A thin snake with orange stripes is called. Black viper: differences, features and habitat. Snake - description, characteristics, structure. What does a snake look like

12.03.2020

Poisonous snakes from the viper family have perfectly adapted to existence in any climatic conditions and landscapes. Vipers live in Europe, Russia, Asia, Africa, North and South America. Vipers do not live only in Australia, New Zealand and other islands of Oceania.

Basically, vipers lead a sedentary lifestyle, occasionally making forced migrations to winter habitats, which make up several kilometers on the way. Vipers spend most of the summer basking in the sun or hiding in the heat under stones, uprooted tree roots and in rock crevices.

Where and how do viper snakes hibernate?

Wintering of vipers begins in October-November. For winter “apartments”, various burrows are selected that go into the ground to a depth of 2 m, where the positive air temperature is maintained. With a high population density, several hundred individuals often accumulate in one hole. The duration of wintering depends on the area: northern species of vipers hibernate up to 9 months a year, inhabitants of temperate latitudes crawl out to the surface in March-April and immediately begin to breed.

Viper venom - snake bite consequences and symptoms

Viper venom is considered potentially dangerous to humans, and the bite of some representatives of the viper family can be fatal and lead to death.

However, viper venom has found its use, because it is a valuable raw material for the manufacture of medicines and even cosmetics. The poison is a cocktail of proteins, lipids, peptides, amino acids, sugar and salt of inorganic origin. Preparations derived from viper venom are used as an analgesic for neuralgia and rheumatism, for hypertension and skin diseases, to relieve asthma attacks, for inflammatory processes and bleeding.

Viper venom enters the human or animal body through the lymph nodes and instantly enters the bloodstream. The consequences of a viper bite are manifested by burning pain, redness and swelling form around the wound, which disappear after 2-3 days without any serious consequences. In case of severe intoxication of the body, 15-20 minutes after the bite of a viper, the following symptoms appear: the bitten one feels dizzy, nausea, chills, heart palpitations. With an increased concentration of toxic substances, fainting, convulsions and coma occur.

Viper bite - first aid

What to do if bitten by a viper:

First of all, immediately after a viper bite, be sure to provide the bitten organ (usually limbs) with peace by fixing it with a kind of splint or, for example, simply tying your hand in a bent position with a handkerchief. Limit any active movement to avoid the rapid spread of viper venom throughout the body.
A viper's bite is dangerous and can be fatal to humans, so in any case, regardless of the severity of the victim's condition, you should call an ambulance!
Pressing with your fingers at the bite site, try to slightly open the wound and suck out the poison. You can do this with your mouth, periodically spitting saliva, but the method is only valid if there are no damages on the oral mucosa in the form of cracks, scratches or sores. You can try to reduce the concentration of poison in the wound with an ordinary glass cup, using it according to the principle of setting medical jars. Suction of the poison is carried out continuously, for 15-20 minutes.
Then the viper bite site should be disinfected with any improvised means: cologne, vodka, alcohol, iodine, and apply a clean, slightly pressure bandage.
If possible, it is advisable to take an antihistamine tablet to reduce the allergic reaction to viper venom.
Take as much liquid as possible - weak tea, water, but give up coffee: this drink increases blood pressure and increases excitability.
In case of a serious lesion, artificial respiration and prolonged heart massage are performed as first aid after a viper bite.

Sometimes vipers are confused with representatives of the already-shaped family - snakes and copperheads, which often leads to the killing of innocent animals. A poisonous snake can be distinguished from a harmless one by a number of signs.

How is it different from a viper? Similarities and differences between snakes

Already - this is a non-venomous snake, the viper is poisonous and deadly to humans. The similarity between the snake and the viper is obvious: both snakes can have a similar color and meet a person in a forest, in a meadow, or near a pond. And yet these reptiles have certain signs by which they can be distinguished:

The appearance of the snake and the black viper is different, despite the same skin color. The common snake has 2 yellow or orange spots on its head, similar to miniature ears, while the viper does not have such marks.

