Meet the Elapids: Of 18 snake families, this one's the most lethal. Talk about a vicious bunch! (ScienceWorld Miniposter).DEATH ADDER Unlike other elapids, this stocky Australian snake has long-hinged fangs that fold back against the roof of the mouth within a sheath of skin. At night, the snake wriggles its tail like a little worm to lure small animals within striking distance. By day, death adders rest in sand or grass--hard to see, but easy to step on.COBRA A snake charmer's favorite, the slender Indian cobra inhabits forests, fields, and urban areas in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (srē läng`kə) [Sinhalese,=resplendent land], formerly Ceylon, ancient Taprobane, officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, island republic (2005 est. pop. . When alarmed, it spreads a very wide hood. SEA SNAKE sea snake, name for any of the venomous marine snakes of the family Hydrophidae, found in tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The sea snake's body is flattened laterally and its oarlike tail is used as a scull. They prey on fish and eels in coastal waters of Australia and Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, region of Asia (1990 est. pop. 442,500,000), c.1,740,000 sq mi (4,506,600 sq km), bounded roughly by the Indian subcontinent on the west, China on the north, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. . With flattened tails and valve-like nostrils that keep out seawater seawater Water that makes up the oceans and seas. Seawater is a complex mixture of 96.5% water, 2.5% salts, and small amounts of other substances. Much of the world's magnesium is recovered from seawater, as are large quantities of bromine. , sea snakes have evolved into fearsome swimmers, but writhe helplessly on land. SPITTING COBRA In spitting cobras' fangs venom holes face slightly forward, letting them shoot blinding venom into the eyes of a predator up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) away. It's purely a defensive tactic, but "it adds a whole new dimension to snake catching!" Joe Slowinski says. CORAL SNAKE coral snake, name for poisonous New World snakes of the same family as the Old World cobras. About 30 species inhabit Mexico, Central America, and N South America; two are found in the United States. Coral snakes are the only elapids of North and South America. Averaging 51 cm (20 in.) in length, corals' bright bands of color alert predators: "I'm poisonous!" These secretive, nocturnal snakes spend much of their time in cracks and crevices. GREEN MAMBA Long, slender green mambas hunt, sleep, even lay eggs in the forest trees of eastern Africa. Given the chance, these graceful snakes will flee from trouble. But when trapped, a mamba mamba, name for African snakes of the genus Dendroaspis, in the cobra family. Widely distributed throughout Africa except in the deserts, mambas have extremely toxic venom. will shoot out like a green arrow, striking wildly as it goes. Mambas can inject more venom per bite than cobras. |
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