiff and motionless with its mouthopen and its tongue hanging out. It seemsto stop breathing. It even emits a smell of death.

Protection From Predators

Attacked by a raccoon, a Blanding’sturtle huddles in its shell.

Sand viper

Bull snake

Rattlesnake

*Larynx :(lar ingks) Part of the innerthroat that contains the vocal chords.

38 39

ahh, a nice new tail

Wow! It’s growing back.. .

How embarrassing!

˘

n Little dinosaur Moloch horridus, nicknamed the “thorny devil,” lives in the desert of central Australia. This frightening lizard has huge thorns on its head, body, and limbs. When threatened, it buries its facebetween its legs. All the attacker sees are the bristlinghorns on its head. Although it looks like a scarydinosaur, the moloch is only about 8 inches long andeats only ants all year round.

Strange LizardsThere are about3,800 lizard specieson the planet. Some of them are really amazing!

n Scare your enemies The frilled lizard, which lives in Australia and NewZealand, averages 33 inches in length. In its neck it hides a fold of skin that can lie flat or flare outinto a wide collar. It flips it out suddenly, opens itsmouth wide, and hisses to intimidate and drive offan attacker. It’s all a bluff! Despite all the fanfare,the lizard has no real defenses.

n Which end is which??The worm lizard looks like a blind snake. Thisodd reptile seems to have a head at both ends,but one is really a tail. A lizard without legs, itmoves backward as easily as forward, like anearthworm. With its snout it digs undergroundtunnels as its home.

n Walk on waterThe basilisk lives in the marshlands of Central America. It swims, dives, or holds perfectly still in the middle of the swamp to avoid a predator. But it is also able to run across the surface of the water, on two legs and with toes splayed, as adeptly as on land. It can run across the water at nearly 7 1/2 miles per hour, fast enough to keep it from sinking.

40 41

42 4344

The Magic ChameleonTo survive in a hostile world, the chameleon hasseveral ways to make up for its weaknesses.

n It makes a “big” impressionWhen an enemy appears, thechameleon puffs up its body. Itslungs and several inflatable sacs inits belly fill with air. Then it opensits mouth and rocks back and forththreateningly. When the danger has passed, it deflates.

n It crosses its eyes!The chameleon is a strangehunter. Very patient, itwaits for hours to spotprey. Its eyes can moveindependently of eachother and are ringed with a large protective eyelid.

With one eye,it explores theterrain andzeroes in onapproachinginsects.

With the other,it watches thespot where theinsect will land. It attacks insectsonly when theyare still.

The two eyesconverge on itsprey: its tonguedarts out.

1

1 2 3

23To move about, the chameleon

clings tightly with its feet andmoves them very carefully, oneat a time. Its five toes act likepliers to grip a branch.

n It sticks out its tongue!At rest, a chameleon’s tongue folds up like an accordion.When it sees a grasshopper, its muscles activate withdazzling speed. The elastic tongue stretches to becomeas long as its body. With perfect accuracy, it capturesthe prey on its sticky tip. The lizard draws the insectback to its mouth, where its gummy lips grab and devour it.

Its tail locks onto the branchand wraps around it to steadythe lizard.

n It changes color The skin of a chameleon can changecolor. Many scientists believe that forsome types of chameleons, what theyare feeling can affect the color oftheir skin. They become green if theyare content, gray if they are in pain,or black if they are angry. When achameleon's skin changes to brown, it can warm up better by taking insun rays. Some of the colors, such as brown or green, can also help thechameleon blend into the colors oftrees and help it hide from predators.

ÜPuzzle Panic in the vivarium!

In this scene, the illustratorwas supposed to show only reptiles andamphibians escaping from a vivarium (vi var´e m). But he couldn’t resist thetemptation to throw in a few other animals:mammals, birds, fish, insects. Can you find the 20 intruders? (If you are only borrowingthis book, please do not make any marks onthe page, so the next reader can have funwith this too!) Solution on page 49

¯ e

44 45

46 47

Tricky ManeuversIn every aspect of life, reptilesshow their shrewdness. Someof the things they do . . .

Snakes that live in underbrush

have intricate,interwoven

designs.

*Pheromone: (fer mon) Substancesecreted by an animal that causescertain reactions in another animalof the same species.

n Fly like a dragonFlying dragons (Draco volans) have“wings” formed by ribs and membranesthat extend out from each side of theirbody. At rest, these membranes liealongside the body. When in danger, the dragon opens them like a parachuteand drops away. They can glide 65 feetfrom tree to tree. When they land, their ”wings” fold back in.

n Pretend to be femaleWhen the male garter snake ofCanada emerges from eight monthsof hibernation, it “disguises” itselfas a female. How? It gives off thepheromones* of the opposite sex.The trickster attracts a swarm ofother males (a hundred or so) whoemerged before he did. They form a teeming ball around him, whichwarms him and helps him to revive.This also protects the still drowsysnake from predatory birds.

Those that live in trees are often slim andwillowy, with green or brown colors.

Those that live insandy deserts areyellow, beige, orlight brown.

Some harmless species escapefrom their enemies because theylook like venomous snakes . . .

e

n Use camouflageTo blend in with its surroundings,snakes wear camouflage.