It is not worth focusing solely on the color of snakes, since both snakes and vipers can be similar in color. For example, the color of a water snake can be olive, brown or black, with various spots. In addition, the black water snake does not have yellow markings on its head, which can easily be confused with a viper. The color of the viper can also be olive, black or brown, with a variety of spots scattered over the body.

And yet, if you look closely at the spots, you can see the following difference between snakes: snakes have spots on their bodies in a checkerboard pattern, many types of vipers have a zigzag strip on their backs that runs along the entire body, and there are also spots on the sides of the body.

Another difference between the snake and the viper is that the pupil of the viper is vertical, in snakes it is round.

The viper's mouth contains sharp teeth that are clearly visible when the snake opens its mouth. The snakes have no teeth.

Longer than a viper. The body length of the snake is usually 1-1.3 meters. The length of the viper usually varies between 60-75 cm, although there are species that reach 3-4 meters (bushmaster). In addition, vipers look much more well-fed.
The tail of the viper is shortened and thick, while that of snakes is thinner and longer. In addition, in vipers, the transition from the body to the tail is clearly pronounced.
Vipers differ from snakes in the triangular shape of the skull with clearly marked superciliary ridges, in snakes the skull is oval-ovoid.

The anal shield of the viper is one-piece, while that of the snake consists of 2 scales.
When meeting people, the snakes try to retreat and hide, the viper is likely to show complete indifference or aggression if you step on this poisonous snake or just touch it.
Snakes love damp habitats, so they can often be found near bodies of water where they swim and catch frogs. Vipers feed mainly, so they choose other habitats: forests, steppes, thick grass.

The viper is a venomous snake, the copperhead is not poisonous.
Many vipers have a dark-colored zigzag stripe running along their backs, while copperheads have a "scattered" pattern of specks or dark spots on their backs. But there are also black vipers that do not have stripes.

The head of the viper has a triangular shape with pronounced arcs above the eyes. Copperheads have a narrow, elongated head.
In the mouth of the viper there are teeth with which the snake bites its prey. Copperheads have no teeth.
The pupil of the copperfish is round, while that of the viper is vertically slit-like.

The anal shield of the copperfish consists of a pair of scales, but in the viper it is solid.
Noticing a person, the copperhead will hasten to hide in a shelter, the viper will either not pay attention to the person, or will start an offensive.

There are teeth in the mouth of the viper and the snake, but the bite of a poisonous viper is dangerous and can be fatal, and the bite of the snake, although it causes pain, does not carry a mortal danger, since the snake does not have poisonous glands.
In the viper, the head and body are separated by a shortened bridge imitating the neck; in the snake, there is no cervical interception.
The back of most vipers is either monophonic, black, or has a dark stripe that runs in a zigzag along the entire back. The color of the snake can be monophonic, with transverse dark spots on the back or in a mesh.

The snake has a distinctive pattern on the top of the skull - a dark stripe between the eyes, the viper does not have such decoration.
The viper is much shorter and looks fatter than the snake. The snakes can grow up to 1.5 meters in length, and the standard size of vipers is 60-70 cm. Only the largest vipers have a body length of up to 2 meters.

Types of vipers - photo and description

The modern classification distinguishes 4 subfamilies of vipers:

pit viper, they are also rattlesnakes or rattlesnakes (Crotalinae): they are distinguished by the presence of 2 infrared pits, which are located in the depression between the eyes and nostrils;
toad vipers(Causinae): belong to the oviparous type of snakes, which is rare among all members of the family;
vipers(Viperinae) - the most numerous subfamily, whose representatives live even in the conditions of the Arctic (common viper);
azemiopinae- a subfamily represented by a single genus and species - the Burmese fairy viper.

