Beautiful black snake. Snakes - types and names. Jameson Mamba or Green Mamba

In this article, we will talk about what types of snakes exist, as well as what are the features and lifestyle of their various species. Snakes are a suborder of the reptile class. They differ from other reptiles in their elongated body, as well as the absence of movable eyelids, external auditory meatus and paired limbs. Lizards also have each of these traits. Snakes originated (presumably) from them in the Cretaceous period (that is, approximately 135-65 million years ago). However, all together, these signs are characteristic only of snakes. About 3,000 species are known today. They will help you better imagine some of the types of snakes in the photos that you will find in this article.

Lifestyle

These animals are predators. Many of them capture prey that is much larger than the snake itself. Young and small individuals usually feed on insects, molluscs, worms, some also reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds, rodents, and larger mammals. Several months may pass between two meals.

Snakes in most cases lie motionless, lying in wait for their prey, after which they rush at it with amazing speed and begin to swallow. Venomous snake species bite and then wait for the venom to take effect. The boas strangle the victim by wrapping themselves around it.

Various types of snakes are found everywhere, except for small oceanic islands and New Zealand. They live in forests, in deserts, in the steppe, underground and in the sea. The largest number of species lives in the warm countries of Africa and East Asia. More than 50% of Australia's snakes are venomous.

Snakes usually live 5-10 years, and some individuals - up to 30-40 years. They feed on many mammals and birds (ravens, eagles, storks, hedgehogs, pigs and representatives of the Carnivorous order), as well as other snakes.

Ways of transportation

There are several ways to move them. The snake usually zigzags and is repelled by areas of the body adjacent to the ground. The species of snakes living in the desert use a “lateral move”: the body touches the surface only at two points, the front part of it is transferred to the side (in the direction of movement), after which the back is “pulled up”, etc. “Accordion” is another way of movement, characterized in that the body of the snake is assembled in tight loops, and its front part moves forward. Also, large snakes move in a "caterpillar track" in a straight line, clinging to the soil with shields and straining the muscles located in the abdominal part of the body.

snake poison

Approximately 500 species of snakes are dangerous for humans. Every year, up to 1.5 million people are bitten by them, and up to 50 thousand die. Of course, this is not the most common cause of death today. Nevertheless, it is important to be able to determine what species the snake belongs to, whether it is poisonous. Snakes do not attack for no reason and try to save their poison. Scientists have developed special serums that have significantly reduced the number of deaths from their bites. In Thailand, for example, up to 10,000 people died annually at the beginning of the 20th century, and today - only about 20 people. Snake venom is used in small quantities for medicinal purposes, it has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, stimulates tissue regeneration.

Suborder Snakes are divided into 8-16 families. Let's imagine the main types of snakes and their names with a photo.

Slepuns

These are small snakes with a worm-like body. They are adapted to life underground: the head of these creatures is covered with large shields, the bones of the skull are tightly fused, and a short tail serves as a support for the body during movement in the thickness of the soil. Their eyes are almost completely reduced. Rudiments of pelvic bones were found in mole rats. This family contains about 170 species, most of which live in subtropical and tropical regions.

false-footed

They got their name because of the presence of rudiments of their hind limbs, which turned into claws located on the sides of the anus. The reticulated python and anaconda are pseudo-legged - the largest snakes of modern ones (they can reach a length of 10 meters). About 80 species include 3 subfamilies (Sand boas, Pythons and Boas). These snakes live in the subtropics and tropics, and some species live in the arid zones of Central Asia.

Aspid snakes

More than 170 species belong to them, including mambas and cobras. A characteristic feature of these snakes is their lack of a zygomatic shield. They have a short tail, an elongated body, and the head is covered with large shields of the correct form. Representatives of aspids lead a terrestrial lifestyle. They are distributed mainly in Australia and Africa.

The most dangerous type of black snake is the black mamba. She lives in various parts of the African continent. This snake is known to be very aggressive. Her throw is extremely accurate. The black mamba is the world's fastest land snake. It can reach speeds up to 20 km/h. The black mamba can make 12 bites in a row.

Its venom is a fast-acting neurotoxin. The snake throws out about 100-120 mg of poison in one injection. If medical assistance is not provided to a person as soon as possible, death occurs, depending on the nature of the bite, in the interval from 15 minutes to 3 hours. Other types of black snakes are not so dangerous. The death rate from a black mamba bite without antivenom is 100% - the highest of any venomous snake.

sea ​​snakes

Most of them never land. They live in the water, to which these snakes are adapted: they have light volumetric valves that close the nostrils, an oar-shaped tail and a streamlined body. These snakes are very poisonous. About 50 species belong to this family. They live in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The most venomous snake species in the world is the Belchera (sea snake). It got its name thanks to Edward Belcher, a researcher. Sometimes this snake is called otherwise - a striped sea snake. She rarely attacks humans.

