
Snake | Description, Facts, & Types | Britannica
Nov 24, 2025 · What physical trait sets snakes apart from other reptiles? Snakes differ from other reptiles in being limbless and having a greatly elongated body and tail. Snakes also lack movable …
snake - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Introduction A snake is a reptile with a long, slender body but no arms or legs. Snakes are closely related to lizards. There are about 2,900 species, or kinds, of snake. The best-known snakes include …
snake - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Snakes, which are also called serpents, are characterized by their long, limbless bodies. They are among the best-known animals of the world. Because some snakes can be…
Water moccasin | Bite, Diet, Size, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 15, 2025 · There are nearly 3,000 species of snakes distributed nearly worldwide. The following is a list of some of the major genera and species of snake, organized alphabetically by family.
Black mamba | Description, Behaviour, Venom, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 14, 2025 · black mamba, (Dendroaspis polylepis), species of mamba snake known for its large size, quickness, and extremely potent venom. It lives in sub-Saharan Africa and is one of the continent’s …
Snake - Scales, Venom, Slithering | Britannica
Nov 24, 2025 · Their body is usually slender, the body shape correlated with the activity level. The vertebral column has more vertebrae than any other living animal—up to 600. Snakes are covered …
Coral snake | Diet, Size, Rhyme, & Facts | Britannica
Coral snake, any of more than 100 species of small, secretive, and brightly patterned venomous snakes of the cobra family (Elapidae). Most species are tricolored (rarely bicolored), with various …
Sidewinder | Desert Adaptation, Venomous & Nocturnal | Britannica
Sidewinder, any of four species of small venomous snakes that inhabit the deserts of North America, Africa, and the Middle East, all of which utilize a “sidewinding” style of crawling.
Sea snake | Types, Habitat, & Facts | Britannica
There are two groups: the true sea snakes (subfamily Hydrophiinae) and the sea kraits (subfamily Laticaudinae). Although their venom is the most potent of all snakes, human fatalities are rare.
Taipan | Characteristics & Facts | Britannica
Dec 3, 2025 · Taipan, any of three species of highly venomous snakes (family Elapidae) found in Australia and New Guinea. The genus comprises the coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), the …