Snakes have been known as dangerous, scary creatures endowed with magical abilities since ancient times. They were credited with the ability to hypnosis, used in rituals, they were worshiped and feared. There are simply giants among the representatives of these reptiles, reaching 14 meters. However, there are also babies, which we will talk about later.
Snakes: general characteristics
Relate to the class of Reptiles, or Reptiles. They have structural features that make it possible to distinguish them from the background of other representatives of the taxon.
- Their organs of vision are deprived of eyelids, so their gaze is very fixed and unblinking. It was for this biological feature that snakes were credited with the ability to hypnosis.
- Completely devoid of limbs. The body is elongated, narrow. In some species, the rudiments of the former hind limbs are preserved.
- Lack of external hearing organs. Snakes hear very poorly - only very loud sounds, it is better if they are accompanied by vibrations and air shaking. But they have excellent thermoreceptors located on the tongue, and also orient themselves whenthe help of Jacobson's olfactory bulbs. Therefore, even in absolute darkness, they will unmistakably find their prey.
Also an interesting feature in the structure of these creatures is that all their internal organs have an elongated shape, and the lungs are greatly reduced. The bladder as part of the excretory system is absent. The skeleton is represented by the skull and spine, which has the trunk and tail sections. Some species have over 430 vertebrae in structure!
Ribs are free-lying structures in the body cavity, not connected by the sternum. Therefore, when swallowed, prey can move apart and provide room for stretching. The jaws are also connected by tensile ligaments to facilitate food absorption.
It is known that there are three categories of snakes according to the way of feeding:
- predators are non-poisonous;
- insectivores;
- poisonous snakes.
There are the smallest snakes, there are also giants. Among all representatives, there are both poisonous and safe species.
The smallest poisonous snakes
The fact that the snake is small in size and seemingly harmless does not mean anything. There are species that, with modest parameters, are terrible killers. Their poison is deadly, and not only for animals, but for humans too.
The smallest snakes in the world, photos of which can be seen below, are able to absorb prey in half of their body, killing it with toxic products. Poison babies include:
- pygmy viper;
- common viper;
- sand efa.
Let's consider how the smallest snakes among poisonous ones live and what they are.
Pygmy viper
Representative of the narrow coasts of Namibia in Africa. This small snake got its name for its modest dimensions, because the length of its body does not exceed 30 cm (usually 20-25). Outwardly, it slightly differs from its relatives in that it does not have horny outgrowths above the eyes. For this, she is also called hornless. Despite the small parameters, it is poisonous and is capable of killing a fairly large lizard with one bite.
However, her poison is not instantly paralytic, so the victim dies only 10-15 minutes after the defeat. The color of the pygmy viper can vary, change throughout life after molting. She happens:
- cream gray;
- tan;
- reddish yellow;
- pink;
- light brown.
A longitudinal pattern in the form of pale black spots stretches along the entire back. The body is thickened. The tail is painted black. Able to quickly burrow into the sand, as if screwing into it. So she spends most of her time waiting for the victim. Moves sideways. It does not lay eggs, as it is viviparous. The number of offspring at a time can be up to 10 individuals.
Common viper
Snakes as small as common vipers are typical of Eurasia. Their distribution area is verywide, because one individual has an area of \u200b\u200bseveral hectares. They have features in the structure and color of the body. So, above the eyes of these snakes there are horny scales, the whole muzzle is also covered with similar growths. The nostril passages are cut in the center.
Coloring of the body can be:
- grey;
- brown;
- brown;
- olive;
- reddish.
In this case, the tail is much lighter, it can be yellow or slightly reddish. The ventral part is light gray or yellow.
These snakes live mainly in forest thickets, in clearings. They occupy winter quarters abandoned by people. The length of their body is no more than 75 cm. At the same time, females are larger than males. They lay eggs, from which up to 12 cubs can hatch at a time. The venom of these species of snakes is toxic, destroying the blood and capillaries. However, they themselves do not attack idle, they are quite friendly.
Newly born babies eat insects. Adults eat rodents and amphibians. At the same time, the vipers themselves also serve as food for many large birds of prey and animals.
