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This snake will feign death by becoming totally limp in order to defend itself.

Reptiles and Amphibians - Snakes of the World

Snakes are found in deserts, forests and oceans. Learn how they hunt, sense the world, and survive without legs, then test your knowledge in the quiz below.

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Fascinating Fact

Many snakes rely on camouflage, patterns such as bands, blotches, or stripes can help them blend into leaf litter, sand, or grass.

In this Specialist Nature quiz, you will explore how snakes are built for life on the move, from flexible jaws for swallowing prey to specialised senses for finding food and avoiding danger. You will also learn about the different ways snakes capture prey, and how habitats shape their behaviour and survival.

Key Terms

Venom: A toxin made by some animals that is delivered through a bite to help subdue prey or deter threats.
Constriction: A hunting method where a snake coils around prey and tightens to stop it breathing.
Shedding: The process of replacing old skin with new skin as a snake grows.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How do snakes move without legs?

Snakes move by using strong muscles and their ribs to push against the ground. Different types of movement, such as slithering or sidewinding, help them travel across many surfaces.

Are all snakes venomous?

Not all snakes are venomous. Many species kill prey by constriction or by holding on and swallowing smaller animals, and some snakes mainly eat insects, eggs, or fish.

Why do snakes flick their tongues?

Snakes flick their tongues to collect scent particles from the air and ground. They pass these particles to a special organ in the mouth that helps them track prey and recognise their surroundings.

Try These Related Quizzes

To see a larger image, click on the picture.

1 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of jon hanson

Fierce snake

Sea snake

Rattlesnake

Black mamba

Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae
Subfamily: Hydrophiinae
Inhabits marine environments.
Huge aggregations of this species have been reported. In 1932 millions were seen from a steamer off the coast of Malaysia. They formed a line of snakes 3 m (9.8 ft) wide and 100 km (62 mi) long!

2 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of Tad Arensmeier

Rattlesnake

Cottonmouth

Wolf snake

Hoop snake

Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Even when dead, this snake can still bite if you get too close!
The snake's heat sensors remain active until rigor mortis is complete, a day or more later.
Placing a warm object, such as your hand, near the snake's mouth will still cause it to have a go!

3 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of CharlesC

Flying snake

Ground snake

Green snake

Grass snake

Order: Squamata
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Natrix
Species: N. natrix
A European non-poisonous snake.
Found mostly near water.
Consumes prey live without using constriction.
To defend themselves, this snake will feign death by becoming totally limp.

4 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.boapython.ch/

Python

Copperhead

Stiletto snake

Tiger snake

Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Pythonidae
Genus: Python
Primarily found in Africa.
The skin of this snake is used to make a popular Chinese instrument called the Erhu.
Non-venomous, it crushes its victims with an incredibly muscular body.
When the heart of the victim stops, the snake will swallow its prey whole.
It can sometimes take months to digest.
Usually eats only 4 to 5 times a year.

5 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of Head

Dice snake

Sea snake

Egyptian cobra

Viper

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Naja
Species: N. haje
Found in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Terrestrial and nocturnal in the wild.
Represented in mythology by the goddess Meretseger.
Recognisable by its large head and hood.

6 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of LA Dawson

Hoop snake

Wolf snake

Anaconda

Fierce snake

Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus: Eunectes
Species: E. murinus
One of the world's largest snakes, with an average length of 6.1 m (20 ft).
Found in South America.
Habitat is swamps, marshes and streams.
Cannibalism has been observed in this species.

7 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of http://renaud.davout.org/

Harlequin snake

Copperhead

Indian cobra

Diamondback

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Naja
Species: N. naja
A highly venomous snake and in severe bites can lead to cardiac arrest.
Well known as the snake of snake charmers.
The snake is deaf to the charmer's pipe, but uses sight to follow the moving pipe as well as sensing vibrations from the tapping of the charmer's foot.

8 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of Pavel Ševela

Boa constrictor

Copperhead

Indigo snake

Cottonmouth

Order: Squamata
Family: Boidae
Genus: Boa
Species: B. constrictor
Non-poisonous, nonetheless just as deadly.
Use their flicking tongue to pick up a scent.
Live in tropical environments and are found on the ground and in trees.
A solitary and nocturnal snake.

9 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of H. Krisp

Egyptian cobra

Boa constrictor

Indian cobra

Viper

Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Has a pair of long hollow fangs with which to give a venomous bite.
The Adder branch of this species is the only venomous snake found in the UK.
Its mouth is capable of opening to nearly 180^o.
Generally nocturnal.

10 .

Can you identify this snake?

Photograph courtesy of TimVickers

Diamondback

Black mamba

Inland Taipan

Wolf snake

Order: Squamata
Family: Elapidae
Genus: Dendroaspis
Species: D. polylepis
A notorious African snaker that can reach speeds of up to 20 kmh (12.5 mph).
Before the advent of an antivenom, a bite from this fearsome serpent was 100 percent fatal, usually within about 20 minutes.