![]() In either case, the snake is only defending itself. Statistics show that the vast majority of snakebites occur while either catching and handling captive snakes or trying to molest or kill wild ones. As a result, about 40 percent of bites suffered by humans are defensive in nature and “dry” (without envenomation). Snakes have a limited amount of venom available at any given time and do not want to waste it on nonprey organisms. Snakes can control the amount of venom they inject and may bite aggressively for food or defensively for protection. In Mexico, 10 times as many people die annually from bee stings as from snakebites. Although there are about 8,000 venomous snakebites per year in the United States, the average number of annual fatalities is less than 10 or so per year-fewer than are attributed to bee stings and lightning strikes. Although snakebite mortality worldwide is estimated at 80,000–140,000 people per year, the majority of deaths occur in Southeast Asia, principally because of poor medical treatment, malnutrition of victims, and a large number of venomous species. Only a small percentage (fewer than 300 species) are venomous, and of those only about half are capable of inflicting a lethal bite. All snakes are predators, but venomous snakes (that is, biting snakes that use their fangs to inject toxins into their victims) have given an inaccurate reputation to the entire group, as most people cannot tell the dangerous from the harmless. Snakes are misunderstood and often maligned, primarily out of ignorance about their true nature and position in the natural world. However, snakes possess increased numbers of vertebrae and have developed two novelties among vertebrates: a tracheal lung in the neck region and a venom-conducting system for subduing prey.ĭo pit vipers live in pits? How many venomous species of lizards are there? Test your knowledge of scaly critters in this quiz. The visceral organs are elongated, with reduction of the left member in relation to the right the left lung is greatly reduced or even lost entirely. Internally, they have lost the urinary bladder. Unlike lizards, snakes lack movable eyelids, which results in a continuous and often disconcerting stare. Certain burrowing lizards may have only front or hind limbs or be completely legless. All snakes lack external limbs, but not all legless reptiles are snakes. Classified with lizards in the order Squamata, snakes represent a lizard that, over the course of evolution, has undergone structural reduction, simplification, and loss as well as specialization. Snake, (suborder Serpentes), also called serpent, any of more than 3,400 species of reptiles distinguished by their limbless condition and greatly elongated body and tail. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.Britannica Beyond We’ve created a new place where questions are at the center of learning.100 Women Britannica celebrates the centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment, highlighting suffragists and history-making politicians.COVID-19 Portal While this global health crisis continues to evolve, it can be useful to look to past pandemics to better understand how to respond today.Student Portal Britannica is the ultimate student resource for key school subjects like history, government, literature, and more.From tech to household and wellness products. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.
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