To date, 292 species of vipers are known to science. Below are several varieties of these snakes:

common viper ( Vipera berus)

a relatively small representative of the family: the body length is usually in the range of 60-70 cm, however, in the northern part of the range there are individuals over 90 cm long. The weight of the viper varies from 50 to 180 grams, with females slightly larger than males. The head is large, slightly flattened, the muzzle is rounded. The color is quite variable and multifaceted: the color of the main background of the back is black, light gray, yellow-brown, reddish-brown, bright copper. Most specimens have a pronounced pattern in the form of a zigzag strip along the back. The belly of the viper is gray, brown-gray or black, sometimes supplemented with whitish spots. The tip of the tail is often colored bright yellow, reddish or orange. This type of viper has a fairly wide habitat. The common viper lives in the forest belt of Eurasia - it is found from the territories of Great Britain and France to the western regions of Italy and the east of Korea. Feels cozy in hot Greece, Turkey and Albania, while penetrating the Arctic Circle - found in Lapland and in countries on the coast of the Barents Sea. On the territory of Russia, the common viper lives in Siberia, Transbaikalia and the Far East.

nosed viper(Vipera ammodytes)

differs from other species by a soft, sharp, scaly outgrowth at the tip of the muzzle, resembling a snub nose. The length of the viper is 60-70 cm (sometimes 90 cm). The color of the body is gray, sand or red-brown (depending on the species), a zigzag dark stripe or a series of diamond-shaped stripes runs along the back. The nosed viper lives on rocky landscapes from Italy, Serbia and Croatia to Turkey, Syria and Georgia.

Steppe viper (western steppe viper) ( Vipera ursinii )

a poisonous snake that lives in the plains and mountain steppes, in alpine meadows, in ravines and semi-deserts. Steppe vipers are found in the countries of southern and southeastern Europe (in France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Albania), in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia (in the Caucasus, in the southern part of Siberia, the Rostov region, Altai). The length of the viper with a tail reaches 64 cm, females are larger than males. The color of the snake is brown-gray, a dark brown or black zigzag stripe runs along the ridge. Dark spots are scattered on the sides of the body.

Horned keffiyeh(Trimeresurus cornutus, Protobothrops cornutus)

stands out among relatives with small horns located above the eyes. The body of a viper up to 60-80 cm long is painted in a cream-green color and dotted with dark brown spots. The snake spends almost all its life on trees and shrubs, descending to the ground only for mating. The horned keffiyeh is a typical inhabitant of the south and southeast of Asia, lives in China, India and Indonesia.

Burmese Fairy Viper, or Chinese viper(Azemiops feae)

an oviparous species, a rarity among vipers. It got its name not thanks to a fairy-tale character, but in honor of the zoologist Leonardo Fea. The length of the viper is about 80 cm. On the head of the snake grow large shields, like those of snakes. The top of the body is greenish-brown, the bottom is cream, the head is most often yellow, yellow stripes run along the sides. It is found in Central Asia in the southeast of Tibet, in Burma, China and Vietnam.

Noisy viper(Bitis arietans)

one of the most beautiful and most dangerous species of African vipers. The bite of a noisy viper in 4 out of 5 cases is fatal. The snake got its name from the indignant hissing emitted in case of danger. The body of the viper is disproportionately thick with a girth of up to 40 cm and a length of about 2 m. The color of the viper can be golden yellow, dark beige or red-brown. Along the body there is a pattern consisting of 2 dozen brown marks in the shape of the Latin letter U. The noisy viper lives throughout Africa (with the exception of the equator), as well as in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

(Bitis nasicornis)

it is distinguished by a special decoration on the muzzle, consisting of 2-3 vertically protruding scales. The body is thick, can reach a length of 1.2 m, and is covered with a beautiful pattern. Blue trapezoid patterns with a yellow border, connected by black diamonds, run along the back. The sides are covered with black triangles, alternating with olive-colored rhombuses with a red border. The head of a viper with bright blue “cheeks” is covered with black arrows with a yellow border. Prefers to settle in the wet, swampy forests of Equatorial Africa.

