What are the Different Kinds of Snakes?

There are a variety of different kinds of snakes in the world, some of which are poisonous and some of which are harmless. Except in a few cases, telling the difference is difficult based solely on looks. Many of the different kinds of snakes are included in the families of Viperidae, Elapidae, Colubridae and Hydrophidae.

The kinds of snakes known as Viperidae, or what many of us know as vipers, are found all over the world. The only areas of the world in which these kinds of snakes have not been found are Australia and Madagascar. These venomous snakes have long, hinged fangs, which allow the snake to enact a deep bite into its victim. Some Viperidae include rattlesnakes, bushmasters, adders, copperheads, and vipers. The bite from one of these snakes can cause any number of problems for the victim, including blood loss, necrosis, swelling, and even disruption of normal blood clotting.

Other kinds of snakes include those in the family Elapidae, which are found primarily in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. These poisonous snakes have fixed, hollow fangs, which can inject venom into the victim. These snakes can be quite small or very large. Some have been found to be only 7 inches (18 cm) long, while others can be as much as 19 feet (about 6 m) long. Most, however, average about 6.5 feet (2 m) in length. Some Elapidae varieties include king cobras, cobras, Australian copperheads, coral snakes, and kraits. The bite from one of these snakes is more dangerous than that from a viper snake and can be toxic.

Found nearly everywhere, the Colubridae snake family includes almost two-thirds of the snake species in the world. These snakes are most often harmless and not poisonous, but some have delivered bites so dangerous the human victim has died. Some of these kinds of snakes include the king snake, corn snake, rat snake, garter snake, queen snake, common keelback, and milk snake.

The Hydrophidae snake family is just as the name implies, as these snakes include many species that live in the water. This group of water snakes is related to the cobra, but they do not live on land like a cobra. Hydrophidae snakes are extremely dangerous, as almost all of them are venomous to humans, with venom generally more toxic than that of land snakes. However, they generally do not bite humans unless they are provoked.

There are over 3,000 species of snakes in the world, spanning a wide range of sizes, colors, and habitats. According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), these species are categorized into numerous families, with the largest being Colubridae, which includes about two-thirds of all snake species.

The main families of snakes include Colubridae, which are mostly harmless and the most diverse; Elapidae, which contains venomous species like cobras and mambas; Viperidae, known for vipers and rattlesnakes with hemotoxic venom; and Boidae, which includes the non-venomous boas and pythons that kill by constriction.

Non-venomous snakes are prevalent and include species such as the common garter snake, corn snake, and king snake. The boa constrictor and the ball python are also non-venomous and are popular in the pet trade for their docile nature and the fact that they kill their prey by constriction rather than venom.

Examples of venomous snakes include the infamous king cobra, the highly venomous black mamba, and the notorious rattlesnakes. The saw-scaled viper, which is responsible for more human deaths than any other snake species, and the coastal taipan, with its potent neurotoxic venom, are also well-known venomous snakes.

Snakes have adapted to a variety of environments through evolutionary traits such as venom for defense and hunting, heat-sensing pits for detecting warm-blooded prey, and specialized scales for burrowing or swimming. Some, like the sidewinder rattlesnake, have developed unique locomotion to navigate desert sands efficiently.

Yes, there are aquatic snakes, such as the sea snakes and the freshwater species like the anaconda. These snakes have adapted to their environments with paddle-shaped tails for swimming, valves to close their nostrils underwater, and specialized glands to excrete excess salt. They tend to have flattened bodies to aid in buoyancy and streamlined movement in water.