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Snakes (from Old English snaca, and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European base snag- or sneg-, "to crawl"), also known as ophidians, are cold blooded legless reptiles closely related to lizards, which share the order Squamata. There are also several species of legless lizard which superficially resemble snakes, but are not otherwise related to them. A love of snakes is called ophiophilia, a fear of snakes is called ophidiophobia. A specialist in snakes is an ophiologist.
An old synonym for snake is serpent (which comes from Old French, and ultimately from *serp-, "to creep"); in modern usage this usually refers to a mythic or symbolic snake, and information about such creatures will be found under serpent (symbolism). This article deals with the biology of snakes.
Evolution
The phylogeny of snakes is poorly known due to the fact that snake skeletons are typically small and fragile, making fossilization unlikely. It has however been generally agreed, on the basis of morphology, that snakes descended from lizard-like ancestors. Recent research based on genetics and biochemistry confirms this; snakes form a venom clade with several extant lizard families.
Recent fossil evidence suggests that snakes directly evolved from burrowing lizards, either varanids or some other group. An early fossil snake, Najash rionegrina, was a two-legged burrowing animal with a sacrum, fully terrestrial. One extant analog of these putative ancestors is the earless monitor Lanthanotus of Borneo, although it also is semi-aquatic. As these ancestors became more subterranean, they lost their limbs and became more streamlined for burrowing. Features such as the transparent, fused eyelids and loss of external ears, according to this hypothesis, evolved to combat subterranean conditions (scratched corneas, dirt in the ears). According to this hypothesis, snakes re-emerged onto the surface of the land much as they are today. Other primitive snakes are known to have possessed hindlimbs but lacked a direct connection of the pelvic bones to the vertebrae, including Haasiophis, Pachyrhachis and Eupodophis) which are slightly older than Najash.
More on [ Snake ]
Snakes :: Reptiles and Amphibians
Snakes :: Squamata
"@quintoncalder2: @22smith87 has bummie ass hair -quote from Nate the snake" snakes a #bum
TheReedHugus (Reed Hugus) Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:26:36 -0000
"@quintoncalder2: @22smith87 has bummie ass hair -quote from Nate the snake" snakes a #bum
RT @Mr_Charismatic_: I'm deathly afraid of snakes nd I'm not ashamed to admit that.
melsw0rld (Melissa Rocha) Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:26:33 -0000
RT @Mr_Charismatic_: I'm deathly afraid of snakes nd I'm not ashamed to admit that.
Friends turn to fakes, fakes turn to snakes, then the snakes hate n start talkin to the jakes @KokeUSG HARDDDD SNM #TeamKoke!!!!!!!
ldawgghud69 (liam cartwright) Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:26:31 -00
eMedicine Health - Snake Bite - Overview of symptoms and treatment of snake bites.
Meta Description: [ Snakes are remarkable animals, successful on land, in the sea, in forests, in grasslands, in lakes, and in deserts. Despite their sinister reputation, snakes are almost always more scared of ... ]
eMedicine Online Text - Emergency Medicine - In depth information on snake envenomations of the Cobra. History, statistics, pre-hospital and hospital emergency treatments.
Meta Description: [ Snake Envenomations, Cobra - To many people, the cobra is the quintessential venomous snake. Cobras discussed in this article include species in the genus Naja and other similar venomous snakes, such as Ophiophagus hannah (king cobra), Hemachatus haemachatus (ringhals), Walterinnesia aegyp... ]
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International Venom and Toxin Database - An online guide to Australias venomous creatures. Included also is information on venom research and antivenom.
Rattlesnake - An article by Willis Lamm, TrailBlazer Magazine. Statistical information on bites to humans and livestocks, how to avoid and what to do if you are bitten.
Snake Bites - An overview of bites from different snake species. Includes treatment options. By Survive Outdoors.
Snakebite Protocol - An exhaustive list of protocols written for potential snakebites to human beings. From the Department of Surgery at the University of California, San Diego.
Treating and Preventing Venomous Bites - Article from the US Food and Drug Administration.
Meta Description: [ For Goodness Snakes! Treating and Preventing Venomous Bites. ]
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