| A snake has been on the earth for over 130 million | | | | where it uses only two ground contact points. |
| years. Without limbs, it can climb, swim and | | | | Caterpillar where the curves are up and down and |
| sometimes fly. Some have a deadly bite that can kill | | | | above the ground. Concertina used for climbing, |
| a human. In religion, it was the animal that tempted | | | | where the ventral scales grip the surface and it |
| Adam and Eve. | | | | springs forward to regrip the surface. |
| Of the 2700 known species, each share three | | | | It has an expandable jaw and can swallow prey |
| common traits. It has a thin, linear limbless body, eats | | | | larger than itself whole. It drenches its prey with |
| meat and is cold blooded. Its organs are linear in its | | | | saliva and crushes it with its muscles. Some snakes |
| body with the brain and sensory organs in the head. | | | | inject its prey with venom using its fangs to subdue |
| It has an inner ear which detects sound from sound | | | | it. |
| waves hitting its skin. It cannot detect colors but can | | | | The venomous types which account for 20% of all |
| see images. Some have pit organs that can detect | | | | snakes have 2 hollowed front teeth called fangs to |
| heat sources used for night hunting warm bloodied | | | | allowed the poison to pass through. The venom |
| animals. It does not have a sense of taste but can | | | | contains one of three toxins. Neurotoxin which seizes |
| smell odors. When it flicks its tongue, it gathers in air | | | | the nerves centers and stops breathing. Cardiotoxin |
| particles to assist in sensing odors. | | | | which attack the heart causing it to stop. Hemotoxin |
| It reaches lengths from 4 inches to 30 feet with | | | | which causes blood vessels to rupture. Other snakes |
| hundreds of vertebrae making it very flexible. Its skin | | | | squeeze its prey by applying pressure of up to 12 |
| is elastic covered with scales. It will shed its skin | | | | pounds per square inch causing the lungs and heart to |
| many times during its lifetime. It reaches maturity | | | | stop working. |
| from 1 to 9 years and can live from 4 years to over | | | | It has been found in mythology and popular culture. It |
| 25 years. | | | | has been featured in books and movies. "Snakes on |
| It moves using ventral scales on its underside which | | | | a Plane" and "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the |
| grip the ground and move it forward. It has four | | | | Lost Ark" have depicted it as an animal to fear. It |
| basic movements. Serpentine used by most snakes | | | | also has been used as symbol of evil societies. In |
| on land and water where it contracts its muscles into | | | | gardening and agriculture, it plays an important role in |
| side by side curves and using its scales to propel | | | | controlling insects. |
| forward. Sidewinding, a variation of the serpentine | | | | |