Fun Trivia » Animals » Reptiles and Amphibians » Snakes

The three species of known taipan are the inland taipan, the coastal taipan and the Western Desert taipan. The coastal taipan has two known subspecies. Difficulty: Hard.

 

8, 40, 14

Compared to other rattlesnake species, the sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes) is a small snake, generally no longer than 80 cm (31,5 in). A dweller of the desert regions of the southwestern US and northwestern Mexico, it gets its common name from its peculiar locomotion, which helps the snake move rapidly on the sand, producing J-shaped tracks. Its specific name "cerastes" means "horned" in Latin, and refers to the raised scales above each of the snake's eyes, which look like a pair of small horns, and probably have the function of protecting the eyes from drifting sand. Though venomous like all pit vipers, the sidewinder is not as dangerous as other rattlesnakes, and - due to its habitat - is not as frequently encountered. In any case, it does not possess particularly long fangs nor a larger-than-normal rattle, and its skin is definitely NOT brightly-coloured: on the contrary, this snake's neutral colouration makes it easy for it to blend with its natural desert environment.

Incidentally, the R.E.M. song that gives the quiz its title probably refers to an antique style of phone rather than a snake. Difficulty: Hard.

 

bright green skin, an unusually large rattle, very long fangs

The zig-zag marking is the most commonly cited means of identifying an adder. As well as the zig-zag marking the snakes also have a distinctive V shaped marking on their heads. Male adders are lighter in colour than females and are usually white or light grey in colour with black markings while females are usually a darker brown shade but still have black markings. Difficulty: Easy.

 

Spiral, Spotty, Checked

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is also the longest venomous snake in the U.S. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Florida cottonmouth, Timber rattlesnake, Tiger rattlesnake

Anerythristic, usually shortened to "Anerys", are one of the most common corn snake "morphs". This genetic mutation results in a snake lacking reds, yellows and oranges: a completely black, gray or brown snake.

DID YOU KNOW? "morph" is a simpler word for "polymorphism". In short, animals that are said to be polymorphic are animals that exhibit different phenotypes [the way an animal looks] within the same species. An example would be in American jaguars. A "black panther" is actually just a "morph" of jaguars, specifically a melanistic jaguar. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Amelanistic, Hypomelanistic, Okeetee

Python is actually a genus, which describes 17 species of snake. This genus is part of the Pythonidae family, which describes a further 9 species. (A python is defined as any member of the Pythonidae family).

A number of Burmese pythons (a sub-species of the Indian python) can now be found in the Everglades. These are believed to have escaped from animal homes which were damaged by the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, though most are believed to have been abandoned in the wetlands by exotic animal keepers. The booming numbers of these large constrictors is worrying the Floridians, as many rare creatures (as well as pets) are being killed. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Africa, Australia and South America, Africa, Australia and Europe, Africa, Asia and South America

Some of these snakes have a bluish cast and thus are known as blue racers. If disturbed, this snake will vibrate its tail. There is another snake known as the blue racer, which lives in a different part of the USA. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Rattle racer, Yellow death, Cowardly racer

Arachnophobia - Fear of spiders.
Triskaidekaphobia- Fear of the number 13.
Phalacrophobia- Fear of becoming bald.
Difficulty: Hard.

 

Arachnophobia, Phalacrophobia, Triskaidekaphobia

Anacondas are found in South America, east of the Amazon River. They can be found from Venezuela right the way down to the south of Argentina. Difficulty: Very Easy.

 

Europe, Asia, Australasia

The binomial name of the king cobra is Ophiophagus hannah. The king cobra is one of the most venomous snakes in the world. It belongs to the Class Reptilia, Order Squamata, Family Elapidae, Genus Ophiophagus and species hannah.
Naja naja and Naja tripudians are two species of the Indian cobra and Crotalus horridus is the rattlesnake.
Difficulty: Hard.

 

Naja naja, Crotalus horridus, Naja tripudians

Ophiology is the study of snakes and is a subspecialty of herpetology, the study of reptiles. The root word ophis is Greek for snake. Difficulty: Hard.

 

aspologist, snake wrangler, venomologist

It is a highly venomous snake found in India. It is also popularly known as the Indian Cobra. It kills thousands of people a year. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Egyptian cobra, spitting cobra, coral snake

The Elapidae (cobras, coral snakes, kraits) do not occur in Europe. Most of the European snakes belong to the Colubridae or the Viperidae family. There is one representative of the Boidae family - the Eurasian sand boa - Eryx jaculus. This small (up to 60 cm) snake lives in south-east Europe. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Colubridae, Viperidae, Boidae

These harmless semi-aquatic snakes feed on fish and will bite you (hard) if your pester them. If you own a pet from this species, you can feed it on canned sardines. Difficulty: Hard.

