CITES : Convention on International Trade in endangered Species, international legislation that regulates and monitors trade in wildlife. Created by the IUCN.
Cloaca: the single urogenital opening possessed by reptiles, amphibians, and many other animals. Also called a vent.
EPBC Act: The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. A piece of Federal legislation that prohibits the keeping of exotic reptiles.
ES: Edison Screw referring to screw type light bulb fitting
EWD: Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus lesueurii)
Exotic: not from that area. Usually refers to any species not native to Australia
Femoral pore: pores on inside of thigh, more prominent in males
Feral: domestic species that has returned to the wild (eg cats, dogs, horses)
Hemipenes: the bifurcated reproductive organ of male snakes
Herp: abbreviation of ‘herptile’ - a reptile or amphibian
Herper: a reptile or amphibian enthusiast
Herpetoculturist: someone who keeps and breeds reptiles or amphibians in captivity
Herpetologist: professional zoologists specialising in reptiles and/or amphibians
Herping: looking for wild reptiles or amphibians
Het: heterozygous – an individual who has two different alleles at the same locus on paired chromosomes. Homozygous is the condition where the alleles are the same.
Hots: American term for venomous snakes
Hybrid: Offspring of two different species (Note: definition subject of much discussion)
Hygrometer: device to measure humidity
Hyper: Short for hypermelanistic (usually) - an increase in melanin i.e. more black than normal.
Hypo: Short for hypomelanistic (usually) – a reduction in melanin
IBD: Inclusion Body Disease
IMO: in my opinion
Indigenous: naturally occuring. Same as native
Intergrade: offspring of two different subspecies i.e. Diamond Pythons and Coastal Carpet Pythons (Note: definition is the subject of much debate)
Introduced: an exotic species that has become established in the wild
IR: Infrared, referring to light bulbs
IUCN : International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. A conservation NGO with it's headquarters in Switzerland.
Melanistic: overabundance of melanin resulting in a completely black animal
Moloch: Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus)
Native: naturally occurring. Same as Indigenous.
Nocturnal: active during night time
NPWS: National Parks and Wildlife
ONO: 'or near offer', seen in the ads for sale
OPMV: Ophidian Paramyxovirus, a contagious and deadly snake virus
Parthenogenesis: the ability of the females of certain species to reproduce without fertilization eg. Bynoe's Gecko, Komodo Dragon
PBT : Preferred body temperature
Pinkie: a baby mouse/rat before it gets fur
Pit: an outdoor enclosure with walls 1m+ and often no roof
Pit: a heat sensitive depression on the head found in most pythons and many vipers
PMSL: LOL + a wet patch.
Popping: method of sexing snakes whereby the hemipenes are 'popped' out of the vent. Not for the inexperienced.
Preanal pore: same as femoral pore but situated in front of vent
Probing: method of sexing snakes by inserting purpose built probes into the vent. Experienced people only, as it can damage the reproductive organs if done incorrectly.
Rainbow Python: synonym for Water Python (Liasis fuscus), refers to the rainbow sheen exhibited by this species
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