It takes a lot of effort to provoke this snake to bite, so the cases of its attack are extremely rare. It can be found in the waters of Northern Australia and Southeast Asia.

Vipers

They have a thick body, a flat triangular head, a vertical pupil, a tracheal lung, and developed venom glands. Rattlesnakes and muzzles belong to the family of pit vipers, real vipers include sand efa, gyurza and vipers. The family includes approximately 120 species of snakes.

already shaped

Representatives of this family are about 70% of all modern snakes. Numerous types of snakes and their names. There are about 1500 species. They are ubiquitous and adapted to life in burrows, in the forest floor, on trees, in water bodies and in semi-deserts. These snakes are distinguished by a variety of modes of movement and food preferences. In general, this family is characterized by the absence of mobile tubular teeth, the left lung, and the rudiments of the hind limbs. Their upper jaw is horizontal.

Snakes of Russia

What types of snakes live in Russia? According to various sources, there are about 90 of them in our country, including 10-16 poisonous ones. Let us briefly describe the main types of snakes in Russia.

Already ordinary

This is a large snake, the length of which can reach 140 cm. It is distributed over a vast territory from Scandinavia to North America, as well as to Central Mongolia in the east. In Russia, it lives mainly in the European part. Its color is dark gray to black. Light spots forming a crescent are located on the sides of the head. They are bordered with black stripes. Representatives of this species of snakes prefer wet places. They hunt mainly during the day for toads and frogs, occasionally for birds and small lizards. It's an active snake. It crawls fast, swims well and climbs trees. Already trying to hide when detected, and if he fails, he relaxes his muscles and opens his mouth, thus pretending to be dead. Large snakes curl up into a ball and hiss threateningly, but rarely bite a person. In case of danger, in addition, they regurgitate prey recently caught (in some cases quite viable) and release a smelly liquid from the cloaca.

Copperhead

This snake is widespread in the European part of our country. Its length reaches 65 cm. The color of the body of this snake is from gray to red-brown. Dark spots in several rows are located along the body. Copperhead can be distinguished by a round pupil from a viper, which looks a bit like it. In danger, the snake gathers its body into a tight lump and hides its head. A copperfish caught by a man fiercely defends itself. It can bite through the skin until it bleeds.

common viper

This snake is quite large. The length of her body reaches 75 cm. She has a triangular head and a thick body. The color of the viper is from gray to red-brown. A dark zigzag stripe runs along its body, an X-shaped pattern is noticeable on the head, as well as 3 large scutes - 2 parietal and frontal. The viper has a vertical pupil. The border between the neck and head is clearly distinguishable.

This snake is widespread in the forest-steppe and forests of the European part of Russia, as well as in the Far East and Siberia. She prefers forests with swamps, clearings, as well as the shores of lakes and rivers. The viper settles in holes, pits, rotten stumps, among bushes. Most often, this species of snake hibernates in groups in burrows, hiding under haystacks and tree roots. In March-April, vipers leave their winter quarters. During the day they like to bask in the sun. These snakes usually hunt at night. Their prey is small rodents, chicks, frogs. They breed in mid-May, pregnancy lasts 3 months. A viper brings 8-12 cubs, each up to 17 cm long. The first molt occurs a few days after the individuals are born. In the future, vipers molt at a frequency of about one to two times a month. They live 11-12 years.

Quite often there are meetings of a person with a viper. It should be remembered that they love to spend time basking in the sun on warm days. Vipers can crawl to the fire at night, as well as climb into the tent. The population density of these snakes is very uneven. It is possible not to meet a single individual in a fairly large area, but in some areas they form whole "snake centers". These snakes are non-aggressive and will not be the first to attack a human. They always prefer to hide.

steppe viper

This type of snake differs in the pointed edges of the muzzle, as well as in smaller sizes from the common viper. Its body coloration is duller. There are dark spots on the sides of the body. The steppe viper lives in the forest-steppe and steppe zone of the European part of our country, in the Caucasus and in the Crimea. She lives 7-8 years.

Common muzzle

This species of snake inhabits vast areas from the mouth of the Volga to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. Up to 70 cm is the length of its body, the color is brown or gray with wide dark spots located along the ridge.

Brindle already

This is a brightly colored snake that lives in the Far East. Usually the upper part of her body is bright green with transverse black stripes. The scales located between the stripes in the front of the body are red. Up to 110 cm reaches the body length of the tiger snake. Nucho-dorsal glands are located on the upper side of his neck. The caustic secret that they secrete scares off predators. This type of snake prefers damp places. Tiger already eats frogs, fish and toads.

