Questions and Answers
What is the definition of a snake?
Any of numerous limbless, scaly, elongated reptiles of the suborder Serpentes, comprising venomous and nonvenomous species.
Match the classification of a snake:
Kingdom = Animalia Phylum = Chordata Class = Reptilia Order = Squamata Suborder = Serpentes
What does the order Squamata include?
Lizards and 95% of all reptiles.
It is believed that snakes evolve from ______.
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What is a male snake called?
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What is a female snake called?
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What are newly born (live birth) snakes called?
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What are newly hatched snakes called?
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What are young snakes called?
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What are some names for a group of snakes?
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What are some differences between snakes and legless lizards?
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What is the heaviest snake?
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What is the Titanoboa?
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Where are sea snakes found?
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Where are terrestrial snakes NOT found?
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How many species of snakes are there?
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How many snake species are venomous?
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How many venomous snakes can kill or seriously wound a human?
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What is the only snake that can live in cold environments?
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How many snake species in the US are venomous?
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What is the only state that doesn't have at least 1 species of a venomous snake?
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How many snake species do we have in CT?
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How many snake species in CT are venomous and what are they?
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What is the definition of ectotherm?
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What are some things that can control an ectotherm's body temperature?
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What is the definition of endotherm?
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How much more will ectotherms eat than an endotherm of the same size?
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What behavioral adaptations do ectotherms have?
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What is hypothermia?
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What is vasoconstriction?
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What is a metabolic process?
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What is a hibernaculum?
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What is hyperthermia?
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What is aestivation?
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What is vasodilation?
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Why do ectotherms require more food when it is warm?
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Overall, ectotherms have (lower/higher) metabolic rates when compared to endotherms.
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Why do ectotherms have lower metabolic rates?
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How long does a snake usually go without eating?
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What internal clocks do snakes follow?
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What does it mean to be nocturnal?
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What does it mean to be crepuscular?
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How do nonvenomous snakes kill prey?
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Do constrictors have teeth?
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What two adaptations allow snakes to open their mouths abnormally wide?
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What is the mobile quadrate bone?
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What is the split lower jaw?
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How should you measure how big of food to give your snake?
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Describe the process of a snake eating its prey.
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How long does it take for a snake to digest food?
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What is scale spreading?
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What does obesity look like in snakes?
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How should snakes feel?
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Do snakes have good hearing?
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What are snake ears like?
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What is the snake's inner ear filled with, and what does this allow the snake to do?
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What allows snakes to 'see' in the dark?
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What is the scale that covers a snake's eye called?
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What are some adaptations of snakes?
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What do snakes use to smell?
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What is a snake's most relied-on sense?
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What allows snakes to collect odor particles?
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What is Jacobson's organ?
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What is integumentary?
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What are scales?
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What is ecdysis?
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Why do snakes shed their skin?
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What allows snakes to shed their skin?
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What does the new skin oil attract?
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What makes up the rattle on a rattlesnake?
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What is the oldest part of the rattle called?
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You can determine a snake's age based on the size/length of the rattle.
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What are some disadvantages of ectotherms?
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What are some advantages of ectotherms?
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Study Notes
Snake Definition and Classification
- Snakes are limbless, scaly reptiles from the suborder Serpentes, which includes venomous and nonvenomous species.
- Classification hierarchy: Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Chordata, Class Reptilia, Order Squamata, Suborder Serpentes.
- The order Squamata includes lizards and 95% of all reptiles.
Reproductive Terms and Young Snakes
- Male snakes are referred to simply as "male" while females are "female."
- Newly born snakes are called "neolates," while newly hatched snakes are known as "hatchlings."
- Young snakes are termed "snakelets."
Group Terminology
- A group of snakes can be called a den, bed, pit, or nest.
Snake Adaptations and Characteristics
- Snakes differ from legless lizards: snakes have complete belly scales, forked tongues, and ears inside the body; legless lizards have divided belly scales, no forked tongues, and external ears.
- The Green Anaconda is the heaviest snake, growing over 29 feet, weighing over 550 lbs, and measuring 12 inches in diameter.
- Titanoboa, an extinct species, could reach lengths of 40-43 feet.
Habitat and Distribution
- Sea snakes inhabit the Indian and Pacific Oceans and waters around Florida.
- Terrestrial snakes are absent from Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, and New Zealand.
- There are approximately 3,600 snake species worldwide, with 600 being venomous.
Venomous Snakes
- 200 venomous species can kill or seriously injure humans.
- 20 venomous snake species are found in the United States, with Alaska being the only state without a venomous species.
- Connecticut has 14 snake species, including two venomous: Timber rattlesnake and Copperhead.
Ectothermic Characteristics
- Ectotherms rely on external environmental conditions for body temperature regulation, making them "cold-blooded."
- They utilize sunlight, water, air, and heat lamps for temperature control.
- Ectotherms require five times more food than endotherms of the same size due to their lower metabolic rate.
Behavioral and Physiological Adaptations
- Ectothermic adaptations include movement to shelters, basking, and hibernaculum—a rare gathering of snakes.
- Hypothermia occurs when body temperature drops too low, while hyperthermia results from overheating.
- Vasoconstriction occurs to retain body heat, while vasodilation helps cool the body by increasing blood flow to the skin.
Feeding and Digestion
- Snakes can go 1-2 weeks without food, with some surviving up to six months.
- Snakes primarily follow nocturnal (active at night) or crepuscular (active at dawn/dusk) patterns.
- Nonvenomous snakes kill prey by swallowing them alive or constricting them.
Sensory Adaptations
- Snakes have poor hearing, relying on internal ear structures to detect motion and vibrations.
- Pit organs enable snakes to sense heat from warm bodies, enhancing their hunting ability in the dark.
- Jacobson's organ decodes odor particles, allowing snakes to smell using their moist tongues.
Skin and Shedding
- Snakes have keratin-filled scales that prevent water loss, with all scales present at birth.
- Ecdysis refers to the shedding of skin, which occurs as snakes grow, facilitated by oil production.
- The rattle of a rattlesnake is made of hollow, interlocked segments, with the oldest part called the birth button.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ectothermy
- Ectotherms benefit from having lower metabolic rates and conserving energy as they do not need to regulate body temperature actively.
- Disadvantages include risks of hypothermia, hyperthermia, and dependence on the environment for temperature control.
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Test your knowledge about snakes with these flashcards. Explore definitions, classifications, and their relation to other reptiles. Perfect for anyone interested in herpetology or general biology.