GENERAL

ADAPTATIONS IN
SNAKES

Snakes (suborder Ophidia ) are elongated,

limbless, flexible reptiles. There are about
2,900 species of snakes. Of these, 375 are
venomous.
Snakes are found throughout the world
except Antarctica, Iceland, Ireland,
Greenland and New Zealand. Most
snakes are found in tropical regions.
Snakes are found in many habitats
including in the land , water,forests,
deserts and grass lands.
They are nocturnal and carnivorous

Snakes have long ,slender ,

cylindrical body. They lack limbs and
girdles .
Some snakes like pythons possess
vestigial hind limbs and girdles .
Skin bears rows of scales (smooth
and keeled) that over lap, they
prevent slipping during locomotion

Head bears a pair of eyes, which is

covered by a transparent scale which
enables the snake to give a steady ,unwinking stare which helps in paralyzing
the prey with fear

Ear opening and tympanum is

absent ,internal ear is present.
Auditory apparatus consists of a
semi-cartilagenous columella auris
attached to quadrate bone.
Snakes cannot perceive air-borne
sound but high to earth borne sound
or vibratations

The two halves of lower jaw are

connected by a ligament.
The palate bones (maxilla ,palatines
and pterygoids ) are freely movable
and the quadrate is loosely attached
to cranium and lower jaw .
This enables the snake to open their
mouth very wide and swallow prey
larger diameter than their own
bodies

Snake swallowing prey

Sternum and epi-sternum absent ,so

the ribs are free ventrally, this
permits great expansion of thorax to
accommodate large prey .
To cause further expansion there is
soft elastic skin between the scales

Cranium is strong and compact.

The brain is protected from
mechanical injury during swallowing
by massive para -sphenoid and
extensions of frontals and parietals
Teeth present at jaw margins and
also on the palate. Teeth are slender
and backwardly directed or curved to
hold the prey while swallowing

Poisonous snakes have a pair of large

teeth, the fangs on the maxilla of upper
jaw
The fangs are grooved or tubular to inject
venom into the prey
Tongue is slender and forked ,it serves in
bringing odours of water,food or mates to
the Jacobsons organ

Asymmetrical Disposition
Of Organs In Snakes

Snakes are bilaterally symmetrical

vertebrates In relation to the
creeping ,burrowing mode of life the
body is elongated.
Most of the paired visceral organs
have become ASYMMETRICAL
ie . Reduced on one side or lying at
different levels

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM : The entire

alimentary canal lies at the LEFT
side of the body cavity.
The first part of the intestine is
coiled and the posterior end is
straight.
As an adaptation to feeding habit
the glottis is shifted forwards on the
floor of the buccal cavity so that
respiration proceeds even when the
food is being swallowed.
Liver is formed of two unequal
lobes.The right lobe is larger than
the left lobe

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
The tracheal tube leads into a solitary RIGHT
lungs. The left lung is reduced or rudimentary.
The right lung is very long and extends upto the
cloaca.
The right lung has an anterior vascular spongy
respiratory part and posterior saccular reticular
part , acting as hydrostatic organ for balancing.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Circulatory system is modified due to
compressed body, absence of limbs and
presence of only right lung
Blood vessels to the limbs are aborted due
o absence of limbs
Elongation of neck is associated with
asymmetrical arrangement of carotid
vessels
The right carotid is thin and the entire
blood supply to the head is by the large
LEFT carotid

URINARY SYSTEM

Urinary system consists of a narrow strip-like

RIGHT kidney
A delicate ureter runs down into the cloaca
Urinary bladder is absent
Some snakes also have a small left kidney
situated at a fairly low level

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Testis in male and ovary in females are

elongated structures.
The PAIRED structures are placed at different
levels in relation to the position of the
kidneys

Credits :

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