Kaisaka, or labaria (Bothrops atrox)

the largest viper of the spearhead genus, growing up to 2.5 m in length. A distinctive feature of the kaisaki is the lemon-yellow color of the chin, which is why the snake was nicknamed the “yellow beard”. The slender body is covered with gray or brown skin with a diamond-shaped pattern on the back. Kaisaka lives throughout Central America, in Argentina and the coastal islands of South America.

Rhombic rattlesnake(Crotalus adamanteus)

record holder among rattlesnakes in terms of the number of "milks" of poison (660 mg from one snake). A large viper can grow over 2 m in length and weigh over 15 kg. Along the back, painted in brown tones, runs a series of 24-35 black diamonds with a brilliant sheen with a light yellow border. This viper lives only in the USA: from Florida to New Orleans.

Gyurza, or levant viper(Macrovipera lebetina)

the most dangerous and poisonous viper, whose poison is second only to poison in toxicity. Belongs to the egg-laying type of snakes. The length of the body of an adult gyurza can reach 2 meters, the weight of the viper is 3 kg. The body coloration is gray-brown, with dark spots, subject to variability within the range. Some individuals are distinguished by a black body with a purple tint. The viper is widespread in dry foothill areas, as well as on the outskirts of large cities in North-West Africa, Asia, Transcaucasia, Dagestan and Kazakhstan.

African pygmy viper ( Bitis peringueyi)

the smallest viper in the world, the body length of an adult does not exceed 20-25 cm. Due to its modest body size, it is a relatively safe viper species that lives in the deserts of Namibia and Angola.

bushmaster or surukuku ( Lachesis muta)

the largest viper in the world, a rare species, reaching a length of 3-4 meters with a body weight of 3 to 5 kg. Inhabits tropical rainforests of South and Central America.

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 amounts 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.

Already - this is a snake that belongs to the class of reptiles, the scaly order, the suborder of snakes, the already-shaped family (lat. Colubridae).

The Russian name "already" may have come from the Old Slavonic "uzh" - "rope". At the same time, the Proto-Slavic word presumably comes from the Lithuanian angìs, which means "snake, snake." According to information from etymological dictionaries, these words may be related to the Latin word angustus, which translates as "narrow, cramped."

Types of snakes, photos and names

Below is a brief description of several varieties of snakes.

ordinary snake (Natrix natrix )

It has a length of up to 1.5 meters, but on average the size of the snake does not exceed 1 meter. The snake's habitat passes through Russia, North Africa, Asia and Europe, except for the northern regions. In southern Asia, the range border includes Palestine and Iran. A characteristic distinguishing feature of the common snake is the presence of two bright, symmetrical spots on the back of the head, on the border with the neck. Spots with a black border are yellow, orange or off-white. Occasionally there are individuals with mild spots or no spots, that is, completely black common snakes. There are also albinos. The back of the snake is light gray, dark gray, sometimes almost black. Dark spots may be present on a gray background. The abdomen is light and has a long dark stripe that extends all the way to the snake's throat. Most often, the common snake is found along the banks of lakes, ponds, quiet rivers, in coastal shrubs and oak forests, in floodplain meadows, in old overgrown clearings, in beaver settlements, on old dams, under bridges and in other similar places. In addition, ordinary snakes settle next to human habitation. They make a home in the roots and hollows of trees, in haystacks, in burrows, in other secluded places, in gardens and orchards. They can settle down in basements, cellars, barns, woodpiles, in heaps of stones or garbage. In poultry farms, snakes like moist and warm bedding, and they get along well with poultry. They can even lay their eggs in abandoned nests. But next to large domestic animals that can trample them, snakes almost do not settle.