Central Asian cobra

This is a large snake, the length of which reaches 160 meters. Its body color is olive or brown. When the cobra is irritated, it raises the front of its body and puffs out the "hood" around its neck. This snake, attacking, makes several lightning throws, one of them ends with a bite. The Central Asian cobra lives in Central Asia, in the southern regions.

sand efa

This type of snake reaches up to 80 cm in length. Transverse light stripes run along the ridge, light zigzag lines run along the sides of the body. The sand efa feeds on birds and small rodents, other snakes and frogs. The swiftness of the throws distinguishes the efu. It makes a dry rustling noise when moving. This snake lives on the territory of the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea and is distributed to the Aral Sea.

Titanoboa

This extinct species of snake is currently the largest among the other species that have ever inhabited our planet. Titanoboas have been around for over 50 million years, back in the days of the dinosaurs. Today, their obvious descendants are snakes from the boa subfamily. The South American anaconda is their most famous representative. Although it is significantly inferior in size to Titanoboa, it has a number of similar features with this species. In the New York Museum, you can see a mechanical copy of the Titanoboa. About 15 meters is the size of this snake.

domestic snakes

There are many types of domestic snakes. Snakes are one of the most interesting creatures that are used as pets. And although they are ferocious predators, snakes can become docile if taken care of.

A very popular pet is the corn snake. She is obedient, easy to care for, but it is thanks to the genetic diversity that this species is so popular today.

The fact is that most individuals of this species have suffered due to genetic mutations, such as albinism, and today they have some of the most beautiful colors among snakes in the whole world. The royal python is also quite popular. This is a very obedient animal. The life expectancy of this species reaches 40 years. The king snake is muscular, with a strong body. It reaches 1.6 m in length. Boa is also popular. She is from Central America. This snake is a predator known for taking down large prey. Before eating the victim, she strangles her, and strong jaw muscles and sharp teeth help her swallow quickly. Boa reaches 2-3 meters in maturity. The colors and patterns of her body are very diverse, but brown and gray prevail. The boa needs a large terrarium made of thick fiberglass that needs to be well lit and well ventilated.

So, we have listed the characteristic features that different types of snakes have, and their names with a photo. Of course, this is incomplete information. We have described only the main types of snakes. The photos presented above introduce readers to their most interesting representatives.

Snakes can be found on 5 continents. They are not found only in Antarctica. The vast majority of them do not pose a threat to humans. And only 10% (about 350 species) pose a danger to human life and health. We invite you to get to know the snake kingdom better and find out which of its representatives can be kept at home.

Varieties of snakes

In nature, the existence of 3631 species of snakes is known. They are all predators. However, not all threaten the life and health of people. In the material we will consider some types of poisonous, non-venomous and sea snakes.

The most dangerous and poisonous

Poisonous snakes belong to 3 families:

1. Vipers.
2. Already shaped.
3. Aspid.

Vipers are found in Eurasia, Africa, North and South America. Representatives of this family have a rounded triangular head and a blunt nasal end. The fangs, from which the poison is released, are located behind the upper jaw.

When bitten, these reptiles open their mouths 180 degrees and expose their fangs, and then deliver a strong blow with their jaws. The color of the vipers varies depending on the living conditions.

The most famous and dangerous of this family are rattlesnakes, common viper, efa, gyurza.

Did you know? According to statistics, snakes inflict fatal bites on 30-40 thousand people every year on the planet. Most people die from this cause in Burma and Brazil. In America, about 8 thousand deaths are recorded per year, in Europe, 1 person dies from a snake bite in 3-5 years.

Among the already shaped, a person should be afraid of only 2 species - the boomslang and the wine snake (gray tree snake). These reptiles live in Africa. Boomslang has a slender body 2 m long and a short head. His coloration is green. The wine snake has a thin and elongated profile, a long tail, and a narrow head. The color of the scales is gray with brown.
The aspid family includes 2 subfamilies: cobras and sea snakes, 61 genera and 347 species. In appearance, they resemble snakes - they have a slender physique, smooth scales, and shields on their heads. The body length varies from 0.4 to 5.5 m. Their body color may be different.

For large woody and terrestrial individuals, gray, sandy, brown, and green are most often characteristic. For small ones - a contrasting combination of variegated colors: red, black, orange, yellow.

Asps live in Australia and Africa. The most dangerous of them are considered to be the reticulated brown snake, Philippine cobra, Indian krait.

