Snake Anatomy and Taxonomy 낱말 카드

Typhlopidae

Blind snakes/worm snakes; fossorial, worm-like snakes with smooth shiny scales, tiny eyes beneath scales, and teeth generally restricted to the lower jaw

Pythonidae

Pythons; non-venomous constrictors with muscular bodies, heat-sensitive labial pits in many species, flexible skulls, and recurved teeth

Acrochordidae

File snakes; aquatic snakes with loose, rough skin, strongly keeled scales, and small recurved teeth adapted for gripping slippery fish

Colubridae

Colubrid snakes; diverse group of snakes, often arboreal or semi-arboreal, generally with numerous small teeth and sometimes enlarged rear fangs

Elapidae

Elapid snakes; venomous, front-fanged snakes with fixed hollow or grooved fangs connected to venom glands

Hydrophiidae

True sea snakes; fully aquatic venomous snakes with paddle-shaped tails, valved nostrils, and reduced ventral scales

Laticaudidae

Sea kraits; amphibious marine snakes with paddle-shaped tails, valved nostrils, broad ventral scales, and fixed front fangs

Blackish blind snake

Anilios nigrescens; example of Typhlopidae

Carpet python

Morelia spilota; example of Pythonidae

Children's python

Antaresia childreni; example of Pythonidae

Arafura file snake

Acrochordus arafurae; example of Acrochordidae

Brown tree snake

Boiga irregularis; example of Colubridae

Common tree snake

Dendrelaphis punctulatus; example of Colubridae

Eastern brown snake

Pseudonaja textilis; example of Elapidae

Red-bellied black snake

Pseudechis porphyriacus; example of Elapidae

Elegant sea snake

Hydrophis elegans; example of Hydrophiidae

Yellow-bellied sea snake

Hydrophis platurus; example of Hydrophiidae

Yellow-lipped sea krait

Laticauda colubrina; example of Laticaudidae

Fossorial

Adapted for digging and living underground

Constriction

Method of subduing prey by wrapping around it and applying pressure until it can no longer breathe effectively

Labial scales

Scales along the upper and lower lips of a snake

Heat-sensitive labial pits

Specialized sensory pits in pythons that detect infrared radiation from warm-bodied prey

Infrared radiation

Electromagnetic radiation emitted as heat; detected by specialized sensory pits in many pythons

Loreal scale

Scale located between the nasal and preocular scales on the side of the head

Preocular scale

Scale immediately anterior to the eye

Nasal scale

Scale surrounding or associated with the nostril

Keeled scales

Scales with a raised ridge running along their surface

Ventral scutes

Large, broad scales covering the underside of a snake; assist with movement

Midbody scale rows

Number of longitudinal rows of scales around the middle of a snake's body

Valved nostrils

Nostrils with specialized valves that close underwater to prevent water entering the respiratory system

Paddle-shaped tail

Laterally flattened tail adapted for swimming

Lateral undulation

Side-to-side wave-like movement of the body used for swimming or locomotion

Labial pits

Heat-sensitive structures along the lips of pythons that detect infrared radiation

Rear-fanged snake

Snake with enlarged fangs positioned toward the back of the upper jaw

Front-fanged snake

Snake with enlarged fangs positioned at the front of the upper jaw

Fixed fangs

Fangs that remain upright and do not fold back against the roof of the mouth

Venom gland

Specialized gland that produces venom and connects to venom-delivery structures

Venom delivery system

Anatomical structures, including venom glands and fangs, used to inject venom into prey

Hollow fangs

Tubular teeth that deliver venom through an internal channel

Grooved fangs

Teeth with an external groove that channels venom into prey

Recurved teeth

Teeth that curve backward to grip prey and prevent escape

Dental arcade

Arrangement and shape of teeth along the jaws

Maxilla

Upper jaw bone that supports teeth, including specialized fangs in venomous snakes

Dentary

Main tooth-bearing bone of the lower jaw

Palatine

Bone in the roof of the mouth that may support teeth

Pterygoid

Bone in the roof of the mouth that supports teeth and helps move food during swallowing

Quadrate

Mobile skull bone that connects the lower jaw to the skull and contributes to the flexibility of snake jaws

Skull kinesis

Movement between skull bones that allows snakes to open their mouths widely and swallow large prey

Jacobson's organ

Specialized chemosensory organ in the roof of the mouth that detects chemical particles collected by the tongue

Chemical cues

Environmental chemicals used to detect prey, predators, and potential mates

Elapid venom

Venom delivered through fixed front fangs; used to immobilize or kill prey

Constriction vs. envenomation

Constriction subdues prey through physical pressure; envenomation injects venom through specialized fangs

Typhlopidae diagnostic features

Tiny eyes beneath scales, blunt rounded snout, smooth shiny scales, cylindrical worm-like body, and fossorial lifestyle

Pythonidae diagnostic features

Muscular body, heat-sensitive labial pits in many species, flexible skull, recurved teeth, and constriction

Acrochordidae diagnostic features

Loose rough skin, strongly keeled file-like scales, aquatic lifestyle, and specialized gripping teeth

Colubridae diagnostic features

Variable scale arrangements, generally cylindrical tails, numerous small teeth, and sometimes enlarged rear fangs

Elapidae diagnostic features

Fixed front fangs, venom glands, highly developed venom delivery system, and generally smooth scales

Hydrophiidae diagnostic features

Fully aquatic lifestyle, paddle-shaped tail, valved nostrils, and reduced ventral scales

Laticaudidae diagnostic features

Amphibious lifestyle, paddle-shaped tail, valved nostrils, broad ventral scales, and fixed front fangs

Hydrophiidae vs. Laticaudidae

True sea snakes are entirely aquatic with reduced ventral scales; sea kraits also come onto land and have broad ventral scales for terrestrial movement

Pythonidae vs. Elapidae

Pythons are non-venomous constrictors with recurved teeth; elapids are venomous snakes with fixed front fangs

Hydrophiidae vs. terrestrial snakes

True sea snakes have paddle-shaped tails, valved nostrils, and adaptations for fully aquatic life

Sea snake skin respiration

Some true sea snakes can absorb oxygen directly through their skin while underwater

Ambush predator

Predator that waits for prey to approach before attacking

Fossorial predator

Predator that lives and hunts underground