Water already (Natrix tessellata )

In many ways it is similar to its close relative, the common snake, but there are differences. It is more thermophilic and is distributed in the southern regions of the habitat of the snake genus - from the south-west of France to Central Asia. Also, water snakes live in the south of the European part of Russia and Ukraine (especially in the mouths of rivers flowing into the Caspian and Black Seas), in Transcaucasia (very numerous on the islands of the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan), in Kazakhstan, in the Central Asian Republics, up to India, Palestine and North Africa in the south and to China in the east. Outside water bodies, snakes are extremely rare. Water snakes live on the coast of not only fresh water bodies, but also the seas. They swim well, can cope with the strong flow of mountain rivers, and stay under water for a long time. The water already has a color of olive, olive green, olive gray or olive brown in color with dark, almost staggered spots and stripes. By the way, Natrix tessellata literally translates from Latin as "chess snake". The belly of the snake is yellowish-orange or reddish, covered with dark spots. There are also individuals that do not have a pattern or completely black water snakes. Unlike an ordinary snake, there are no “signal” yellow-orange spots on the head of the water snake, but often there is a dark spot in the shape of the Latin letter V on the back of the head. The length of the water snake is on average 1 meter, but the largest individuals reach 1.6 meters. With the onset of morning, water snakes crawl out of their shelters and settle under the bushes or, literally, “hang out” on their crowns, and when the sun begins to bake, they go into the water. They hunt in the morning and evening. During the day they bask in the sun on stones, reeds, in the nests of water birds. Water is already non-aggressive and safe for humans. He is not able to bite at all, since instead of teeth he has plates to hold slippery prey. But because of its color, it is confused with a viper and is ruthlessly destroyed.

Colchis, or big-headed (Natrix megalocephala )

It lives in Russia in the south of the Krasnodar Territory, in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia. Already lives in chestnut, hornbeam, beech forests, in thickets of laurel cherry, azaleas, alder, where there are glades and ponds, on tea plantations, near streams. Colchis snakes can be found high in the mountains. They are adapted to life in swift mountain streams. This snake differs from the common snake in its broad head with a concave upper surface and the absence of light spots on the back of the head in adults. The body of the big-headed snake is massive, from 1 to 1.3 m in length. The top of the body is black, the head is white below, the abdomen with a black and white pattern. In spring and autumn, Colchis is already active in the daytime, and in summer - in the morning and at dusk. The snakes living in the mountains are active in the mornings and evenings. Colchis is no longer dangerous to humans. He escapes from enemies by diving into the water, even despite the rapid flow of the river. The number of large-headed snakes is small and has recently been declining. This is due to uncontrolled capture, with a decrease in the population of amphibians due to the development of river valleys, and with the destruction of snakes by raccoons. Conservation measures are required to preserve this species.

viper already (Natrix maura )

Distributed in the countries of the Western and Southern Mediterranean, not found in Russia. Snakes live near ponds, lakes, calm rivers, swamps. The snakes of this species got their name because of a color similar to that of a viper: a black-brown pattern in the form of a zigzag strip with large eye spots on the sides of it stands out on a dark gray back. True, in some individuals the color is similar to water snakes, and there are also individuals with a plain gray or olive color. The abdomen is already yellowish, closer to the tail in reddish and black spots. The average length of the reptile is 55-60 cm, large individuals reach 1 meter. Females are larger and heavier than males.

Brindle already (Rhabdophis tigrinus )

Lives in Russia in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, distributed in Japan, Korea, Northeast and East China. Settles near water bodies, among moisture-loving vegetation. But it is also found in mixed forests, far from water bodies, in treeless spaces and on the seashore. Tiger snake is one of the most beautiful snakes in the world, the length of which can reach 1.1 meters. The back of the snake can be dark olive, dark green, blue, light brown, black. Juveniles are usually dark grey. The dorsal and lateral dark spots give the snake its striping. Adult snakes have characteristic red-orange, red and brick red spots between dark stripes in the front of the body. The upper lip is already yellow. The snake defends itself from predators by releasing the poisonous secretion of their special neck glands. The brindle is already capable, like, to lift and inflate its neck. When people are bitten by enlarged back teeth and poisonous saliva enters the wound, symptoms are observed, as with a viper bite.

