Question 2 of 21

Approximately how many species of snakes are there?

... There are about 2,500 species of snake worldwide, dwelling on land, in freshwater or in seawater.

Question 3 of 21

The smallest adult snake grows to be about ____.

... One species of blind snake tops out at about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long. At the other end of the spectrum, a reticulated python may be 30 feet (9 meters) long.

Question 4 of 21

As a defense mechanism, the puff adder fills its body with air and hisses. If this doesn't work, it _________.

... A puff adder, also called a hognose snake, will roll over and play dead if it does not succeed in tricking its attacker.

Question 5 of 21

When anacondas reproduce, the ____________.

... Like many species, female anacondas hatch their eggs inside their bodies, producing 10 to 70 offspring per brood.

Question 6 of 21

The tropical Braminy blind snake is blind because _________.

... The tiny snake has scales covering its eyes.

Question 7 of 21

A rattlesnake adds a ring to its rattle _________.

... When a rattler sheds it skin, it grows a new ring. This can occur two to four times per year. Old rings can slough off.

Question 8 of 21

According to the National Wildlife Foundation, what percentage of people are afraid of snakes?

... Twenty percent of people have some level of ophidiophobia (or ophiophobia): a fear of snakes.

Question 9 of 21

A python kills its prey by _______.

... After latching onto prey with its teeth, a python coils around it, suffocating the animal.

Question 10 of 21

Antivenin, used to treat venomous bites, is created from antibodies in the blood of _________.

... Horses are injected with diluted venom, and the antibodies created are harvested to produce antivenin. Sheep and goats are also used for this.

Question 11 of 21

The name "cobra" derives from the Portuguese word for _______ snake.

... "Cobra de capello" in Portuguese means "hooded snake" and refers to the cobra's ability to lift the front of its body and extend neck flaps when attacking.

Question 12 of 21

The flying snake glides between trees by employing its __________.

... The flying snake spreads its ribs and opens out its body, making it possible to "fly."

Question 13 of 21

Copperheads have heat-sensing organs near their ________.

... Copperheads can sense warmth emitted by potential prey through organs near their eyes. They can discern temperature variations down to a single degree.

Question 14 of 21

Which area does not have snakes?

... Snakes can't live in Antarctica, where the ground is perpetually frozen. In addition, they are not found in Iceland, Ireland or New Zealand.

Question 15 of 21

Snakes such as pythons and boas are considered "primitive" because they have remnants of _________.

... Pythons and boas have "spurs" that are the remnants of legs. Their skeletons also show vestigial hips.

Question 16 of 21

In general, venomous snakes have pupils that are ___________.

... If you could get close enough to see without being bitten, you would notice that most poisonous snakes have elliptical pupils; their non-venemous kin tend to have round pupils.

Question 17 of 21

Which continent has more venomous snakes than non-venomous snakes?

... Of the 2,500 species of snakes, only 400 are venomous. Australia is the only continent where non-venomous snakes are outnumbered by their more dangerous kin.

Question 18 of 21

The hoop snake has a hornlike tail tip that _______.

... The hoop snake is legendary for moving like a rolling hoop and stinging animals with its horn. However, this is completely false.

Question 19 of 21

The snake that has been timed as traveling the fastest is the ___________.

... The mamba has been clocked slithering along at 7 miles (11 kilometers) an hour.

Question 20 of 21

Currently, doctors use medicine containing components of snake venom to treat ___________.

... Venom proteins from rattlesnakes and African saw-scaled vipers are used to produce eptifibatide and tirofiban, respectively. Since 1998 they have been used to treat minor or incipient heart attacks. Research into treatments that use the proteins for strokes and cancer are underway.

Question 21 of 21

There are no snakes in Ireland because of _________.

... Throughout the history of continental shifting, there has never been any period where terrestrial access for snakes was possible coming from the southern regions of the world where they originated.

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