 

In the desert, In rocky highlands, In the sea

The Small-eyed Snake is common and measures up to 1.0m in length with a glossy dark grey to black back and a cream to pink belly with grey spots or blotches. Found in rainforests, eucalypt forests and grazing land through eastern Australia, from southern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland and Victoria. It is active at night, eating small skinks, dragons, snakes and frogs. This snake has been responsible for a human fatality! Difficulty: Hard.

 

Speckled Brown Snake, Copperhead, Gwardar

'Oxyuranus' is derived from the Greek words 'oxis' meaning 'sharp' and 'oura' meaning 'tail' and 'micros' meaning 'small' and 'lepis' meaning 'scale'.

The inland taipan is endemic to Australia. Whilst the scientific name for the inland taipan is is 'Oxyuranus microlepidotus', the Aboriginal Australians named this snake 'Dandarabilla.'

The scientific name for the coastal taipan is Oxyuranus scutellatus.

The scientific name for the Western Desert taipan is Oxyuranus temporalis.

The inland taipan possesses the most toxic venom of any known land snake in the world. Difficulty: Average.

 

Hapalochlaena, Dermochelys coriacea, Synanceia

Most people living in the southeastern US will be aware of the massive eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus), which can reach a length of over 2 m (6.6 ft), and weigh as much as 6 kg (13.3 lbs). The common name "diamondback", a translation of the Latin "adamanteus" ("diamond-like"), refers to the snake's distinctive diamond-shaped pattern. An excellent swimmer, the eastern diamondback inhabits swamps, marshes, woodlands and sandhills throughout its range, where it exists in large populations - in spite of hunting and human expansion. Not surprisingly, the eastern diamondback is considered North America's most dangerous snake: with the longest fangs of any rattlesnake and a powerful hemotoxic venom, it can easily kill a person, and its bite often leads to severe tissue damage. Another similar species, the western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), is found in the southwestern US and Mexico.

Of the three incorrect choices, only the hundred-pace viper of Southeast Asia is a crotaline. The puff adder is a true viper found in Africa, and the tiger snake is one of the many notorious Australian elapids. Difficulty: Easy.

 

puff adder, tiger snake, hundred-pace viper

Snake scales are made of keratin, just like human fingernails. One crazy thing I learned while researching snakes is that military commandos in Lebanon actually eat live snakes to show how brave they are. The eating of live snakes is seen as a mark of virility in other countries, too. In India, and other places, snakes are worshipped even today. Difficulty: Easy.

 

potassium, follicles, ketamin

The scientific name for the water moccasin, Agkistrodon piscivorus, gives a lot of clues about this venomous snake. In Greek, the first word means hooked-tooth, and the second means fish-eater. Also known as a cottonmouth, this is the only semi-aquatic viper found on the planet. While it prefers small rodents, frogs, and fish, if it feels threatened it will open its mouth very widely exposing both its fangs, and the white interior from which it derives its nickname. Its long fangs are capable of delivering a painful bite that can cause pain, nausea, vomiting, swelling around the bite and in extreme cases necrosis and death. Most deaths from this snakebite are actually caused by anaphylactic shock caused by an allergic reaction to the anti-venom. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Sidewinder, Night adder, Massasauga

Even in areas the coral snake doesn't occur, the red milk snake is often mistaken for one. The red milk snake is a non-venomous constrictor. Its prey includes rodents, small snakes and lizards. Difficulty: Hard.

 

King snake, Rat snake, Bull snake

The Jacobson's organ is located in the roof of the mouth.
A snake flicks its forked tongue out and "tastes" the air. The tongue then collects airborne molecules and retracts back into the mouth of the snake. The tips of the tongue are then placed into the Jacobson's organ, the molecules are identified and then passed onto the brain.
Difficulty: Hard.

 

At the ends of the forked tongue., On the rear of the tail - it is where it defecates., Just behind the head - It produces the venom.

The term 'cobra di capello' is a Portuguese phrase which mean snake with hood. The reason for this name lies in the fact that the cobra can flatten its neck ribs to form the shape of a hood. The king cobra is one among the various types of cobra and is the largest in size. Difficulty: Easy.

 

Venomous snake, Dangerous snake, Tall snake

Mating takes place between April-May. The young adders are born live, three or four months later. The baby adders only stay with the mother for a few days before going their separate ways. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Lay eggs, Both, Depends on the time of year

The typical/Colubridae family contains more than half the snake species in the world. Most members of this family are nonvenomous. It does, however, include the boomslang and twig snake that have caused human deaths. Difficulty: Hard.

 

vipers/Viperidae, boas/Boidae, pythons/Pythonidae

Juvenile cottonmouths are very often mistaken for copperhead snakes. Difficulty: Hard.