Did you know? The most dangerous snake on the planet is McCoy's taipan, which belongs to the aspid family. It can be found throughout Australia. With one bite, he is able to release 44 mg of poison. This dose can lead to the death of 100 people.

Not hazardous to humans

There are many more snakes harmless to humans than dangerous ones. The most famous of them are snakes - reptiles with a body length of up to a meter gray with olive or brown with black. His back is dotted with dark spots, there are light spots on his neck.
These reptiles live throughout Europe, in western Africa and Asia. They usually settle closer to water bodies. May be found in mountainous areas.

Another harmless reptile is the snake. You can meet him in the steppes, semi-deserts, forests, on the banks of rivers in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Far East, and North America. It reaches a length of 2 m. There are 30 of its species.

He can show aggression towards a person, bite him (some species even for no reason), but he does not have poison.

Despite its intimidating appearance, the common copperhead is harmless to people. It grows up to 70 cm in length. It has a powerful body, a flattened head and smooth scales. Upper body brownish with gray or gray with reddish. It has longitudinal dark spots.

Quite often, copperhead is mistaken for a viper. The habitat of this snake is Europe, Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northern Iran, Russia.

You should not be afraid of a person and in a collision with a brittle spindle. It inhabits European countries, Algeria, Asia Minor, Northern Iran, the Caucasus. This is a small snake with a body up to half a meter long, brown or gray with bronze.

Maritime

Sea snakes are allocated to the subfamily of asps. There are 56 species of them on the planet. They have bodies 1.2–1.4 m long and weigh 0.9–1.3 kilograms. Their appearance may be different, depending on the living conditions.

So, there are individuals with small thin heads, which they need to search for food in narrow crevices. However, the structure of all sea snakes differs from land snakes.

They have a laterally flattened tail, a smaller number of abdominal scales, a large right lung, and a special arrangement of the oral mucosa, which allows the reptile to consume oxygen dissolved in water. The colors of marine reptiles are usually bright with a pattern in the form of rings.

Sea snakes feed on fish, which they kill with a highly toxic venom. For humans, these reptiles rarely pose a danger. They do not attack in water. Fishermen who pull them out of tangled nets can suffer from their teeth. But such cases are rare.

The habitat of marine reptiles is the Indian and Pacific oceans, the Red Sea. They mainly inhabit the shores, they can go 50–60 km from the water.

The most dangerous snakes for humans are Dubois, Belcher, Enhydrin, yellow-lipped flattail.

First aid for the bite of poisonous snakes

Herpetologists unanimously claim that snakes never attack first. When meeting people, they try to run away. A reptile can bite when it feels unprotected, if it is disturbed, provoked, it cannot retreat or hide in time. With the help of a bite, a snake protects itself.

If the reptile nevertheless inflicted a bite, then timely first aid, as well as quickly performed medical procedures, increase the person’s chances of surviving, recovering quickly and subsequently not dealing with the negative consequences of the poison.

In the event that poison enters the human blood, it is necessary:

1. Carefully remove the snake from the person's skin and take safety precautions so that it does not bite anyone else.
2. Carefully lay the victim down on the ground or mat. Explain to him that you need to move less.
3. Make an ambulance call.
4. Start sucking out the poison. In the presence of suction or pear. If there are no such devices, they are sucked off by mouth. Hands need to make a fold in the bite area and open the wounds. Grab the bitten place with your teeth and suck out the poison, periodically spitting it out.
5. Immobilize the bitten limb. If available, remove jewelry from it. Fix with a splint or bandage, attaching it to the body or a healthy limb.
6. Disinfect wounds. You can use hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate solution, chlorhexidine, brilliant green. After disinfection, cover the wounds with a sterile dressing.
7. Tie a tight bandage over the bitten area.
8. Apply ice to the bite area.
9. Administer an antihistamine to the victim. Suitable Suprastin, Diphenhydramine, Pipolfen, Loratadin, Levocetirizine, Prednisol, Dexamethasone.
10. While the ambulance is on the way, give the bitten person a drink of warm liquid.
11. In case of loss of consciousness, respiratory arrest, perform an indirect heart massage and artificial respiration.
12. If an anti-snake serum is on hand, it should be injected as soon as the bitten is in the prone position. If the snake belongs to the viper family, then Antigyurza serum is injected intramuscularly (500 IU, 1500-3000 IU, depending on the degree of poisoning). The introduction of the drug is carried out in 3 stages, observing the reaction of the victim's body. If bitten by a reptile from the aspid family, Anticobra is administered.

What species are suitable for keeping at home

So, we examined what types of snakes are and which of them are dangerous to humans. In this section, we will provide a list of those reptiles that can be kept as a pet.

