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| General Information
A snake is a backboned
animal with a long, legless body covered by dry
scales. The eyes of a snake are covered by clear
scales instead of movable eyelids, meaning that
its eyes are always open. Snakes have a narrow,
forked tongue, which is used to bring odors to a
special sense organ in the mouth, allowing them
to follow the scent trails of their prey. |
 Snake
Bodies Snakes vary
greatly in body shape. Some have stout bodies,
while others have long, thin bodies. The bodies
of sea snakes are flattened from side to side. |
 The Skeleton of a
Snake The main
parts of a snake's skeleton are (1) the skull,
(2) vertebrae, and (3) ribs. A few snakes, such
as blind snakes, boas, and pythons, have vestiges
of hind legs or hipbones. |
 The Skin of a Snake
Snake skin has three layers. Only the
outer, thinnest layer is peeled away when the
snake sheds. |
 Snake Senses
Snakes do not have
especially keen senses of sight or hearing. They
rely instead on special sense organs to provide
them with information about their environment. |
 Snake Locomotion
Snakes have four main
methods of moving about: (1) lateral undulation,
(2) rectilinear movement, (3) concertina
movement, and (4) sidewinding. Some snakes also
move in other, unusual ways. |
 Snake Fangs and Venom
Poisonous snakes use
venom because it is a very good way to capture
prey. There is no need for a poisonous snake to
spend hours and a great deal of energy squeezing
its prey, and there is no need to chase after
prey. The snake simply injects its venom and
waits for it to take effect. |
 Boa
Constrictor (Boa constrictor)
The most distinctive feature of this snake is the
head, which has a dark stripe
running dorsally from the snout to the back of
the head, a dark triangle between the snout and
eyes, and a continuation of that triangle behind
each eye that slants downward towards the jaw. |
 Copperhead
(Agkistrodon contortrix)
This pit viper is most
easily identified by its copper-colored head
(hence the name). Although a copperhead bite can
be serious for a human, it is rarely fatal. |
 Grass Snake (Natrix
natrix)
The characteristic
feature of this snake is a yellowish, orange,
pink or white patch either side of the neck
forming an incomplete collar or ring. |
 King
Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
A king cobra will not
attack unless cornered or provoked -- with the
exception of nesting females, which may attack
without provocation. The venom of the king cobra
is very potent -- one gram can kill 150 people.
The venom of a juvenile king cobra is just as
potent as that of an adult. |
 Madagascar
Tree Boa (Sanzinia
madagascariensis)
This snake is unique to
Madagascar, where it lives in forested areas near
bodies of water. It is endangered due to
increased farming and housing development, and is
now found only in protected areas. |
