F.Y.B.Sc.

Sem II Practical I

Date:

IDENTIFICATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF VENOMOUS AND NON-VENOMOUS SNAKES

Aim: To study and identify venomous and non-venomous snakes.

Requirements: Authorized specimens, Photographs or sketches or power point presentation

on snakes.

Background information: Snakes are long, limbless, carnivorous reptiles with a short tail.
Jaws of snakes are flexible and capable of extension which enables them to eat prey, bigger than
their head. They occur worldwide except Antarctica. There are nearly 261 species of snakes in
India. Their size ranges from 10 cms (e.g., worm snake) to 10 m (e.g., Reticulated Python). As
snakes control population of rats, lizards, frogs and fishes, they play a vital role of secondary or
tertiary consumers in both aquatic and terrestrial type of food chains.
There are two types of snakes recognized —
l) Venomous and 2) Non-venomous type
Identification key: Venomous and Non-venomous snakes

Non-venomous or Venomous snake

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

Venomous Snakes:
Only 15% snakes in the world are venomous. In India, there are 4 common terrestrial species
which are venomous namely Cobra, Krait, Russell's viper and Saw scaled viper. Snake venom
may be neurotoxic or hemotoxic. The venom apparatus consists of a pair of venom glands, their
ducts and pair of fangs. Venom gland is a modified salivary gland, superior labial or parotid.

Example 1. Cobra or Nag (Naja naja):

Geographic Distribution: It is found in China, Philippines, Malay Islands, Australia, Tasmania
and Africa. It also occurs all over India.

Habitat: It is found under stones, thick vegetation and mainly in rat holes.

Length: 1.5-2 m.

Food: It feeds on frogs, lizards, other snakes and rats.

Colour: Pale yellow, brown or black.

Features:
1. Body is long with smooth oblique scales. They are without pits.

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

2. Head bears mouth, very small eyes with round pupil, nostrils between nasals and inter-
nasals.
3. Neck is dilatable and cervical ribs are elongated. The expansion of the neck and cervical ribs
form the hood which is its
distinguishing character. It
is used to warn enemies and
hits it on the ground in an
attempt to bite. The upper
surface of hood has usually a
distinct spectacle mark
(Binocellate mark).
4. Third supra-labial scale
is large and touches the eye
and the nasal shields which
is a peculiar feature of all
venomous snakes.
5. Tail is cylindrical and tapers posteriorly.
6. Female lays 8-12 eggs.
7. Its venom is neurotoxic in nature.

Example 2. Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus):

Geographic Distribution: It is distributed in India and South East Asia. Habitat-It lives in
cracks in wall and heaps of bricks,
rocky area and ant hills.
Length: Approximately 1m in
length.
Food: It feeds on rats, lizards and
small snakes. It is cannibalistic in
nature.
Colour: Bluish-black, shiny, with
narrow cross bars or white specks
dorsally. Lower surface is whitish.

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

Features:
1. Head with normal shields, moderate eyes and without distinct neck.
2. Third and fourth supra-labial scale touches the eye. Fourth infra-labial is the largest scale.
3. Mid-dorsally, it shows a line of large hexagonal scales.
4. The female krait lays 10-12 eggs.
5. Its venom is neurotoxic in nature.

Example 3. Russell's Viper (Vipera rusellii):

Geographic Distribution: It is distributed in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand.
Habitat: It occurs in rat holes,
rocky and thorny bushes to match
the body colour with the
background.
Length: 1.0-2.0 m. It is largest of
the Indian vipers.
Food: Mainly rats or lizards and
small birds form their food.
Colour: Generally, it appears pale
brown above with three
longitudinal series of black spots.
The lower parts are yellowish
white.
Features:
1. Body is divided into head, neck, trunk and tail.
2. Head is triangular with large nostrils and tiny scales on the upper surface.
3. Supra-labials are 10-12 in number. Fourth supra-labial scale is the largest.
4. Large ventral plates are developed across the belly region. There are no pits hence called
pitless vipers (Pits are sensory organs with which snake can detect their prey).
5. It is viviparous i.e. giving birth to young ones.
6. Its venom is hemotoxic in nature. It hisses loudly and swells its body before attacking.

Non-venomous snakes: Nearly, 80-85% snakes in the world are non-venomous. Rat snake and
python are the example of non-venomous types of snakes.

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

Example 1. Rat snake or Dhaman or Rope snake (Zamenis or Ptyas mucosus)

Geographic Distribution: It is distributed in North west Africa, America. It is commonly found
in India.
Habitat: It mainly lives on
agricultural land or climb on
trees.
Length: 2-2.5m.
Food: It feeds on frogs, toads,
lizards and usually rats.
Colour: Yellow, black, brown
and green in colour.
Features:
1. The jaws display black
vertical lines that serve as
identification marks.
2. Head is distinct from the
neck. It bears large eyes with round pupil, nostrils and mouth.
3. Fourth and fifth supra labial scales touch the eye.
4. Tail is long and prehensile, used to coil around the victims.
5. It is non-venomous and without fangs. It secretes a blackish secretion from its anal glands
which emits a foul odour.
6. Female lays 10-28 eggs.
Example 2. Indian Rock Python or Ajgar (Python molurus)
Geographic Distribution: It is widely distributed throughout India.
Habitat: It occurs in dry, rocky, sandy places or on trees. It may also be found in ponds, lakes or
swamp places of dense vegetation.
Length: 5-7 m.
Food: It feeds on other reptiles, birds and mammals like rat, bandicoot, sheep, goat, calf etc.
Colour: Body pale brown in with dark brown, shiny spots all over. Ventrally, it is greyish with
brown spots.
Features:
1. It is a large massive non-venomous snake with body weight varying from 90 kg to 125 kg.
2. Head is distinct from the neck with large mouth, eyes without lid and nostrils.
3. Tail is short and prehensile.

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel

F.Y.B.Sc. Sem II Practical I

4. Body scales are in 60-75 smooth rows. The ventral scales are distinctly small. Supra labial
scales are 11-13 in number. The first two supra labial scales have pits. Sixth and seventh scales
touch the eye.
5. Female lays 100 eggs. Eggs hatch into young ones in about two months.

Department of Zoology C.K.Thakur ACS College, New Panvel