Sand Efa
The smallest snakes and the most dangerous at the same time are sand ephs. Representatives are small - only up to 60 cm in length. However, with such modest dimensions, beautiful moving snakes of this species are the strongest killers. They are more feared than large spectacled snakes. Why?
The answer is simple - the bite of this individual is deadly. And for the person as well. Even if it is possible to remove the poison from the body in time and neutralize it, inmost of the time people are crippled.
The worst thing is that the efa distribution area is very large. It inhabits the lands of northern Africa, Persia, Algeria and adjacent territories, Turkey. Settled almost as widely as the common viper in Eurasia.
The color of her body varies in different versions of yellow, brown and cream. The snake is quite beautiful, as its whole body is decorated with patterns - spots, stripes, geometric patterns.
Another feature is the live birth and the number of offspring - up to 16 at a time! At the same time, snakes can breed even in winter, since they do not hibernate. Efa is a very mobile snake. At the sight of danger, she makes characteristic rustling sounds, bounces all the time, wriggles and rushes about in place.
Non-venomous little snakes
Among representatives of more or less friendly, at least not injecting poison into the body of the victim, there are both large and small forms. At the same time, small snakes are very interesting. The types of the tiniest of them are as follows:
- blind snake, or brahmin blind;
- meek eirenis;
- Barbados narrow-mouthed snake.
Let's consider each representative in more detail and find out why these creatures are interesting and unusual.
Brahmin blind
The smallest snake in the world, reaching a length of only 12 cm. The body is painted in dark brown. Very shiny, quirky and agile. Locations:
- Sri Lanka;
- Madagascar;
- India;
- Southeast Asia.
Another name for these creatures is potted snakes. And this is not surprising. After all, they have completely freely adapted to life in flower pots, where they lay eggs. Thanks to this, they settled even more widely. They like dark, damp places. The tip of their tail has a small spike. They feed on insects, worms. A person is not attacked or bitten.
Barbados narrow-mouthed carla
By right, the smallest snake in the world is the Barbados narrow-mouthed carla, which was discovered by scientists in 2008. It got its name for its habitat - Barbados, and also in honor of the wife of the scientist who made the discovery.
It is difficult to call these tiny (up to 10 cm) creatures centenarians. After all, they live only a few months - from spring to autumn. At the same time, they manage to give offspring in the form of eggs. Their way of life and characteristic features are still poorly understood.
It is known that narrowmouths feed on termites and larvae, their coloration is dark brown on top and light brown on the abdomen. They prefer to hide under rocks, in crevices and other secluded places.
The discovery of this snake was made by Blair Hodges. During the study, the individual did not attack and did not try to defend itself, therefore, for the time being, it is considered a fairly friendly species. To date, the habitat of these creatures has been significantly reduced due to deforestation and human settlement. Therefore, in the future, the species may be endangered.
Peaceful eirenis
Representatives of snakes are also small snakes. A photo of one of these can be seen below. This is a meek eirenis. Received its name for the absolute conflict-free. Doesn't attack people, doesn't bite, is actually docile.
The color of this snake varies within the following limits:
- grey;
- beige;
- brown.
There is a pattern in the form of a light spot on the head. With age, it darkens and merges with the rest of the body. The tail is very short compared to the body. Lives in:
- Iran and Iraq;
- Turkey;
- Azerbaijan;
- Georgia and Armenia;
- on the Mediterranean islands.
Hibernates for the winter. It becomes active only in the evening, during the day it sleeps in bushes or rocky crevices. Can climb mountains to a height of over 1500 m. Listed in the Appendix to the Red Book of Russia.
Feeds on insects, scorpions. It can eat centipedes and wood lice. Lays eggs by burying them in the ground.
The biological role of snakes in nature
The smallest snakes, like the largest, are of great importance for nature. Indeed, for many birds of prey and animals, they are a source of food. In addition, not only the individuals themselves, but also their fat, eggs, and skin can be useful for humans. So, a person eats some types of snakes. In addition, it is these reptiles that destroy a huge number of insects, which are malicious pests of agriculture.
Also oneone of the uses of snakes for humans is the extraction of their venom, which is used to create effective medicines for many ailments - ointments, tinctures, balms and other means.