Exotic lovers in the house most often contain:

1. . This is a small snake with beautiful bright body colors. Its advantage is that it is non-aggressive. Allows to be picked up and gets along with the owner.
2. . This pet will require a large terrarium. These pythons are slow. They are interesting to watch.
3. Rainbow boa. This reptile reaches a maximum length of 2 m. Its body is painted in bright colors, and its scales shimmer beautifully in the sun. The nature of these reptiles is usually complex.
4. Imperial constrictor. This reptile reaches a maximum length of 2 m. It is beautiful in appearance. Non-aggressive to humans.
5. - small in size and agile, with a variegated body color.

All of the above species do not pose a danger to humans, because they do not have poisonous glands. However, those who like to tickle their nerves manage to start dangerous snakes in the house.

Important! If you are planning to acquire a snake as a pet, especially a poisonous one, you should understand that this imposes a huge responsibility.

Among them the most popular are:

1. . A massive reptile with a body length of up to 9 m. It is not poisonous, but is able to suffocate a person with its body.
2. Rhombic rattlesnake. It can have a length of up to 2 m. Its poison leads to the death of people.
3. King Cobra- one of the most dangerous snakes on Earth. It can have a body up to 5 m in length. Its venom contains neurotoxins.
4. Common gerarka. A small snake with a body length of up to 1 m. When aggressive, it is capable of releasing poison, which, if prompt assistance is not provided, leads to the death of a person.
5. Blue dubarus. A very handsome looking bastard. Its venom is very toxic, and when it enters the human body, it acts deadly.
6. Black Mamba. Another representative of the snake kingdom, which is ranked among the most dangerous reptiles on the planet. Its distinctive feature is the black mouth, which it shows for intimidation. Its bite is painful and deadly.

The brightest views

In this section, we have selected for you the names and short information about the snakes that are found on the territory of the post-Soviet countries.

Russia

In different parts of Russia, you can meet with water and common snake, common copperhead, yellow-bellied snake. We have already written about these representatives in the subsection “Non-dangerous snakes”.

Rare and very beautiful species - leopard, pallas and four-striped climbing snakes. They are not poisonous. But the danger to humans is represented by common, steppe and Caucasian vipers, gyurza, ordinary muzzle, stone, Ussuri.

Ukraine

Most of the snakes living on the territory of Ukraine are not dangerous. These are yellow-bellied, eastern spindle, Caspian, leopard, Aesculapius, Palasses, common and water snakes.

When staying on the territory of Ukraine, people should be wary of the poisonous bites of the steppe and common vipers, the Nikolsky viper. The latter is easy to recognize among her relatives, since her body is completely painted in black, which gives her a particularly intimidating appearance.

Belarus

But Belarusians are lucky. In the vicinity of their country, only 3 species of snakes are found: the common snake, the common copperhead and the common viper. As you already know, only the last species threatens a person. Copperhead is quite rare and is even listed in the local Red Book.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has a more acceptable hot climate for reptiles. Therefore, there are many more species. These are 2 types of boas, 10 types of snakes, 2 types of snakes, copperfish and an arrow-snake. The latter is named so because of its appearance - its body is very thin, pointed, with a high speed of movement.

Despite the fact that she still has poisonous glands, it is generally accepted that she is not dangerous due to her peaceful nature and lack of aggression towards people.

The threat to human health and life is posed by 4 species: steppe and common viper, Pallas muzzle and gyurza.
Thus, a wide variety of snakes are found throughout the world. The vast majority of them are not dangerous to humans. However, there are also those whose bite can be fatal. When visiting areas where these reptiles live, safety measures should be observed.

If the snake has bitten, the victim must be given first aid and taken to the first-aid post as soon as possible.

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Snakes, scientifically speaking, are a suborder of the class of reptiles of the scaly order. Snakes can be found on all continents of the Earth, except for cold Antarctica.

Among the snakes there are poisonous species, but most snakes are not poisonous. Poisonous snakes use their venom primarily for hunting, and in self-defense, they use it only when absolutely necessary.

Many non-venomous snakes first suffocate their prey (a snake and a boa constrictor, for example), and only swallow the prey whole.

Anaconda

The largest snake in nature is the anaconda.

Again, scientifically speaking, anacondas are a genus of snakes consisting of several species. And the largest snake species is the giant anaconda, the photo of which you see above.

The largest giant anaconda caught weighed 97.5 kg with a length of 5.2 meters. This snake was caught in Venezuela in the wild jungle. Residents of remote villages claim to have seen larger anacondas, but there is no evidence of the existence of larger specimens.

