Snakes: English Vocabulary List

a large limbless reptilian with a long body and a fork-shaped tongue

"A large serpent moved."

"The ancient serpent, a massive limbless reptile, moved silently through the undergrowth with its forked tongue flicking."

a non-venomous Eurasian snake of the colubrid family with a ringed skin that is found near water

"Grass snakes are excellent swimmers and often hunt near water."

"The grass snake is harmless to humans and plays dead when threatened by potential predators."

a highly venomous African snake of the elapid family with green or black skin, which moves very fast and lives in trees

"The black mamba is one of the fastest snakes in the world."

"The black mamba is one of the fastest and most venomous snakes in Africa reaching speeds of twelve miles per hour."

a small venomous snake of the family of vipers with a dark pattern, originated in Eurasia

"The adder is venomous."

"The Eurasian adder, a small viper with a distinctive dark pattern, is the only venomous snake native to Britain."

a large tropical snake that is non-venomous and kills its prey by squeezing it

"The python wrapped around its prey."

"The python is a large constrictor snake that kills its prey by squeezing tightly until the animal cannot breathe."

a large semi-aquatic snake of the boa family that squeezes its prey to death, which inhabits tropical regions of South America

"Anacondas can stay submerged underwater for up to ten minutes."

"The anaconda is one of the heaviest snakes in the world and kills prey by constriction."

a highly venomous nocturnal snake with a dark skin and bright rings originated in Indian subcontinent

"Kraits are nocturnal and bite sleeping people by accident."

"The krait is a highly venomous snake that is active at night and very aggressive when disturbed."

a venomous snake of the pit viper kind that inhabits woodlands of Central and Southern America

"Bushmasters are pit vipers that live in remote Central American forests."

"The bushmaster is a large pit viper that lives in remote Central and South American jungles."

a harmless American snake of the colubrid family with colored stripes and patterns on the skin

"Garter snakes give birth to live young instead of laying eggs."

"The garter snake is common in North American gardens and feeds primarily on earthworms and amphibians."

a highly venomous brown snake of the elapid family that is endemic to Australia

"The inland taipan has the most toxic venom of any snake."

"The inland taipan has the most toxic venom of any land snake but is rarely encountered by humans."

a heavy-bodied coppery brown snake of the pit viper family which is very venomous and has a triangular head, endemic to Eastern North America

"Copperheads often freeze instead of fleeing when discovered."

"The copperhead's venom is relatively mild compared to other pit vipers but its bite still requires medical attention."

a light-colored nocturnal snake related to the rattlesnake that inhabits North American deserts and moves in a curved S shape

"The sidewinder moves sideways across hot desert sand."

"The sidewinder moves across hot desert sand by throwing its body in sideways looping motions."

any large kind of snake that wraps around its prey and squeezes it to death, such as a python, anaconda, etc.

"Boas squeeze their prey until it cannot breathe before swallowing it whole."

"The boa constrictor kills its prey by squeezing tightly until the animal cannot breathe."

any of the small and venomous groups of snakes of the elapid family with red, black and yellow bands on the skin

"A coral snake has red yellow and black bands that warn predators."

"The coral snake has bright red yellow and black bands and a potentially deadly neurotoxic venom."

a heavy-bodied venomous American snake of the pit viper family that makes a rattling sound by its tail when agitated

"The rattlesnake shook its tail."

"The rattlesnake's rattle is made of hollow interlocking segments that click together when the tail shakes."

a group of venomous snakes found in Northern Hemisphere marked by the sensory hit organs between the eye and the nostril

"Pit vipers detect warm-blooded prey using special heat-sensing organs."

"The pit viper detects warm blooded prey using heat sensitive pits located between its eyes and nostrils."

a small venomous snake of the viper family and European origin

"Cleopatra is said to have killed herself with an asp bite."

"The asp was used by Cleopatra to commit suicide according to famous historical accounts."

a large venomous snake of the viper family that inflates the upper part of its body in face of threat, originally found in Western Arabia and Africa

"The puff adder hisses loudly and inflates its body when threatened."

"The puff adder relies on camouflage rather than speed and strikes with incredible speed when approached."

a venomous Eurasian snake with relatively large fangs that goes deep into the body of a prey

"The viper's bite is dangerous."

"The viper has long hinged fangs that fold against the roof of its mouth when not in use."

a large, venomous snake native to Southeast Asia, characterized by its size, hooded appearance, and potent venom

"The king cobra is very venomous."

"The king cobra is the longest venomous snake in the world reaching lengths of up to eighteen feet."

a highly venomous aquatic reptile found in warm tropical waters

"Sea snakes have flattened tails that help them swim efficiently."

"The sea snake has a flattened paddle like tail for swimming and can stay submerged for hours."

a venomous snake characterized by diamond-shaped markings on its back and a distinct rattling sound produced by its tail

"The eastern diamondback is the heaviest venomous snake in the Americas."

"The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is the largest venomous snake in North America with a distinctive diamond pattern."