Taken from: www.snakesoftaiwan.com

Shiny tree snake (Dendrelaphis pictus)

Distributed in Southeast Asia. Found near human settlements, in fields and forests. It lives on trees and bushes. It has a brown or bronze color, a light stripe bordered by black stripes is located on the sides. There is a black "mask" on the muzzle. It is a non-venomous snake with a long, thin tail that makes up a third of its body.

Angler Schneider(Xenotrophis piscator )

It lives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, some islands of Indonesia, western Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Taiwan. Lives in small rivers and lakes, in ditches, in rice fields. The color of the snake is olive green or olive brown with light or dark spots that form a checkerboard pattern. The abdomen is light. The length is 1.2 m. The head of the snake is slightly expanded, has a conical shape. Non-poisonous fishermen are aggressive and fast. They hunt mainly during the day, but often at night.

Eastern earthen already(Virginia valeriae )

Distributed in the eastern United States: from Iowa and Texas to New Jersey and Florida. It differs from other species in its smooth scales. A small snake, the length of which does not exceed 25 cm. The color of the snake is brown, tiny black spots can be observed on the back and sides, the abdomen is light. Ground snakes lead a burrowing lifestyle, live in loose soil, under rotten logs and in leaf litter.

Shrub green(Philothamnus semivariegatus )

A non-venomous snake that is found throughout most of Africa, excluding arid regions and the Sahara Desert. Green snakes live in dense vegetation: on trees, in shrubs growing along rocks and riverbeds. The body of reptiles is long, with a thin tail and a slightly flattened head. The body of the snake is bright green with dark spots, the head is bluish. Scales with pronounced keels. Active during the day. It is not dangerous for a person. It feeds on lizards and tree frogs.

Japanese already ( Hebius vibakari)

One of the species of snakes found on the territory of Russia, namely in the Far East: in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, as well as the Amur Region. Distributed in Japan, East China and Korea. Inhabits forests in these regions, thickets of bushes, meadows in the forest zone, abandoned gardens. The length of the snake is up to 50 cm. The color is monochromatic: dark brown, brown, chocolate, brown-red with a greenish tinge. The abdomen is light, yellowish or greenish. Small snakes are light brown or more often black. The non-poisonous Japanese already leads a secretive life, hiding under the ground, stones and trees. It feeds mainly on earthworms.

Snakes evoke conflicting emotions in different people. Some are terrified and freeze with fear at the sight of any snake, others admire their grace and perfection and seek to take a closer look. What to expect if you suddenly meet a yellow snake on your way? Are they poisonous and aggressive? Acquaintance with information about the most common types of yellow snakes will help answer these questions.

Popular and harmless

If on your way you met a yellow snake, or rather, a reptile with characteristic marks of this color on its head, then most likely, in front of you Snakes of this species are the most common, they can be found in any corner of our planet. Variations in their color and size may differ slightly, but in general, the snake can be easily determined by knowing its main external characteristics:

The snakes have a uniform back color. from dark green to greenish gray.
The head is not too wide, it smoothly passes from the body, without noticeable expansion.
Already - this is a snake with yellow spots on its head, which are placed on its sides. A little less often they can be white or beige.
The size of ordinary snakes varies from 50 to 80 centimeters in length, the diameter does not exceed 5 centimeters.

The named reptile chooses a humid climate with a lot of stones, stumps or branches for the opportunity to hide. Therefore, the greatest probability of meeting these snakes is on the shores of reservoirs, forest lakes. Also, these snakes are excellent swimmers, so if you encounter a snake while swimming in a pond, you should not panic, most likely it is already. He is not aggressive, he can bite a person only for the purpose of self-defense, and his bite is absolutely harmless and shallow.