Like the other three anaconda species discussed below, the giant anaconda spends most of its time in the water. Anacondas prefer bodies of water with no current or with a weak current. They are found in lakes, oxbow lakes, quiet rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Anaconda does not move far from water. Basically, anacondas crawl ashore to bask in the sun.

As we wrote earlier, anacondas belong to the subfamily of boas. Now let's talk about boas.

Boa

Boas are mostly large ovoviviparous snakes. The subfamily of boas is mainly known for the genus of common boas. The most typical representative of this genus is the common boa constrictor of the same name. Individuals of this species reach 5.5 meters in length.

Boa constrictors strangle their prey, wrapping rings around it.

Boas of this species can have an unusual color, given that they are very unpretentious in keeping, they are often kept in terrariums.

But in terrariums it is popular to keep another type of boas - dog-headed boas.

Dog-headed boas are beautiful red-orange when young and bright green when mature. The length of this type of boas does not exceed three meters.

Another representative of boas with a bright color is the rainbow boa.

This type of boa constrictor is also popular with those who like to keep snakes at home.

Cobra

Some of the most famous snakes are cobras. Science identifies 16 species of cobras, many of which are quite large.

Cobra has an amazing skill, she can raise her body to a vertical position. If the cobra is large, then in this position it can be on a par with a person.

Cobras are poisonous snakes. Their bite can be very dangerous to humans.

Cobras are heat-loving snakes, they never live in countries where snow falls in winter.

Vipers

Vipers are the inhabitants of our latitudes. Vipers are poisonous snakes, the mention of which causes fear in people.

Vipers can have a very varied coloration. Each subspecies can be very different in appearance from other subspecies, while all subspecies of vipers have a characteristic zigzag on the back.

Vipers are active during the day, they love the sun and spend a lot of time basking in the sun.

If the viper smells a person, she prefers to leave. These are completely non-conflict snakes, and if you do not touch them

Already

One of the most peaceful snakes of our nature is already. This snake is easily recognizable by the yellow spots on its head.

Already.

They are no longer poisonous and there is no reason to be afraid of them. The snakes live on the banks of calm water bodies, such as lakes and swamps, backwaters and oxbow lakes.

Already.

It is worth noting that there is a subspecies of snakes that lives far from water bodies.

Copperheads

Copperheads are small snakes that live on the edges of forests. Copperheads feed mainly on lizards, sometimes insects.

Copperhead.

Although copperheads have poisonous teeth, their size is too small and their mouth is not capable of grabbing a person. Except for the finger. But even in this case, their bite does not pose a serious danger.

Outwardly, the copperhead looks like a small viper. The rhombuses and zigzag patterns on the back of the copperfish are very similar to those of the viper.

Polozy

Snakes are a generalized name for several types of snakes.

In our area, the Caspian snake is known - it is a fairly large snake, it is not poisonous, but very aggressive.

Caspian snake.

It is because of the aggressiveness that they do not like snakes. Although they do not pose a danger to life, and when meeting with them, you can simply go on your way.

On the islands of Japan, you can find island snakes, which are distinguished by an unusual color. This species is a resident of the sea coast.

We will end our story with a description of one of the largest snakes on the planet - a python.

The python can reach a length of four meters, which is about a meter less than the anaconda, but still impressive.

Despite their large size, pythons are very agile and smart predators. Outwardly, they could be attributed to boas, but pythons are a separate genus of snakes.

Pythons are native to Asia and Australia, and can also be found in parts of Africa. Pythons always live near bodies of water, although their life may not be connected with water. There are species of pythons that spend most of their time in the crowns of trees.

cat snakes

Cat snakes are a genus of small snakes that are distant relatives of snakes. The genus consists of 12 species that are distributed in Africa, southern Europe and southwestern Asia.

One species lives in Russia - the Caucasian cat snake. These snakes in Russia can only be found in Dagestan.

The very word "snake" causes awe, and a real encounter with some species does not bode well. Beauty bordering on mortal danger. Gracefulness with seeming drowsiness and slowness. During evolution, they acquired a lot of incredible abilities, which significantly distinguishes them from other living creatures of the earth's fauna. Let's overcome fear, and in our original terrarium the most beautiful snakes of the planet are collected. As in any terrarium, we will make plates of snake species and their names with a photo.

The most beautiful snakes on our planet:

Texas White Snake / Elaphe obsolete lindheimeri

The second name of the snake is the white rat snake, and it lives in the vast territories of North America. Settles in river valleys, wet forests. Can live near cities.

In length, such a snake reaches 1.8 m. The color, as can be seen from the species name, is white, but black and bright orange individuals can be found. It feeds on rodents and is excellent at catching lizards.

