![]() ![]() The bones are held together by flexible ligaments, but they do not lock into place in the way that most other animals’ skulls do. Both the upper and lower jaws are split into two parts each (left side and right side), and the cranium is also separate. Snakes, however, have a very unique skull that is made up of many separate bones. Check out this interactive website to compare the skulls of lots of different animals. However, it also restricts movement, and this means that we can’t open our mouths very wide. This is important for all the biting and chewing that we do. Having only two main parts to a skull ensures that it is very strong and sturdy. The cranium and the mandibular bones lock into place and are held together by strong ligaments. There is also the maxilla (upper jaw), but in most animals it is fused to the underside of the cranium to form one large, strong structure. These skulls are made up of two main parts: the cranium (brain case) and the mandible (lower jaw). Most animals have skulls that are similar in structure to this polar bear’s skull (shown above). So, once a snake has caught its prey, how does it actually swallow something so much bigger than its head? To answer this question, first we will look at the skull structure of a typical vertebrate.Ī polar bear’s sturdy skull helps make its bite so powerful. The skeleton of this Gaboon viper (Bitis gabonica ) is mostly composed of hundreds of vertebrae and ribs. We will be talking all about venom in a future blog, so keep an eye out! These snakes are super strong! Other snakes catch and kill their prey using venom. This means they constrict (tighten) their strong, muscular body around the animal they have caught and squeeze it to death, with the help of their bones. Some snakes catch and kill their prey by constriction. They also have hundreds of ribs, almost the whole way down their body, to protect their organs. They have a special skull (more on this later!) and they have a very long spine, made up of hundreds of vertebrae (the bones that make up our backbone). Snakes need lots of bones so that they can be both strong and flexible. Muscles are attached to bones, and this enables us to move as our muscles contract. All these animals have an inner skeleton.īones give structure and strength to bodies. Snakes belong to the vertebrates, along with all other reptiles and amphibians, mammals, birds, and fish. Their bodies may be very soft and squishy, like a worm, or they may have an exoskeleton (a hardened outer shell, such as that of a crab, beetle, or scorpion). Invertebrates include animals like jellyfish, squid, spiders, and insects. In fact, they have hundreds – even more than us humans.Īnimals can be classed as either invertebrates (animals with no backbone) or vertebrates (animals with a backbone). Snakes, such as this green tree python (Morelia viridis), are so flexible that it may seem as though they don’t have any bones – but they do! David441491 CC2.Īs snakes are so flexible, it may be tempting to think that snakes have no bones. If you want to know how snakes hiss, you can find out here! This is how snakes are able to find hidden prey. And if the signal is stronger on one tip of the tongue fork than the other, it tells the snake which direction that smell is coming from. This sends a signal to the snake’s brain, telling it what the “smell” is. Once the snake has waved its forked tongue around enough to get a good coating of chemicals, it brings the tongue back into the mouth and presses the tips of its forks against the organ – one fork tip in each hole. ![]() The vomeronasal organ is located in the roof of a snake’s mouth, and there are two small entry holes that lead to it – like nostrils, but on the inside of the mouth. The vomeronasal (or Jacobson’s organ) allows snakes to detect airborne chemicals, in a similar way to how we smell. Airborne chemicals stick to the snake’s tongue when it is poking out, and the snake can identify the particles thanks to a special organ called the vomeronasal (or Jacobson’s) organ. This is called chemoreception, which literally means the receiving ( reception) of chemicals ( chemo). This is because they use their tongues to “smell” the air, which helps them navigate. You may have noticed that snakes poke out their tongues a lot, especially when they are on the move. The long, forked tongue of a garter snake (Thamnophis sp.). We all know that snakes are sneaky, but not everyone appreciates just how fascinating these slippery slitherers and other venomous creepy crawlies really are! This week, we’re kicking off a series in which we answer some of the most common questions people ask about snakes and other venomous critters. ![]()
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