Snakes
Snakes
There are well over 2000 species of snakes wordwide. Snakes belong to the order Squamata (they share this with lizards) and the suborder Serpentes. Snakes exist nearly everywhere on the planet, from the United Kingdom, to Africa to Australia. Wherever there is a mild climate, you will probably find snakes. Being cold-blooded, they cannot survive in colder climates, but they have been known to survive sub-zero temperatures for weeks at a time.
Snakes are, from an evolutionary point of view, the newest reptile. They evolved from the lizard, and in the process lost their legs. In the family boidae (which consists of boas and pythons) the remnants of these past legs can sometimes be seen. These are called spurs and are often used to aid mating.
Having no legs, snakes have a very unique way of moving. They contract and relax their body (length wise) while gripping onto the ground with their belly scales. Some species have adopted other methods, such as the infamous Side Winder (most snakes use this method to a certain extent, but it is this snake which is famous for it).
Snakes are carnivorous, with most species choosing 2-3 food types to make up the bulk of their diet. These food types may be rodents, lizards, insects or other snakes. Snakes are famous for their ability to dislocate their jaws to eat food much larger than their heads would appear to allow. The food may be swallowed live, asphyxiated (constricted until air flow is no longer possible), or injected with venom (via front or rear fangs).
The main senses used by snakes in both hunting and predator evasion are the sight and 'smell'. Snakes smell by tasting the air. They do this by flicking their tongue in and out, collecting particles, which are then taken up to the jacobson's organ for analysis.
There are a number of types of tongue flicks. Here I will sum up the two major ones. A snake which is comfortable in its surroundings will make short quck flicks which are used to monitor any changes in the current environment. A snake which is active, hunting or alarmed, will often use "long floppy" flicks (if you've witnessed this, you'll know why I called it that), which it uses to take in as much information as possible.
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Species
Boas and pythons (Boids)
Anteresia childreni - Childrens PythonAntaresia maculosa - Spotted Python
Boa constrictor imperator - Common boa constrictor
Boa constrictor constrictor - Red-tailed boa
Corallus hortulanus - Amazonian Tree Boa
Corallus caninus - Emerald Tree Boa
Candoia bibroni australis - Solomon Island Tree Boa
Condoia carinata paulsoni - Solomon Island Ground Boa
Eryx colubrinus loveridgei - Kenyan Sand Boa
Eryx canicus spp - Rough-scaled Sand Boa
Epicrates cenchria maurus - Columbian Rainbow Boa
Epicrates cenchria cenchria - Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Lichanura trivirgata gracia - Desert Rosy Boa
Lichanura trivirgata trivirgata - Mexican Rosy Boa
Morelia viridis - Green Tree Python
Morelia spilota cheynei - Jungle Carpet Python
Python reticulatus - Reticulated Python
Python molurus bivitattus - Burmese Python
Python sebae - African Rock Python
Python curtus breitensteini - Blood Python
Colubrids
Bogertophis subocularis - Trans Pecos Rat Snake
Dasypeltis medici - African Egg-eating Snake
Elaphe guttata emoryi - Great Plains Rat Snake
Elaphe bairdi - Baird's Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta rossalleni - Everglades Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta lingheimeri - Texas Rat Snake
Elaphe taeniura ssp - Asian Stripe-tailed Rat Snake
Heterodon nasicus - Western Hognosed Snake
Lampropeltis alterna - Grey-banded Kingsnake
Lampropeltis mexicana - Mexican Kingsnake
Lampropeltis pyromelana ssp - Arizona Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula getula - Eastern Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula floridana - Florida Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula goini - Blotched Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula splendida - Desert Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula californiae - California Kingsnake
Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster - Prairie Kingsnake
Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoides - Scarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis - Honduran Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum syspila - Red Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli - Pueblan Milk Snake
Lampropeltis triangulum annulata - Mexican Milk Snake
Lampropeltistriangulum sinaloae - Sinaloan Milk Snake
Lampropeltis ruthveni - Ruthvens Kingsnake
Lamprophis fuliginosus - African House snake
Leptophis depressirostris - Short-nosed Parrot Snake
Masticophis flagellum testaceus - Red Coachwhip
Opheodrys aestivus - Rough Green Snake
Pantherophis guttatus guttatus - Corn Snake
Philothamnus natalensis - Natal Green snake
Pituophis catenifer sayi - Bullsnake
Pituophis catenifer affinis - Sonoran Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer catenifer - Pacific Gopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer vertebralis - Southern Baja Gopher Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus - Nothern Pine Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus lodingi - Black Pine Snake
Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus - Florida Pine snake
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis - Eastern Gater Snake
Thamnophis marcianus marcianus - Checkered Garter Snake