They are non-venomous, but have an aggressive disposition. The bite is very painful. Sharp teeth penetrate deep into the body, causing the wound to bleed for a long time. It is required to immediately treat the bite site to avoid infection.

King Cobra / Ophiophagus hannah

The largest poisonous snake belongs to the asp family, and it settled in the countries of Southeast Asia. They prefer to hide in caves and deep burrows, but they can also live on.

The average length reaches 2-4 m, but there are specimens over five meters. So, in the London Zoo there lived a cobra, which grew to 5.71 m. The color is dark brown, but there are also individuals with a greenish-yellow tint. The cobra has a hood that distinguishes it from other snakes.

When meeting with a cobra, experts advise a person to sit at the level of the snake's eyes, breathe evenly and try not to move. She will consider the person harmless and eventually crawl away.

Lizard Snake / Malpolon monspessulanus

A rather large snake, growing up to 1.8 m, is widely settled in the Mediterranean region, Asia Minor and the Middle East. In Russia, it is found in the Caucasus.

Adults are olive brown with a characteristic dark stripe. Young snakes are lighter. They have dark, almost black small spots on the upper surface of the body. The muzzle is slightly rounded.

At the moment of danger, it tries to hide in a hole or under stones, and when there is no such possibility, it behaves aggressively. It inflates the body, hisses loudly and can jump up to one meter to bite.

Sand Epha / Echis carinatus

You can meet a small snake in the countries of Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the USA. It grows no more than 75 cm. In spring and autumn it is nocturnal, and in summer it is active during the day.

On the sides they have a light zigzag strip, and the body itself is all in dark almost diamond-shaped spots. It moves along the sands in a kind of lateral course. First throws the head to the side, and then pulls the body.

In India they are called rana, and in the USA they are called saw-scaled viper. It feeds on rodents, can hunt centipedes and lizards. But, whatever its name, it is a very poisonous reptile.

Rough Tree Viper / Atheris squamigera

The photo shows a poisonous snake from a large family of vipers that lives in Africa. Adults grow no more than 78 cm, and females are much larger than males.

The inhabitants of the African continent have a variety of colors. There are completely yellow, green, blue, there are with a reddish tint. They choose mainly moist forests, hiding among stones and thickets.

A strong poison has a hematological effect. Rarely attacks a person, but two deaths from the bite of a tree viper have been recorded in history.

Garter snake / Thamnophis sirtalis

These small snakes with different colors are also called garden snakes. They feel great both among the plains and high in the mountains.

Settled from Mexico to the northern regions of Canada. They lead a daily lifestyle, and grow no more than 80 cm. Females are slightly larger than males. The only species of couchi gigas can reach a record height of 1.4 m.

It is easy to identify them by the stripes located along the entire body. Some species have up to 8 such longitudinal stripes. They feed on tadpoles, frogs, hunt salamanders and ground lizards. In total, more than 40 subspecies of garden snakes are distinguished in zoology.

Green Mamba / Dendroaspis viridis

In the tropical rainforests you can meet one of the most dangerous snakes in nature. But it's better to bypass it. Fast-acting poison causes tissue necrosis and leads to paralysis.

Mamba has a graceful physique. The body is a bright yellow-green color. There are individuals whose tail is completely yellow. The belly is white or with a light yellowish tint.

Leads a terrestrial and arboreal lifestyle. It hunts during the day, but can crawl out of the shelter at night. This is an agile and fast snake, capable of developing great speed when moving.

Anaconda / Eunectes murinus

Among the dangerous giant scaly inhabitants of the planet, one of the most beautiful is the anaconda. For the first time, Europeans saw this huge creature in 1553.

The main color of the anaconda is grayish-green with two rows of dark spots. There are rows of small yellow spots on the sides. The body is massive, which is why it has practically no enemies in wildlife. Few dare to fight such a giant.

It feeds on mammals, and when settling near a human dwelling, it attacks domestic animals. Many legends are associated with it, on the basis of which works of art are written and films are made.

Horned Viper / Cerastes cerastes

An unusual snake with two growths on its head in the form of horns lives on the Arabian Peninsula and in North Africa. Not found only in Morocco.

The color is sandy-yellow with characteristic spots all over the body. This color is in harmony with the sandy desert, because she manages to hide easily. Hunts small mammals and.

The ancient Egyptians knew about the horned snake. Her image can be found on the walls of the tombs, and the ancient Greeks introduced her name into their alphabet with the letter "phi".

South China Striped Krait / Bungarus multicinctus

The range of a beautiful snake extends to Taiwan, the southern regions of China, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand.