Yellow belly and slim body

Going to travel to the steppe area with a dry climate, as well as to the mountains, you need to know the features of such a snake as These snakes reach very large sizes, on average 2 meters in length. At the same time, the diameter of their body is small, no more than 7 centimeters, thanks to this effect, the snake always remains a “slim” snake.

The snake is a yellow snake, which has a very aggressive disposition. If she senses danger at the sight of a person, she can deliver a warning strike and attack first. She moves extremely quickly, sharply and actively. In the rush of an attack, it can even jump to a fairly large height in order to bite the victim in an unprotected place.

It is not difficult to distinguish the snake: in addition to the characteristically slender body, it is distinguished by the color that caused the name. The back of the snake can be gray-green or dark olive in color, but the belly is always in yellow shades.

Having met a yellow-bellied snake on its way, one should not make sudden movements and gradually move away from the snake so as not to provoke an attack of its aggression.

Conditionally poisonous beauty

Now most of our compatriots prefer to spend their holidays in warm tropical regions. On the territory of such popular countries for holidaymakers as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines, there is a snake with a yellow head - a mangrove.

Snakes of this species belong to the family of snakes, but have a number of significant differences from the harmless snakes we know.

The mangrove snake is quite large: it can reach two and a half meters in length and 6 - 8 centimeters in diameter. Her head, like that of a snake, does not stand out too much against the background of the body. The color of the back is dark green, almost black, but the lower part of the head is painted bright yellow. Yellow stripes run along the entire abdomen, gradually decreasing towards the tail.

The mangrove snake is considered conditionally poisonous. This means that her bite can have a toxic effect on humans, expressed in fever, swelling, pain, but does not pose a mortal danger. This type of snake is not aggressive, but is quite capable of biting in defense. In the daytime, mangrove snakes rest on tree branches, where they crawl with ease. Therefore, when traveling through the rainforests, you need to be extremely careful.

yellow and black danger

The most dangerous to humans is the yellow snake called the krait. She lives in India, Thailand, in the south of Asia. You can distinguish a krait snake by the following features:

small size - an average of one and a half meters in length;
bright color of yellow and;
laterally compressed body, in cross section resembling a triangle;
a distinctly prominent head, which is slightly wider than the body.

It leads a nocturnal lifestyle - at this time it is very active and quite aggressive. During the day, the snake rests and does not show signs of hostility, even if a person approaches a short distance.

The bite of such a beauty almost always leads to death, even the serum administered on time does not greatly increase the chances of survival. Despite the calm behavior of this snake in the daytime, having met it, you should not take risks and try to take a closer look. It is best to move away without making sudden movements. And in the evening, you should be extremely careful and carefully inspect the place for a walk and overnight for snakes.

Snakes can evoke different emotions: you can love them, or you can be afraid. But in any case, you need to know the main signs of poisonous and dangerous reptiles in order to behave correctly in case of a chance encounter.

These creatures are found on almost all continents and have a bad reputation for most people. The dislike for snakes is based primarily on their lethality - the presence of deadly poison allows them to kill even the largest animals. However, it is worth remembering that poisonous snakes make up only a quarter of all known species.
Below is a rating of the most beautiful representatives of the suborder of snakes.

This is one of the very common snakes found throughout North Africa (excluding Morocco) and the Arabian Peninsula.
Up to 70 cm long, brownish-yellow in color, with more or less clear transverse spots of dark brown color, the whole color of the snake is extremely in harmony with the color of the sandy desert. Number of scales in each belt 29-33; the anal shield is inseparable, and the caudal ones are divided into two.

10 Horned Viper

Slender and muscular snake, very fast. The scales are smooth and come in a wide range of colors, including black, blue, grey, greenish, olive and brown. However, individuals of the same range usually have a similar coloration. The throat and chin are white. The variety of colors makes this snake difficult to identify.
Distributed in North and Central America, from Canada to Guatemala, except for the western United States. Lives in open areas, such as fields, lake shores and steppes. Active during the day. It feeds on reptiles, birds and small mammals. Oviparous, clutch 10-20 or more eggs.

