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- Venomous Snakes (8)
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Venomous snake
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A venomous snake is a snake that uses modified saliva, venom, usually delivered through highly specialized teeth such as hollow fangs, for the purpose of prey immobilization and self-defense. In contrast, non-venomous species either constrict their prey, or simply overpower it with their jaws. Venomous snakes include several families of snakes and do not form a single taxonomic group.
Venomous snakes are often said to be poisonous, although this is not the correct term, as venoms and poisons are different. Poisons can be absorbed by the body, such as through the skin or digestive system, while venoms must first be introduced directly into tissues or the blood stream through mechanical means. It is, for example, therefore harmless to drink snake venom as long as their are no lacerations inside the mouth or digestive tract.[1]
Many other snakes, such as boas and pythons may not be not venomous, but their bites should be attended to medically. Their teeth may be long and sharp, capable of inflicting lacerations, with bites often introducing mouth bacteria and shed teeth into the wound.
Over 600 species are known to be venomous -- about a quarter of all snake species. The following groups of snakes can be aggressive and inflict dangerous, even potentially lethal bites:
| Family | Description |
|---|---|
| Atractaspididae (atractaspidids) | Burrowing asps, mole vipers, stilleto snakes. |
| Colubridae (colubrids) | Most are harmless, but others have toxic saliva and at least five species, including the boomslang (Dispholidus typus), have caused human fatalities. |
| Elapidae (elapids) | Cobras, coral snakes, kraits, mambas, sea snakes, sea kraits and Australian elapids. |
| Viperidae (viperids) | True vipers and pit vipers, including rattlesnakes. |
- ^ Klauber LM. 1997. Rattlesnakes: Their Habitats, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind. Second Edition. First published in 1956, 1972. University of California Press, Berkeley. ISBN 0-520-21056-5.