A horned lizard (also called ahorned toad) has a very bizarredefense against predators. It canburst tiny blood vessels around itseyes, then squirt out a three-footjet of blood. Eeew! Shivers guaranteed.

Incredible, but True! Answersto the puzzle on pages 44-45

The following are neithera reptile nor an amphibian!

From top to bottom and left to right:Bat, giraffe, pterodactyl, fish, pig, penguin, fox, sea anemone, marmoset, hedgehog, sea scallop, lobster, snail, seahorse, butterfly,starfish, rat, dung beetle, crab, spider.

A Lizard that Squirts Blood

In some species of reptiles andamphibians, newborns may be morelikely to be male or female, dependingupon the temperature of the eggs asthey incubate. One example is theAustralian water skink. If the eggs are incubated at 90 degrees Fahrenheit,the newborns will all be males. At 86 degrees Fahrenheit, only 75% will be males.

Is It a Boy or a Girl?

48 49

Ü How does the pit viperfind prey?

It smells it?It hears it?It detects its body heat?

The pitviper hunts bysensing infrared raysfrom an animal’s body heat.

Ü How does the skinkdefend itself from a vulture?

It plays dead?It loses its tail?It runs away?

Itcan try to run away,butitcan also lose its tail,whichwill grow back.

Ü How many times cana crocodile lose its teeth?

Twice?Ten times?More than20 times?

Its teeth can fall outmore than20 times and be replaced bynew,fully developedones.

Ü Why is the midwife toadcalled by that name?

Because it helps the female lay her eggs?Because it carries the eggsfor several weeks?

The males carry the eggs forseveral weeks.

Ü What kind of reptile is aKomodo “dragon”?

An iguana?A monitor lizard?A basilisk?

Ü Where does a snake’smolting start?

At the head?At the tail?At a rip in the old skin?

Atthe head.The skin thenpeels off like a glove.

Ü What is so strange aboutthe horned lizard?

Its eyes have no lids, so itlicks them to moisten them?Its eyes can squirt jets of blood?Its eyes pivot so it can see in two directions at once?

A monitor lizard.(And thisdragon cannotbreathe fire!)

Its eyes can squirtjets of blood.

50 51

?Did YouKnow?

100% puredragon

52 53

3 For the body, put twotubes together end to end,slightly overlapping. Threadthe needle with about 12inches of thread, knot theend, and have an adult helpyou to sew (or show youhow to sew) the two tubestogether. When you aredone, make another knotand cut off the end of thethread.

5 For the eyes, thread the needle with 8 inches of thread and knot the end.Sew a large button onto theboa’s head, poking the needlethrough the button’s holes.Sew the small button ontothe large one, make anotherknot, and cut off the end ofthe thread. Make the secondeye in the same way.

You’ll need:Your parent’s help and permission

8 worn-out (but washed!) socks

of different colors

1 pair of scissors

1 spool of thread

1 thick upholstery needle with

rounded point

4 buttons1 felt-tip pen

1 small square of yellow or

orange felt

10 feet of rickrack (green,

orange, purple . . .)

white glue

You can use old socks to make yourself a colorful “boa” scarf. . . . Just be sure to getpermission and help from your parents!

A“Boa”Scarf

1 Set aside two sockswith toes intact. They willbecome the head and tailof the snake. Cut them offbefore the curve of theheel. Cut the six othersocks into two tubes each.

4 Put the rest of thetubes together in the sameway, finishing up with thehead and the tail. Cut 14lengths of rickrack about 8inches long. Put glue on oneof the lengths and paste itonto the seam betweentwo tubes to hide thestitches. Glue on the restin the same way.

2 Use the pen to draw theshape of the tongue on the felt.Cut it out with the scissors andglue it onto the end of the sockthat will be the snake’s head.

Giants of the OceanSTORY: In the story, a young

girl is drifting on a raft in the

middle of the ocean. Circling

the raft is a huge shark, just

waiting for a wave to knock

the girl into the sea. Suddenly,

a dolphin appears . . . and

what happens next will

amaze you!

FACTS: After the story, the

book is packed with exciting information! Did you know

there is a whale with a long twisted horn like a unicorn? Did

you know there are crocodiles that swim in the ocean? You'll

learn about animals of the ocean that are endangered— and

some of the things that are being done to help protect them.

Plus, find out how killer whales catch seals, how dolphins sleep,

and much more!

To see all the Half and Half books that are available,

just go online to www.HalfAndHalfBooks.com

54

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Reptiles and Amphibians

STORY:The Call of

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FACTS:Yikes! Frogs,Crocodiles,Snakes andMore!

A hawksbill sea turtle hatches from anegg and scrambles out of its nest on thebeach. Instinct tells it to rush to the ocean.However, in its path are large birds andcrabs intent on eating baby sea turtles.This mad dash for the sea is a fictionalglimpse into the harsh struggle for survivalthat is faced by the very young of manyspecies.

After the story, you’ll find amazingfacts about reptiles and amphibians ofall kinds. Learn how a basilisk lizardwalks on water, how a royal pythonsheds its skin, how crocodiles worktogether to get a tasty meal . . . andso much more! This book is just jam-packed with cool info on cold-bloodedanimals!

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9.5 mm