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Forked tongues have evolved in these squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) for various purposes. The advantage to having a forked tongue is that more surface area is available for the chemicals to contact and the potential for tropotaxis. [5] The tongue is flicked out of the mouth regularly to sample the chemical environment.
Many birds and mammals prefer to attack the head of the snake. Garter snakes are more likely to hide their heads and move their tails back and forth when being attacked close to the head. Snakes that are attacked in the middles of their bodies are more likely to flee or exhibit open-mouthed warning reactions. [20]
The circulatory system of a snake is basically like those of any other vertebrae. However, snakes do not regulate internally the temperature of their blood. Called cold-blooded, snakes actually have blood that is responsive to the varying temperature of the immediate environment. Snakes can regulate blood temperature by moving.
Garter snakes are closely related to the genus Nerodia (water snakes), with some species having been moved back and forth between genera. Garter snakes have been found to be one of the few species of snakes in the world to be both venomous and poisonous; both, however, are medically insignificant to the point that even affecting a human baby ...
The part of the body beyond the cloacal scale is considered to be the tail. [13] Sometimes snakes have enlarged scales, either single or paired, under the tail; these are called subcaudals or urosteges. [22] These subcaudals may be smooth or keeled as in Bitis arietans somalica.
When approached by predators, these snakes do not bite like most snakes, but coil their bodies into a ball and hide their heads tucked underneath. Some may poke with their harmless tail tip, like a worm snake. Many have a drab and dull-coloured back, but a very bright, contrastingly coloured underside (such as bright yellow, red, etc.) to ...
Appearance: Usually between three and five feet, but some can grow up to six feet long. These snakes normally have brown, gray, tan and yellow colors on their bodies, but some can also have pink hues.
Most specimens have a total length (including tail) up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft), [26] with some large individuals reaching 2 m (6.6 ft). [27] The maximum recorded total length for the species is 2.4 m (7.9 ft). [26] Evidence indicates that snakes from the northern populations tend to be larger than those from southern populations. [25]