 

sidewinder, boa Constrictor, scarlet Kingsnake

The anaconda is popularly known as "water boa". It is the heaviest snake of the world. It is mainly found in South America. Difficulty: Hard.

 

house snake, boa constrictor, kashua

The sharp nosed pit viper of southeast Asia is the most venomous of the Asian pit vipers. Its nickname comes from local legend that, once bitten, you walk one hundred steps and then drop dead. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Death adder, Australian brown snake, Common krait

The pestiferous water hyacinth (imported from Venezulela in 1884) has provided a wonderful shelter for these snakes. You can often find one simply by dragging the hyacinths ashore. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Federal protection, The construction of canals in Florida, The near-extinction of their main predator

Corn Snakes make great pets for beginners, they are easy to care for, easy to handle and generally good feeders. Difficulty: Easy.

 

Boa Constrictor, Burmese Python, Rattlesnake

Bibron's Burrowing Asps have large, horizontal fangs that can be pushed out between the lips and deliver a rapid bite without opening its mouth. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Lyre Snake, False Lancehead, Thai Monoculate Cobra

The common name "Mojave rattlesnake" given to Crotalus scutulatus is a bit of a misnomer, because most of this dangerous reptile's range lies outside the Mojave Desert of southeastern California and southern Nevada. In fact, this rattlesnake is also found in desert or semi-desert regions of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and northern Mexico. This greenish, brown-patterned snake is ranked as one of the world's most dangerous because of its extremely toxic venom, which - unlike the venom of most other rattlesnakes - contains a strong neurotoxic component. The Mojave rattlesnake is also considered to be particularly aggressive towards people, though there is no scientific evidence for that. In any case, it is a good idea to give these snakes a wide berth.

Though the remaining choices are all major deserts, none of them is located in North America. Difficulty: Easy.

 

Atacama, Namib, Thar

Diurnal creatures are those which are most active during daylight hours. In the UK the adder is diurnal whereas those found in more southerly countries are more active in the evening. Adders hibernate during winter and in the UK the snakes hibernate for around 150 to 180 days each year. Difficulty: Average.

 

At night, In the winter, In warm weather

While rattlesnakes are not exclusively found in the United States, they are only found in the Americas (North/Central/South). Difficulty: Hard.

 

No, they are found throughout the Americas, Africa, and Asia., Yes, they are found only in the southwestern United States., Yes, they are found throughout the United States (as far north as the New England region).

Baby corn snakes should ONLY be fed newborn pinky mice, and not small lizards or crickets. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Lizards, Crickets, Mealworms

The only one of the choices that makes its home in Europe is the common adder "Vipera berus". This adaptable snake lives in a variety of terrains and can be found in most of western Europe all the way to eastern regions of Asia. It hunts small birds, lizards, frogs, and when needed will also eat worms, spiders and insects. This snake is known to be unaggressive and most bites are in self-defence. The venom deliver by this snakes sharp fangs is usually not fatal unless the victim has pre-existing conditions, or is weak, very young, or very old.

At least seven different anti-venoms exist for this snake and are readily available throughout most of Europe. Symptoms include pain, swelling, tingling, nausea, vomiting and bruising. If bitten by this snake, medical attention should be obtained immediately. If left untreated, the bite from this snake can kill, usually from cardiovascular failure. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Puff adder, Death adder, Deaf adder

The speckled king snake is named for the small yellow or cream colored spots along its back. Interestingly, the speckled king snake is immune to the venom of most venomous snakes. Difficulty: Average.

 

Black rat snake, Eastern coach whip, Western cotton mouth

Smaller prey can be eaten either head first, tail first or sideways depending on how the prey was caught. However, large prey are eaten head first to assist the snake with swallowing, as it flattens the legs or wings along the body of the victim. The snake uses its senses to find the head, the direction of the victim's fur also assists with this. Difficulty: Easy.

 

Tail/rear end first., Sideways for better grip., Whatever direction the snake seems fit.

Anacondas are constrictors, which means that they constrict or crush their prey to death. They do have fangs but they are non venomous and are used mainly to help swallow the prey. The anaconda catches its prey by wrapping its powerful coils around the victim until it is suffocated, or it drags it under the water until drowning occurs. Difficulty: Very Easy.

 

Venom, Biting, With their tails

The king cobra can smell its prey through its tongue, which can pick up scent particles and transfer them to a sensory receptor. The king cobra thus uses its tongue to smell its prey and track them down. Even though the king cobra is deaf, it can feel vibrations from the movement of its prey. Difficulty: Easy.

 

To shoot out venom, To trap two preys with one tongue, Nothing, it is vestigial in nature

Adders prefer undisturbed countryside, but can be found in various habitats. When the weather is very warm you can see adders near lakes and ponds. Difficulty: Hard.

 

Woodland, Heathland, Moorland