9. Black snake

The subspecies is distributed from Southeast Louisiana to south Texas. Inhabits mainly oak forests, found in large cities such as Dallas and Houston. The main color tone varies from brown to orange or yellowish, the skin between the scales is reddish. A row of large angular spots of dark brown color runs along the back, the same rows on the sides, but the spots are smaller. The head is one-colored, dark gray with white edging of the lips. Underparts are white, with indistinct gray markings on the ventral scutes. Juveniles have a row of dark brown, transversely elongated spots on a gray background.

8. Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri snake

The narrow-headed mamba is found in rainforests in eastern South Africa: in Natal, Mozambique, Eastern Zambia, Tanzania. The average length is 180 cm, but sometimes snakes grow up to 250 cm. Adults of this species are usually emerald green in color.
It is active mainly during the daytime, but these snakes can be active at night if conditions are favorable. Its prey in natural conditions are birds, lizards and small mammals. Very closely related species are the western green mamba and the black mamba.

7. Narrow-headed mamba

Reaches a length of up to 1.3 meters. The coloring is a vivid example of mimicry - very similar to poisonous coral asps.
It feeds on small lizards, various amphibians and large insects. Life expectancy is about 10 years.

6. Striated king snake

5 Rainbow Boa

In length, the rainbow boa reaches up to 2 m, but usually 150-170 cm. The main color background is from brown to reddish and fawn with large light spots surrounded by dark rings along the back. On the sides there are dark spots of a smaller size with a light crescent stripe above. On the sides near the belly there are a number of even smaller dark spots. In the rays of the sun, scales with an unusually strong metallic sheen shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow, especially when the snake moves. Newborn boas are also spotted.

Large and massive snake. Body length can reach from 1.5 to 4 m or more (depending on gender (females are usually larger than males) and lifestyle).
The coloration is changeable. On the body, on a light yellowish-brown or yellowish-olive background, large dark brown spots of various shapes are scattered, forming a complex pattern. A dark stripe runs through the eye, starting from the nostrils and turning into spots on the neck. Another strip goes down from the eye and runs along the upper labials. There is a dark arrow-shaped spot on the top of the head.

4. Tiger python

Dog-headed boas reach a length of 2 to 3 m. The color is bright green with white spots on the back, sometimes connected by a thin white line running along the ridge. The color of the belly varies from off-white to light yellow. Young boas are red-orange, occasionally green. A very tenacious tail allows the snake not only to move deftly and quickly among the branches, but also to rest on a thin branch, having strengthened its tail, hanging two half-rings of the body on each side of the branch and putting its head on top. When kept in captivity, the dog-headed boa usually spends the whole day quietly, resting on the branches, and takes food after dusk.

3. Dog-headed boa

Lives in wet areas. Leads a secretive, nocturnal lifestyle. It feeds on salamanders, lizards and frogs, as well as earthworms and snakes of other species. For protection, it uses its resemblance to coral asps.

2. Point collared snake

The total length varies from 25 to 38 cm, the subspecies D. punctatus regalis has a length of 38 to 46 cm. Females are larger than males. The head is small. The body is graceful, slender. Coloration varies from light gray to black, and there is almost always a bright yellow or orange stripe behind the head. The belly is orange, and the tail is red below. In an excited state, the snake raises its tail folded into a ring, showing a bright color.

The total length reaches 2 m. It has a strongly elongated, thin and laterally compressed body, an elongated and pointed head. The body diameter is only 1.5-2 centimeters. The back is painted in a bright light green color. They can be gray, yellow, flesh or cream in color, with white and black lines on the back and sides, forming oblique lines. The belly is light with white or yellow edges of the ventral scutes. The eyes are large with a horizontal pupil.