Special Sub-Topic: Venomous Snakes Authored by: Angels2002 Sub-topic of: Reptiles and Amphibians

Which of the following snakes is not a native of the western hemisphere?

Boomslang. The boomslang inhabits sub-Saharan Africa. The bushmaster and fer-de-lance are native to South America, while the cottomouth inhabits North America.

What snake is also known as the "hundred pace snake"?

Sharp nosed pit viper. 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.

Venomous snakes generally possess either a neurotoxin, which affects the nervous system, or a hemotoxin, which causes tissue and blood cell damage. Almost all rattlesnakes have hemotoxins. Which one has a venom that also contain a neurotoxin?

Mojave green. As its name implies, the Mojave green inhabits the Mojave desert in the southwestern U.S. It has a specialized venom that is both neurotoxic and hemotoxic; this makes it one of the more dangerous rattlesnakes.

What snake is also known as the tic-polanga?

Russell's viper. The Russell's viper is one of the "big four" poisonous snakes of India (along with the cobra, krait, and carpet viper) and can be found throughout Asia. The spitting cobra is also known as the ringhals, the water moccasin is also known as the cottonmouth, and the barba amarilla is more commonly known as the fer-de-lance.

What is the fastest venomous snake?

Black mamba. The black mamba is the fastest of all snakes, reaching speeds of up to 12 miles per hour. It is the most feared African snake and, prior to the development of antivenom, its bite was almost always fatal.

This snake has the most potent venom of any snake found in the United States.

Coral Snake. Coral snakes are related to cobras and have a potent neurotoxin that paralyzes breathing muscles. Their bite can be fatal without antivenom and/or artificial respiration. However, due to their shy nature and short fangs, recorded bites are rare. The eastern diamondback can be more dangerous because it can inject a large quantity of venom, and the water mocassin is more aggressive than the coral snake. The copperhead is responsible for more bites than any poisonous snake in the U.S., but it has a relatively mild venom and victims often do not even require antivenom.

What snake is responsible for more human fatalities each year than any other snake?

Saw scaled viper. The saw scaled viper inhabits a wide area from southern Asia through the Arabian desert into Africa. It causes the most deaths because it is small and hard to detect, inhabits areas of high population, and lives where there is substandard medical care and lack of antivenom.

The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world, but which of these is the heaviest?

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. In addition, the eastern diamondback is the longest venomous snake in North America. There is no such snake as the fat adder.

Australia is home to many of the world's most venomous snakes. Which one is responsible for the most human fatalities in Australia?

Brown snake. All of these have highly potent venom. The brown snake is the most widely distributed and lives closest to major population centers, hence contact with humans is more common than with the other snakes. It accounts for about half of all Australian snakebite fatalities.

Most species of sea snakes are very agressive and have a highly toxic venom.

False. While most sea snakes possess highly potent venom, they are generally shy and docile. Many can be handled without incident, although that should only be done by experts.