The body is thin with a small head. Krayt is poisonous, and grows no more than 1.5 m. Although individuals up to 1.85 m are found in wildlife. The black body is covered with white transverse stripes. It feeds on rodents, eats insects, lizards.

Lives among stones, sometimes rising to a height of 1,500 m above sea level. The contrasting black and white snake is easy to see, but it's best to avoid this dangerous reptile.

Coral Snake / Micrurus

The multi-colored reptile has a characteristic coloration of red, black, yellow and orange rings. Varieties of colors depend on the species and habitat.

Distributed in North and Latin America, from Uruguay to the southern regions of the United States. They have deadly poison. After a bite, if an antidote is not administered and help is not provided, a person can die within 24 hours.

Handsome asps feed on small rodents, insects, lizards. They can hunt amphibious inhabitants of the forests. In nature, there are several non-poisonous species that have adapted in color to their poisonous counterparts.

Striated King Snake / Lampropeltis triangulum

In our terrarium at topcafe, the algae family is represented by a beautiful snake with white stripes over a bright orange body.

This is a vivid example of mimicry in wildlife, when its color resembles coral asps. They grow no more than 1.5 m, and live in the Western Hemisphere. This species is widely distributed in Canada, Mexico, Uruguay.

One of the most beautiful species is the king milk snake, which lives in Florida and New Jersey. Life expectancy is not more than 10 years. Can live longer in captivity. Feeds on lizards, eats large insects. It crawls out to hunt at dusk, and during the day it prefers to hide in a shelter.

Spectacled Cobra / Naja naja

The dangerous snake is also called the Indian cobra, and adults grow up to two meters in length. It lives on a fairly large territory, from the countries of Asia Minor to the Philippines.

The cobra is colorfully painted. The color can be varied, but the main color is fiery yellow, sometimes with a blue tint. Characteristic drawings on the head and hood. The pattern on the head resembles glasses, which gave the specific name.

It seems slow to its liking, but when necessary it can swim quickly and crawl nimbly along the branches of trees. It is this species that fakirs often use in their circus and street performances. But before that, they are deprived of sharp teeth.

Blue Racer Snake

An unusual scaly reptile with the same unusual name given to it by a human. The species is on the verge of extinction.

It got its name from the characteristic soft blue color of the body, as well as the speed of movement. It has a rather aggressive disposition, and when meeting with a person, it tries to bite. But most of the time he spends in hiding, trying not to catch the eye.

Like most reptiles, it eats insects, lizards, and gladly destroys bird nests.

Corn Snake / Pantherophis guttatus

A red snake with dark rounded spots lives among broad-leaved forests, as well as on rocky slopes. The snake is distributed throughout the American continent.

The color is different, but most often with bright reddish hues. On the abdomen is a characteristic mesh white-black pattern. Can settle in farm fields, in abandoned buildings.

It has a good-natured character, and often ends up in houses as a pet. Caring for such an animal is easy and pleasant. The main thing is to clean the aquarium and feed it in time.

Rainbow Boa / Epicrates cenchria

A beautiful non-venomous snake lives in the jungles of South America. It swims superbly, and therefore settles near water bodies. A particularly large population lives in the Amazon.

The main background of the body is brown with dark annular spots. In the rays of the sun, the scales give off a beautiful metallic sheen. The body is massive, grow in length no more than two meters. In nature, two subspecies are distinguished.

If you look at photos of boas from different habitats, the color is completely different. There are individuals who have spots with a purple overflow on their pale-yellow body. There are also pink spots.

Hieroglyphic python / Python sebae

Pythons are large snakes, and such a handsome man can grow more than six meters. At the same time, its weight reaches 100–120 kg. They live just south of the Sahara in subtropical and tropical forests and savannah.

There is a characteristic dark spot and stripe on the head, and the whole body is covered with bizarre patterns resembling mysterious writing. It leads a nocturnal lifestyle, crawling out to hunt at sunset. They reproduce by laying eggs. In one clutch there can be from 40 to 50 eggs. Very rarely 100.

Among its main enemies, in addition to humans, are the Nile crocodiles and lions. Hyenas and mountain eagles also pose a danger to them.

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Outcome

It is difficult to choose which snake is the most beautiful in the world, because each of our topcafe list has its own charm and originality. But, as the famous Russian writer Nikolai Leskov said, the best snake still remains a snake. But to the question of why the snake is dreaming, any dream book will answer that to any kind of evil. The editors of TopCafe ask you to write in the comments which beautiful snakes do you like more? Perhaps we missed someone by not including them on our list?

Below are some more beautiful photos of snakes of various types:

On this we say goodbye to you! Good luck!